Everything You Need to Know About Overnight School Trips

Overnight school trips provide thrills, laughter and learning for both students and teachers, packed full of fun and adventure. What’s more rewarding as a teacher than seeing big smiles and the unbridled joy on your students’ faces as they immerse themselves in new and exciting experiences?

An overnight school trip is one of the highlights of the school year for pupils, and teachers should love them too! Plan a school trip at PGL, and we’ll guarantee you and your students entertainment, excitement, and enthusiasm! With thrilling activities for all to enjoy, it’s the perfect platform for you to bond with your students, whilst enjoying the benefits of learning outside the classroom!

Of course, any school trip needs a master organiser at the helm to help fine-tune the details and consider all your learning outcomes. So, if you don’t have a tried and tested formula for planning school trips, perhaps you need a little spark or a source of inspiration to help plan a terrific trip!

Well, consider PGL the experts for action and adventure, which spark the breakthroughs that matter the most! Crafting fun-filled itineraries that are packed full of awesome activities is our job - that’s why PGL can help you wow your students when planning a school trip.

So, take a read of our extensive guide that covers everything you could possibly need for overnight school trips. Our handy guide is packed full of top tips, advice and reassurance just for you. Let’s get stuck in!

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Planning an overnight school trip

Feeling a tad overwhelmed by the thought of all the planning you’ll have to do? Well, panic no more, because we’ll cover all there is to know about planning an overnight school trip.

With a clear plan and a little insight, planning a school trip can be simple, stress-free and exciting! Plus, effectively planning an overnight school trip will help allay the concerns of parents, so they feel reassured and understand exactly what it is their children will be doing during their stay.

The more you plan, the more fun your trip will be! So, here are some things you could consider when planning your overnight school trip:

Explore your destination options - Does your trip need to be local? (this can really help reduce your transport costs) Or, could you go further afield to explore and discover pastures new?

Accommodation - Consider the purpose of your trip and if there are any handy benefits to the type of accommodation you choose for your students. Strengthen the team ethic by getting your students working together in the outdoors with a camping trip (available at Bawdsey Manor, Boreatton Park or Caythorpe Court), or opt for dormitory accommodation and help your students form new friendships and close bonds with their fellow roommates.

What kind of school trip are you looking for? - Educational field trips, thrilling Multi-Activity adventure trips, our NEW R.E.A.C.H. programmes, exploring the culture of the city - there’s just so many opportunities provided by school trips, and even more benefits! We’re sure you’ll have a rough idea of what you want to glean for you and your students from your school trip. Weigh up your options, research the possibilities and start to shape a school trip your students will to savour!

How are you getting there? - Travel by coach or minibus, depending on the size of your group. We can arrange coach travel for you or you can use your own provider, just let us know what you’d like to do when placing your booking. The journey to your destination builds anticipation and excitement - it’s a big part of the camaraderie and magic of an overnight school trip!

Parents' permission - Communicate with parents both clearly and frequently about the plans and parameters for the trip. You can share your ideas initially with parents, politely ask them for their consent and give them a platform to share any ideas or requirements for their child. An open dialogue allows you to provide reassurance to parents, and it builds trust in both you and the school.

Risk assessments - These are vital to ensure the safety of everyone involved. The school can check all risks have been mitigated and that procedures are in place in case of an emergency. Safety is our highest priority and we have this covered for you, take a look here to find the risk assessments for your chosen destination.

Incredible itinerary - Having a clear itinerary communicates to students and parents exactly what fun adventures to expect across the duration of the trip. It also allows you to plan ahead, and factor in what activities can take place when and the amount of time needed. We’ll provide you with an itinerary 8-9 weeks before travel, age-appropriate and designed to deliver your learning outcomes whilst engaging, exciting and challenging your students.

Overnight school trip packing list

Now you're all planned and prepared; it's time to make sure your students are too! Your students will need lots of different items and clothing on their overnight school trips, and it gives parents a chance to prepare their children with all the adequate items and clothes they’ll need so that they can enjoy their trip without a worry.

Here's our essential packing list for an overnight school trip to share with your students:

Tops/T-shirts
Jacket/Coat
Tracksuit bottoms/Leggings
Shorts
Underwear & Socks
Hat & Gloves (for cold months)
Pyjamas
Trainers (2 pairs minimum)
Toothbrush & Toothpaste
Shower Gel
Towel(s) x2
Reusable drinks bottle
Backpack/Bag
Sleeping Bag & Pillow (if bedding not booked)

Check out our full kit list here

The benefits of an overnight school trip

So what makes overnight school trips so fantastic for students? Allowing them an alternative space to discover different surroundings, try new activities and build new friendships and bonds with classmates is invaluable for child development.

There’s tonnes of educational value in competing and collaborating in exciting challenges, with so many learning benefits.

Aside from students enjoying themselves in thrilling and adventurous activities, here are some more benefits of overnight school trips:

The opportunity for students to step out of their comfort zone
Socialise in a different environment
Develop independence skills
Increase confidence and resilience
Take part in physical activities
Learning outside the classroom provides a more hands-on approach to education

At PGL, we love to cultivate an environment that helps all teachers and students who visit our centres to extract the many benefits of overnight school trips. How do we do this? By giving students new opportunities and experiences they might never have had before, in a supportive and safe environment!

How to deal with overnight school trip anxiety

Staying away from home can invite a little anxiety for some children - each pupil is different and will deal with things in their own individual way. As many children are used to having a routine at home, sometimes a significant change can cause a little bit of stress.

As we have hundreds of thousands of school children who visit our PGL centres each year, we’re adept at being able to handle any sensitive issues around overnight school trip anxiety. If you feel like you need a few tips to help in the potential of this, then we’ve got just the blog for you. Read about our tips for dealing with anxious students on overnight school trips here:

Prepare - Letting students know what to expect before the trip could help to reduce anxiety for those who like to know what they'll be doing each day.

Communicate - When you're on the trip, communication with all students where possible is key to making everyone feel included and part of the group. Should anyone need a little extra individual attention, then speak to them and you can help answer any questions or concerns to help make them feel better.

Encourage home comforts - Sometimes, just having something that reminds them of home can help children sleep better at night and feel less anxious.

Reassurance - Children can sometimes overthink situations, so it’s worth answering questions and concerns before the trip so you can reassure them that they'll be safe while on the trip.

Distractions - Used in combination with our other tasks, if students are still anxious, then distraction techniques such as involving them with fun activities can be a great way to help ease any worries.

Encouragement - Some students' anxiety could be confidence-based, which is why we recommend you to encourage your students! A confidence boost might be just the tonic they need to release themselves from their own inhibitions and enjoy the wonders of a PGL adventure.

Book your overnight school trip today!

Our residential school trips offer pupils a fun-filled adventure with fantastic group activities and learning breakthroughs that matter back in the classroom. They’re perfect for developing teamwork skills, helping students build new friendships and most importantly, creating memories that both you and your pupils will cherish!

Our activities encourage students to communicate and promote teamwork values. Equally, it’s all about fun, laughter and friendship! Enriching young people’s lives is at the heart of what we do at PGL, and by the end of your stay here, we’re fairly certain you and your group will have enjoyed a simply wonderful experience!

If you're still unsure about what you want from your overnight school trip, well, that’s why we’re here! Get in touch today with any questions or queries you have and our friendly, professional team will ensure you get all the answers you need!