With the rules relaxing for the general public across the nation what is going to happen about school trips for the summer term?
Pre-COVID-19, school day trips and longer residential trips for the summer term would have been booked, paid for and being eagerly awaited by now. Trip hoodies and/or t-shirts would have been ordered and possibly even delivered already. But, with the uncertainties which the pandemic has brought, school trips and team events for the summer term are still being considered rather than booked.
The official guidance
At the time of writing this article (11th May 2021) the guidance for schools / rules from the Government were last updated yesterday, on 10th May.
School Day Trips
Day trips have been permissible since the 12th April in line with relevant COVID-secure guidelines and regulations in place at the time of the trip.
Domestic Residential Trips
From 17th May UK based residential trips are possible, again they must follow relevant COVID-secure guidelines and regulations in place at the time.
Overseas School Trips
The recommendation from the Government is that schools do not undertake any international visits this academic year up to and including 5 September 2021.
The reality for schools
Back in the summer of 2020—when we came out of the first lockdown—day trips and residential stays may have been considered a safe-bet for the summer of 2021. However, by the time the majority of the trips would have been approaching the booking deadlines school heads, staff, and parents might have been rethinking things. It is impossible for us to get accurate statistics, but it appears that precious few trips, especially residential trips, have been booked for the 2021 summer. The official recommendation is against any overseas trips for students this summer. So, there will be only the very few domestic residential trips which have ‘survived’ that go ahead.Test / Exam Time
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Fancy a day trip?
As things ease, after the 17th May, we expect to see many more day trips arranged. Day trips are bookable at relatively short-notice, once risk assessments etc have been completed. Parents and pupils are likely to consider them a good idea, possibly something of a release valve, and sign-up as quickly as they can.
Trip Hoodies & T-shirts
Day trips haven’t, historically, had a trip hoodie or t-shirt associated with many of them. However, this year, we are seeing a few orders—mainly for trip t-shirts—as pupils want something to commemorate their one school trip/outing for the last almost 18 months. Lead-times are down because the volume of orders in the system is lower. So, if your school trip is looking for a hoodie or t-shirt for the pupils, it is worth asking—even as little as 10 days—before the trip is to take place.
