How to Gain Parent Support for a School Trip

When it comes to school trips, some parents are more willing than others to send their children away on a school residential.

Perhaps their child has never spent a night away from home before (it’s more common than you’d think!) Or other things like cost, security and safety concerns can be big contributing factors for parents simply saying ‘no’.

Without the support of parents, schools will always struggle to fill spaces on a school trip, so it’s down to the school and its trip leaders to reassure parents, quash any concerns and let parents know just how beneficial school trips can be for their children. So read on for our top tips for getting parents on board the school trip train:

Use a reliable, safety conscious school trip provider

Choosing a school trip provider can be a tricky choice and you’ve no doubt got guidelines and policies that your school must adhere to. As well as delivering on the activities, your provider also needs to deliver on the details leading up to your trip. Risk assessments, safety equipment, medical forms and quality of instruction are all important aspects of a school trip. Try to visit the venue where possible to meet the team and see the activity site(s) to ensure that when you visit, you’ll be in safe hands.

Send travel details and itineraries in good time

From dietaries and kit lists advising parents what to pack, to providing emergency contact details, it’s important for schools to supply parents with all the necessary information they may need for their child’s trip to run smoothly. Always make sure this information is supplied in good time (where possible) to give parents ample time to prepare. It’s also good to set expectations for communication between parents and their children whilst they’re away. If adventuring in the outdoors, sometimes phone signal can be limited, so it’s good to make parents aware, if this may be the case.

Explain the learning outcomes

More than just a fun school trip away, school residential trips can be beneficial to a child’s personal development in many ways. Challenging comfort zones, improving communication skills and igniting a love for new hobbies are just a few of the reasons why children should get to experience adventure school trips. Children can acquire new skills like fire lighting and shelter building during a bushcraft session, or conquer their fears whilst ascending into the trees on a high ropes activity. The benefits really are endless.

Challenging comfort zones, improving communication skills and igniting a love for new hobbies are just some of the reasons why children should get to experience adventure school trips.

Planning a school trip of your own? Speak to our friendly team today and we can help build you the ultimate adventure trip for your school. Have specific objectives for your trip? No problem. We can work with you to make sure that your trip delivers on all your required learning outcomes. And with a simple booking process, it really couldn't be easier.