On Thursday 24 Feb 2022, DfE again updated their operational guidance to schools in light of Covid developments. The edits to the “educational visits” section are encouraging schools to follow the relevant and all the available guidance as follows:
Educational visits should be subject to risk assessments as normal and reflect any public health advice or in-country advice of the international destination. General guidance on educational visits is available and is supported by specialist advice from the Outdoor Education Advisory Panel (OEAP).
For international educational visits, you should refer to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice and the guidance on international travel before booking and travelling to make sure that the school group meet any entry and in country requirements especially in relation to vaccinations. More information can be found here and in the guidance on health and safety on educational visits.
You are advised to ensure that all bookings have adequate financial protection in place. You should speak to either your visit provider, commercial insurance company, or the risk protection arrangement (RPA) to assess the protection available. Independent advice on insurance cover and options can be sought from the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) or Association of British Insurers (ABI).
The full text of the new document is available here
You can start planning with a tour operator at a time that suits you, whether that’s now or in the future. At WST, we will discuss itinerary, accommodation and transport, along with any concerns you may have regarding safety, before providing you with a quotation. This will give you an idea of cost and content to share with SLT, students and parents. A quotation does not put you under any obligation and is a good way to gauge interest.
Once you know if you have interest and permission to travel you can provisionally hold services, still at no obligation. Now that travel is back on the agenda, interest is high for 2022 and 2023, availability of accommodation at key dates will become an issue. As transport services come on sale, demand will dictate price increases. So, our advice is to make a provisional booking as soon as possible, so you can avoid price increases and secure your preferred suppliers.
For peace of mind take a look at our Book With Confidence Promise