Arranging school sports tours can be a stressful endeavour for teachers.
Organising travel for a large group of students means tackling a lot of tricky issues, ranging from dietary requirements and rooming arrangements, to collecting passports and checking expiry dates. But the biggest beast to tackle will always be health and safety.
Group safety is every teacher’s top priority and should also be for any self-respecting tour operator. Safely organising youth sports and school travel can be difficult enough independently, so due diligence is a necessity when arranging these trips.
How to choose a safe tour operator
The easiest way for UK schools to quickly assess their tour operator’s health and safety credentials is by finding out if they have a School Travel Forum membership. These businesses are held to the highest standards, as they need to meet the requirements for the LOtC Quality Badge, as well as the STF’s own code of practice.
As well as providing assurances of their health and safety credentials, these accreditations demonstrate that the operator’s tours provide a tangible learning benefit for school groups. You can expect enriching excursions and memorable experiences that are tailored to the needs of your students when booking with these companies.
How School Travel Forum members are assessed
STF members undergo an external audit of their safety management processes, along with the quality of the educational experiences provided. This is to ensure that they’re capable of meeting all your practical requirements and academic needs.
Member audits take place every year to ensure that STF operators maintain their high touring standard.
Next time you’re called upon to arrange a school sports tour, the School Travel Forum should be your first port of call. Starting the process with a reliable operator means fewer problems further down the line.
Edwin Doran Sports Tours has been a member of the School Travel Forum for years, and we have over half a century of experience operating school sports tours.
To learn more about our story and the work we do to maintain our STF membership standards, get in touch with our touring experts.