Ski trips have become a rite of passage for many British schoolkids, but at a time when the cost of living is putting added pressure on families’ and schools’ budgets, is it time to ditch the annual school ski trip?
The answer is a resounding no. We’ve already talked about the many incredible benefits for the students themselves, but there are also some fantastic benefits for schools, too.
Here are just a few compelling reasons why your school should run a ski trip:
It can help the school to attract the best teachers and students
Offering a regular ski trip can set a school apart from its local competition when it comes to attracting students or teachers.
For many students, the opportunity to go skiing may be the only chance they will have during their childhood. That’s because, although school ski trips are by no means cheap, they are significantly less expensive than taking the whole family.
For those students, that trip could really be life-changing, as well as being a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It could introduce them to a new passion or hobby that they enjoy for the rest of their lives. Or it could spark an interest in travel and exploring new cultures.
For more advanced skiers, this is an exciting opportunity to share their passion with their friends.
For teachers, the opportunity to lead or accompany a trip is a great opportunity for their career progression and personal development. It’s also a fun perk of the job and a great opportunity to escape the classroom with their students!
It shows that the school takes the good health and mental wellbeing of their students seriously
A ski trip will show your students that there are lots of sports and activities available to them outside of those typically offered at school. They may develop a passion for snow sports, or they may be inspired to explore other activities. But, once they’ve found a sport or activity that suits them, they’re more likely to carry that interest into adulthood – therefore living healthier, more active lives.
The opportunity to get into the mountains and closer to nature is also fantastic for children’s wellbeing. The mountain environment has, through several studies, been linked to positive benefits for health and wellbeing, including stress reduction, improved cardiovascular health, resistance to obesity and a strengthened immune system.
It shows that the school takes the opportunity for personal development seriously
Trips offer students plenty of opportunities for personal development, as we’ve previously covered in our guide to the benefits of skiing. These trips encourage children to try something new and to explore and develop new skills which can help them to become more independent, responsible and resilient.
Plus, ski trips are exciting and challenging experiences that give students the chance to develop their sense of responsibility and leadership. They intrinsically encourage students to take risks and develop resilience when faced with unexpected challenges. And they encourage students to develop their teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills.
A ski trip can also be a fantastic opportunity for the personal development of teachers. They offer a valuable opportunity to develop planning and management skills. And, if they choose a reputable school tour operator (like us!), they can do so with minimum stress, as they’ll be supported every step of the way.
It can improve the learning environment
Trips offer the opportunity for students and teachers to get to know each other outside of the classroom and to see each other as human beings.
They will develop better relationships through their shared experiences and this will lead to greater mutual respect, which then translates into an improved learning environment once they’re back in the classroom.
It can be accessible to all
Trips can be very accessible for students, with adaptive skiing now available in many resorts. Many hotels also offer wheelchair accessible rooms and accessible coaches can also be arranged with enough advance warning.
It’s the ultimate cross-curricular trip and offers a fantastic opportunity for GCSE PE students
In addition to skiing, a trip offers your students the opportunity to practice their language skills and see geography in action in a spectacular mountain environment.
There will even be a bit of maths involved, as they manage their spending money and perhaps even get to grips with exchange rates.
So, even though ski trips have the reputation of being ‘just a bit of a jolly’, they actually offer many cross-curricular benefits.
And if you have any GCSE or A-Level PE students, they can even ski as the non-exam assessment component.
It’s a really rewarding experience for all involved
So, with all of these benefits, it’s clear that skiing is more than just a fun event in the school calendar – it’s actually a really rewarding experience for all involved.
Students will learn new skills and both they and teachers will have the opportunity for personal development. Students could also be introduced to a new sport that encourages them to live a healthy lifestyle. They’ll also have plenty of opportunity for cross-curricular learning, from languages to geography and even maths. And the experience will also lead to a better learning environment once everyone gets back to school.
The fact that your school prioritises all of this by offering their students the chance to go on a trip will help to raise the profile and reputation of your school and could help to attract the best students and teachers.
Ready to start planning your school ski trip?
Please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information or to request your tailor-made quote.