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Top 12 Educational School Trip Ideas for Student Success

Table of Contents:

Learning is a never-ending process. It’s not only an educational institution that teaches you! And when it comes to students, what better way than a fun and engaging field trip!?

After all, who doesn’t enjoy a great field trip? It allowed students to leave life’s routine and experience something completely different. And, when it serves the purpose of an educational trip, students can’t wait!

But planning a school trip is more than just fun and excitement! It must add value to the students learning! If you have ideas for student educational trips, this article is for you!

Here, we list the 12 best school trip ideas to help students enhance their learning journey.  

We are your companions, like the best essay writing websites that help you prepare the paper by offering abundant ideas, knowledge, and understanding of your requirements.  

We’ve listed the fun learning opportunities for students of all ages at different price points that teachers can have a look at. Let’s get started!  

Idea 1: Local Museums

What better way than spending a day at the local museums that hold the history of the places?  

It doesn’t have to be a history museum; it could be art, science, or a combination!  

Museums and school trips are both fun and educational. Students get to learn about different cultures, periods, and history and gain appreciation for the work of artists and scientists.  

It is also a great approach to give a sense of belonging to them about their place’s history.  

Museums are also a great way to help students write a paper about it. Instead of having to reach out to a research paper writer who already holds the ideas and expertise to write the best essay, students can do the job on their own with a bit of help from them.  

Idea 2: Outdoor Adventures

Often surrounded by four walls and classes, why wouldn’t students love a fun outdoor activity? Nothing gets students outdoors like an educational trip. A trip with the teacher ensures that they are aware of what to do and what not to do, but in all, they will have great fun.  

An idea of the campground or state park sounds excellent. Students will get to explore nature while learning about the environment. Further, other activities include rock climbing, zip-lining, and hiking. With, outdoor adventure trips seek additional care from teachers!  

Idea 3: Cultural Destinations

When planning a school trip, consider embarking on an educational adventure at a cultural destination that speaks history and culture. It could be a historic site, a cultural center, or an archaeological site.  

In such trips, students explore customs, beliefs, and cultures. Museums are also a great idea, but the cultural destination holds its value! Students can gain insight into the people’s lifestyles in other countries and the periods they lived through, and even participate in workshops to learn more about them.  

Idea 4: Farm Visits

Educational trips for students , especially younger children, demand simplicity and fun learning. They barely understand the history of exploring around the museums. Here, a fun farm visit is both exciting and educational!  

Farms are perfect for exploring nature closely. Such a trip with the teacher will help students learn about the importance of sustainable farm practices, healthy food choices, and animal husbandry. Plus, they’ll enjoy watching and feeding animals.

Idea 5: Aquariums and Zoos  

Next on our list of school trip ideas are Aquariums and zoos. They offer many educational opportunities for students, especially the younger ones! Here, they will be able to learn about animals and their habitat.  

In fact, it is a way for them to see the animals they’ve always seen on screen and paper.  

In aquariums, they can uncover the ocean’s mysteries and lifestyles. Plus, it is always great to see some wildlife close!

Idea 6: Art Galleries

Art has its own way of expressing itself. It speaks differently to everyone. With art gallery trips, students can immerse themselves in art and history.  

They can explore the work of famous artists, view unique art, and get a deeper understanding of cultures and traditions worldwide.  

Idea 7: Theater and Dance Performance

A bit of entertainment included in the learning process does no harm. A field trip for students to theater and dance performances encourages appreciation of performing arts.  

To ensure that these cultures stay extinct, the student must know what theater and dance performance is! They will be exposed to different forms of art. Further, it can be an essential lesson to them on collaboration, communication, and expression.  

Idea 8: Theme Parks

The theme park is also a great field trip suggestion, depending on the subject. You can give students a thrilling educational experience at amusement or theme parks.  

They can learn more about physics and engineering while riding and playing! Further, from a business perspective, they get the idea behind what it takes to run a successful business . Amusement parks are also a place to practice mathematics by calculating the cost of food and rides.  

Idea 9: Industrial Sites

If your students are more into business, visiting factories and industrial sites can significantly help them.  

Here, they can learn how things are made from scratch. They can learn the manufacturing process, discover the importance of safety measures, gain insight into the product, and more.  

Factories can be eye-opening experiences for students to help them understand the value of hard work and effort.  

Idea 10: Charity Events and Fundraisers

A learning journey towards sympathy and affection teaches a lot. When you let your students attend charity events and fundraisers, you teach them the importance of helping others.  

Charity events provide great insight into how a small contribution can make a big difference. Further, charities and fundraisers can be something other than a school trip. Students can volunteer in these activities.  

Idea 11: Business Tours

Business tours are a great initiative to explore the world and entrepreneurship firsthand. On such a trip, students learn about different industries and how they operate, and they even meet entrepreneurs who can share inspiring stories.  

Going on a business tour and exploring a part of the world they want to become familiar with can be an invaluable experience for students.  

Idea 12: International Trips

While it might be a bit costly, compared to other ideas mentioned on the list, an international trip gives the students the taste of another culture.  

Here, they can explore different customs and businesses, learn about foreign languages and foreign cultures, and accept the beauty of the places. International trips are an unforgettable experience for everyone!  

Wrapping Up

This summarizes our list of the top 12 best school trip ideas for students.  

We have listed some of the most popular ideas, from museums and art galleries to amusement parks and international tours. Depending upon the subject, curriculum demand, and students’ wants, you can go with the trip that best suits the student.  

Further, consider the age and learning perspective of the students. A school trip is a significant responsibility for teachers and must be carried out carefully to be a success. With these ideas, you can come up with the best suit!

Have you ever planned any of the school trips? What ideas did you move forward with? Do let us know!

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Planning a School Trip: Our Step-By-Step Guide

We can probably all agree that to experience learning while out in the world has a big impact. This on-the-spot learning is one of the best ways to ensure that concepts, skills and knowledge are retained. Planning a school trip is one of the most effective ways to introduce experiential learning to your students. A school trip not only cements learning in a way that kids will still be talking about it years later, it also makes that knowledge applicable to real situations. In other words, it turns knowledge that students just have (somewhere, deep down) into knowledge they can use .

But it’s all very well and good to talk about how great school tours are, but how in the world do you actually go about planning one? Where in the world, for that matter? It can seem like an immensely overwhelming task to think about planning a school trip. You might not even know where to start. Luckily, we’re going to make it easier for you. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to help you get your next (or first!) tour underway.

Step one – the purpose of the school trip

First, you’ll need to figure out the basics. What’s the purpose of this tour? You might already take a particular subject, sport, or activity, which makes determining the focus easy. However, it is worth considering the particular areas you would hope to reinforce or improve upon with this tour. Think about your ideal outcomes, or skills you would like students to gain from this experience. Then it’s time to think about the destination/s, time of year, and duration of the tour. A tip from us here is to be sure to check the academic calendar, assignment periods and school events. It’s definitely worth making sure there are no clashes with other activities or events relevant to students. We have had complications in the past with students dropping out of tours because it clashed with their senior ball!

Step two – choose an educational travel partner

Your next step is to select an educational travel partner. Companies like Student Horizons are here to take all the minutiae of planning a school trip off your plate. You will be able to hand over over all of the organisation, admin, bookings and other details. Right away, the tour planning process becomes so much easier and less stressful for you. Of course, it is important to work with someone you like and trust. If you haven’t used an educational tour provider before, we suggest having a checklist of requirements to help you choose. These might include: support to students, teachers and parents, educational content and resources, industry experience, and crisis management support. Over the last seven years, Student Horizons has proudly cultivated strong working relationships with over a hundred schools across New Zealand and Australia. Our experience, attention to detail, safety and risk management systems and client care has led to extremely positive feedback and a high rate of repeat business.

Step three – building your itinerary

Now that you’ve decided what type of school trip you’re planning and selected a tour provider, it’s time to start building your itinerary! You will need to know your estimated group size, and budget per student. Student Horizons’ tours are bespoke and can be entirely customised to meet your needs. It’s up to you to choose, therefore, how many fixtures, performances, workshops or coaching sessions you want to include. This is generally a good place to start, as putting the key elements in place first will help determine where additional activities can fit in. It’s also good to think about sightseeing excursions, the type of accommodation you’d prefer, and how many teachers will be travelling on the tour. We recommend a minimum of one teacher for every ten students.

Step four – get tour approval

Finally, the last step is to get tour approval! Your school will have specific policies and processes that you need to comply with before booking a tour. Student Horizons will provide all necessary documents to help you secure the support of the principal and department heads.

Planning a school trip can be a long process. We always suggest starting to think about the details we’ve outlined above at least a year in advance. However, working with the right educational travel provider can reduce all the hassle of that year-long process to a mere handful of admin tasks. We would love to show you just how much easier the planning process could be with Student Horizons on board.

To find out more about how we support you, visit our teacher support page .

Top 20 School Trip Ideas

Written by Dan

Last updated February 13, 2024

Teaching can be a gratifying job, and it’s even more fun when you get the chance to take your students on a school trip. Trips are a great way to connect with your students while they learn something new outside the classroom—something that will stay with them for years to come.

But as any teacher knows, planning a successful school trip can be challenging in terms of organizing transport and activities and finding one that fits your budget.

That’s why we’ve put together this list of top 20 school trip ideas, which are full of fun learning opportunities for all ages at different price points so teachers everywhere can take their classes on an unforgettable educational journey!

Related : For more, check out our article on  Top 20 Assembly Ideas  here.

Table of Contents

School Trip Idea 1: Local Museums.

A day spent exploring a local history museum, art museum, science centre, or planetarium can be both educational and fun. Students can learn about different cultures and periods, as well as gain an appreciation for the work of artists and scientists past and present.

School Trip Idea 2: Outdoor Adventures.

Nothing gets students outdoors like a school trip to a campground or state park. Kids can explore nature while learning about the environment, and they’ll get to try new activities like canoeing, rock climbing, zip-lining and more!

School Trip Idea 3: Cultural Destinations.

Embark on an educational adventure at a cultural destination such as a historic site, a cultural centre, or an archaeological site. Students can explore the customs and beliefs of different cultures, gain insights into people’s lifestyles in other countries and periods, or even participate in interactive workshops to learn about various topics.

School Trip Idea 4: Farm Visits.

One for younger kids! Farms offer the perfect opportunity to explore nature up close and personal. On a farm trip, students will learn about the importance of sustainable farming practices, animal husbandry, and healthy food choices. Plus, they can have plenty of fun collecting eggs or feeding animals!

School Trip Idea 5: Aquariums & Zoos.

Aquariums and zoos offer a wealth of educational opportunities for students. Kids can learn about animals in their natural habitats and uncover the ocean’s mysteries and inhabitants. Plus, it’s always a treat to see some incredible wildlife up close!

School Trip Idea 6: Art Galleries & Historic Sites.

Immerse yourself in art and history by visiting an art gallery or historic site. Here, students can explore the works of famous artists, view unique artefacts from centuries past, and gain a greater understanding of different cultures and traditions worldwide.

School Trip Idea 7: Theater & Dance Performances.

Encourage appreciation of the performing arts by taking your students to a theatre or dance performance. Not only will they be exposed to different forms of art, but they’ll also pick up on important lessons about collaboration, communication, and expression.

School Trip Idea 8: Amusement & Theme Parks.

Give your students a thrilling educational experience at an amusement or theme park. Here they can learn about physics and engineering while riding rollercoasters, find out what it takes to run a successful business by exploring different attractions and practice mathematics by figuring out the cost of rides and food.

School Trip Idea 9: Sports & Recreation Facilities.

Take your students to the sports facility for a day of physical activities. Not only can they get some exercise, but they’ll also learn about teamwork, competition and fair play. Plus, it’s an excellent opportunity for kids to develop skills like problem-solving and coordination.

School Trip Idea 10: Factories & Industrial Sites.

Bring your students to a factory or industrial site and watch how things are made. Here they’ll learn about the manufacturing process, discover the importance of safety measures, and gain insights into the production of everyday items.

It’s an eye-opening experience that can help them understand the value of hard work and effort.

School Trip Idea 11: STEM Centers.

A trip to a STEM centre is an excellent opportunity for students to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics in a hands-on environment. Kids can participate in interactive workshops, build robots or learn about coding—all while having fun!

School Trip Idea 12: National Parks.

Give your students a chance to experience nature in all its glory at a national park. Here, they can observe the wildlife, explore different ecosystems and gain insights into conservation efforts. Plus, there are usually plenty of activities for them to try, like camping, hiking and canoeing.

School Trip Idea 13: Local Rivers and Streams.

To help kids understand the importance of conservation, take them on a trip to a nearby river or stream. Once there, they can collect data about water quality and identify different species of fish and plants. Plus, it’s always fun fishing or playing water games!

School Trip Idea 14: Transport Museums.

Give your students a fascinating glimpse into transportation by taking them to a transport museum. Here they can learn about the history of different modes of transport, explore how vehicles are made and operated, and gain insights into the science behind motion and energy.

School Trip Idea 15: Planetariums & Observatories.

Take your students to a planetarium and observatory for an unforgettable experience. Here they can learn about the stars, planets and galaxies, as well as fascinating facts about solar systems and astrology. Plus, they’ll have a chance to use telescopes and gaze up at the night sky!

School Trip Idea 16: World War Historical Sites.

To help your students understand the impact of World War II, take them to a nearby historical site. Here they can learn about important battles and key figures from that era, better understand different political ideologies and gain insights into how wars are fought and won.

School Trip Idea 17: International Trips.

Take your students on an international trip and give them a taste of another culture. Here they can explore different customs, sample exotic cuisines, learn about foreign languages and appreciate the beauty of other countries. It’s sure to be an unforgettable experience for everyone!

School Trip Idea 18: Profesional Sports Games.

Bring your students to a professional sports game and give them a chance to cheer for their favourite teams. Not only can they learn about the game’s rules, but they’ll also experience the energy and excitement of watching live sporting events. It’s sure to be an unforgettable experience!

School Trip Idea 19: Charity Events & Fundraisers.

Let your students give back by taking them to a charity event or fundraiser. Here they’ll learn the importance of helping others and gain insights into how even small contributions can make a big difference.

Plus, it’s an excellent opportunity for kids to develop teamwork, competition and public speaking skills.

School Trip Idea 20: Business Tours.

Take your students on a business tour and let them explore the world of entrepreneurship first-hand. Here they can learn about different industries, gain insights into how businesses are run and even meet entrepreneurs who can share their inspiring stories. It’sIt’se to be an invaluable experience for all!

School trips are an excellent way to help students develop essential skills and gain fresh perspectives. From national parks and observatories to charity events and business tours, plenty of exciting options can create an educational and unforgettable experience.

With careful planning and consideration, you can make a successful school trip that will benefit your students in many ways.

So what are you waiting for? Start planning your next school trip today!

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About The Author

I'm Dan Higgins, one of the faces behind The Teaching Couple. With 15 years in the education sector and a decade as a teacher, I've witnessed the highs and lows of school life. Over the years, my passion for supporting fellow teachers and making school more bearable has grown. The Teaching Couple is my platform to share strategies, tips, and insights from my journey. Together, we can shape a better school experience for all.

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School Travel

Getting Started

• Familiarise yourself with your school’s procedure for organising days away, ensuring that you have all of the necessary approvals and forms on hand. To avoid anything from slipping through the cracks, it’s worth going over the administrative process with another colleague.
• Write down the objectives of the visit to convince parents or guardians of its educational (or other) value for their children. Make sure that you ask for written consent from all parents.
• Develop an itinerary and a packing checklist. While this can be time consuming, it’s not if you let us do this for you! You’ll share this schedule of events with parents, students and colleagues.
• Make a list of every pupil attending the trip, and create folders that contain their parents’ or guardians’ written consent, their medical and dietary requirements and other important information, such as their behavioural tendencies.
• It’s always a good idea to visit the location beforehand. At the School Travel Company we can organise an inspection visit prior to the trip, allowing you to conduct risk assessments, try out your chosen accommodation and check out local transport options before your class steps foot off the bus.

Preparing Your Pupils

• Showing pupils a film about the destination
• Having students who went on past trips talk about what they most enjoyed
• Going over the itinerary in class, and – if the outing is educational – highlighting opportunities for downtime
•  If applicable, giving them a checklist of items (and/or questions about them) to look out for during their trip, such as historical monuments or flora and fauna. The first person to see everything on the list wins a prize!

Of course, these tips for planning your outing are only a drop in the ocean compared to our experienced team’s wealth of insider knowledge. Whether you’re looking for school trip ideas or already have a specific excursion in mind, we at The School Travel Company are here to lift the logistical weight off of your shoulders. To find out more about our inspiring itineraries, get in touch with us today.  

“Bringing the Classroom to Life”

The School Travel Company Blog is a treasure trove of tips and titbits, ideas and inspirations, suggestions and surprises to expect when planning your school trip!

Have a browse through and take advantage of the experience of our expert tour managers.

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The Ultimate How-To Guide on Planning a School Trip

Print your customisable school trip planning timeline., when you start planning your annual school trip, the task lists and deadlines can feel overwhelming. at the learning adventure, we help you through the whole process – use our guide’s printable resource below as your own customisable timeline to help get you organised..

9 months to go : Get the go ahead from senior management to run an educational trip.

Every school has its own procedure – you might already have clearance to run a trip or you might need to ask your manager first.

8 months to go: Get in contact with us and we will start working on an itinerary to suit your budget.

Let us know what destinations and subject you’re looking at and the budget you’re aiming for, as well as how much of a mix between culture and education you’d like. Have an idea of what kind of accommodation you’d like and whether you’d like to book flights with us (we’re ATOL protected). Then, we’ll get going putting together an initial itinerary and quote for you.

7.5 months to go: Now is the time to tweak the itinerary. Let’s get it perfect for you.

We’ll customise your trip to your subject, curriculum, budget and any other needs. Once you’ve got the initial quote and itinerary, tell us which activities you like or don’t like.  We want to get it just right and can update the itinerary as many times as necessary. We can also help with any questions relating to visas, insurance, risk assessments or packing lists.

7 months to go : Itinerary and price confirmed. It’s time to start recruiting students.

Spread the word to your students and their parents in class, assemblies, emails and letters home. Highlight the key activities and learning objectives in the itinerary, stress the educational value and give them all the important information, like prices, payment dates and sign-up deadlines.

5 months to go : Confirm how many students are coming, sign your booking contract and we will send you an invoice. Now’s also the time to collect deposits from your students.

This is the most exciting point. You know who’s joining the adventure, exactly what you’re doing and what your students will get out of it. Once you’ve signed the booking contract the trip is officially booked!

4.5 months to go : Your first deposit is now due.

We usually charge 30% of the full amount as an initial deposit. This pays for parts of the tour that need to be booked, confirmed and paid for in advance. This varies from trip to trip though so feel free to chat to us about this– we’re flexible.

3.5 months to go : You might want to start collecting the rest of the payments from your students now.

How you collect payments is up to you and your school. Sometimes, schools prefer to collect the full amount right at the beginning, others collect in two or three installments, and others collect payments from parents monthly.

3 months to go : Your second payment is now due.

This is usually another 30% of the full amount but like the first deposit, we can be flexible so get in touch to discuss this further.

1 month to go : Pay the remaining balance and get The Learning Adventure in to answer any questions from parents and students.

With just 40% left to pay, you are nearly on your way.

You might also want to ask one of our team members to come into your school for a parents’ evening. We can answer any questions that parents have face to face and ensure that everyone gets excited about their upcoming adventure.

Departure Date

This is it. You might be going on a school trip to China , Japan , South Korea , South East Asia , Italy , France or Spain , but, wherever you’re going, your students are up for The Learning Adventure of a lifetime!

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Planning a School Trip Step by Step Guide

Where to begin.

The most common way for schools to book a school trip is through a school tour operator, who can help take care of your school trip requirements, logistics and planning. Choosing to travel with a tour operator can help students to build their knowledge and cultural appreciation for new and unknown places, whilst creating an exciting and memorable experience.

Before choosing your tour operator, you should think carefully about your budget (what is affordable for parents?) and the dates that work best to avoid clashes with any other school activities. You should also remember to seek approval from your EVC or SLT before continuing with any further school trip planning.

Finding your tour operator

When selecting your tour operator, you should be on the lookout for someone who is a member of the School Travel Forum (STF) and holds the LOTC Quality Badge in order to gain peace of mind when it comes to safety standards. When looking for a tour operator choose someone who is honest with you and that has your learning objectives at heart. You should also choose a tour operator who has the important accreditations – ABTA and ATOL (if you are flying) so you can be sure they are financially protected.

When searching, make sure to consider an operator with great  local knowledge , a thorough safety management system, and a  personal tour consultant  on hand throughout your trip. A good tour operator is one that can take care of all loose ends and create a sense of fun, meaning that teachers can sit back and enjoy the trip just as much as their pupils.

When it comes to requesting prices, make sure you ask for a full written quote from various tour operators to ensure that you are getting the best price possible. Take a look at our  comparison table  to see exactly what your quote should include.

Approving and promoting your trip

Once you have chosen your destination and tour operator, it’s time to meet with your EVC and SLT to get full approval for your trip. When you have approval, you can provisionally book and start looking into the finer details of the trip.

Make sure to request a full provisional document which states the aspects of your trip that aren’t included in the price. This will help to give an indication of any other charges that may be incurred in future.    

When it comes to promoting your school trip to parents, you should make sure to share as much information as possible from the outset. This will help to establish an initial number of students attending your trip. Take a look at the  Letters and Templates  section of our website for help.

Booking your trip

Once you have received your deposits from parents, it’s time for the fun bit. After confirming passenger details, you can officially book your trip!

As for the finer details, you tour operator should be able to help with this – leaving you to think about creating lasting memories for both you and your students. The  Tour Planning & Tools  section of our website has a wealth of information, from packing checklists to insurance information and payment planners, to help you get started.

Download your free Planning Guide

We have put together a free planning guide that you can print off to help you plan.

Ultimate guide to planning school trips

This ultimate guide will help you to learn tricks of the trade form over 50 experienced school trip, school camp and educational tour leaders and experienced teachers.

The ultimate guide to planning school trips, educational tours and school camps

We have worked in the educational tour, school camp and school trip industry since 2009. Our first school group was from World Challenge and they visited our turtle project in the Perhentian Islands. We have since led over 5,000 participants and now handle approximately 50 groups per year, well not in 2020!

Even if you are experienced its always nerve wracking to lead school trips especially if you are camping with a large number of students or its your first time ever.  Therefore, we have decided to help teachers and educational tour group leaders by developing this ultimate guide which we hope will help you to be well prepared to manage your next school trip.

To make this ultimate guide we have spoken to over 50 educators, school camp organisers and facilitators and asked them for their handy tips and advice.

Why lead a school trip Stats about the impacts of school trips on students How to get a school trip off the ground Selling the programme to the students and parents Ultimate pre school trip check list Departure During the school camp After the camp Resources

Why Lead A School Trip

So first of all, why should you lead a school trip?  One thing that has stood out during our personal experience, and research, are the positive impacts of the trips on the students. Nearly all teachers said the school camps helped the students to become more independent and made lasting memories.

Personally, a lot of my school memories are from camps. For example, when I completed the high ropes course and leap of faith in my final year at primary school at Skern lodge. I also remember bumping into my mum whilst we stopped at a service station on a cricket tour. The same is true with your students. These are memories will last forever.  One teacher put it well

“experiences always stick with students much longer than the skills we teach. The only thing I remember from 6th grade is building a den that I slept in during camp.”

For school trips abroad then the memories are even more vivid as students will experience new foods, smells, sounds and activities.

Always remember you are helping the students to develop and make life long memories, if that is not incentive enough, I don’t know what will be.

Here We Have Some School Trip Stats

We have scoured the web for some awesome stats that will help you to persuade people to join your school camps. We made some infographics for you to see and use. PLEASE use the infographics in your presentations to parents and wherever you like.  The stats have come from reputable sources with a few quotes from experienced teachers.

Below are some comments, quotes and stats we have found and would like to share

“Research shows that healthier and happier children do better in school.  Additionally education is an important determinant of future health.

But education is not just about lessons within the four walls of a classroom. The outdoor environment encourages skills such as  problem solving and negotiating risk  which are important for child development.” https://theconversation.com/outdoor-learning-has-huge-benefits-for-children-and-teachers-so-why-isnt-it-used-in-more-schools-118067

In a study by the US Travel Association, they surveyed 400 parents, 200 never been on a school trip and 200 who had.  They found out that “regardless of gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status, youth who take educational trips have better grades (59 percent), higher graduation rates from high school (95%) and college (63%), and greater income (12% higher annually). In fact, 89% said educational trips had a positive, lasting impact on their education. The trips made them more engaged, intellectually curious and interested in and out of school.” https://www.neamb.com/work-life/how-field-trips-boost-students-lifelong-success

How to get a school trip off the ground

I hear you say, YES, I want to lead a school camp or educational tour. But how?  If you are reading this then you must already be online researching. Looking for terms such as school trip provider and school trip ideas.  Read on and learn from the experienced teachers about how to get your school camp off the ground!

Types of educational tours, school trips and school camps and what to consider

Before you can start researching you need to think what sort of experience you want. Do you want to lead an educational tour, school trip abroad or a good old school camp.  Which one you choose will affect your activities, locations and itineraries.

Think what is the purpose of the school trip, is it more academic like a geography field trip. Is it more focused towards service and volunteering. Perhaps you just want them to have fun, bond and relax.  Once you know the purpose then you can start thinking about the activities. When designing activities think about the age of the students. If the group has mixed ages, think if the older and younger students can do the activity together or not.  The best programmes combine all aspects so the school trip is very varied and exciting

Time of year for school camps

Think about the time of year and the climate. If you are doing a conservation service project is it the best time.  For example, a turtle project, is it the right time of year for doing turtle volunteer work. Also what will the weather be like?  Monsoon seasons can really be a great time to go. During monsoon seasons there are less tourists and you can do different activities like surfing. However you need to think about weather impacts and do more weather independent activities.

The itinerary and structure of the programme is actually really important. For example, don’t have the BEST most exciting activity on the first day.  Always have a set routine for wake ups, meal times and activity start times.  The last day needs to have a BANG. When making a programme I always try to end the programmes on a fun activity. We often go white water rafting on our last day for this reason.

Using a school trip provider or go alone

I would say its always best to go with a school trip provider because you never know what may happen and its best to have someone who has local experience. They will know what is and what isn’t possible on trips. They will also know little tricks of the trade and local knowledge at particular locations.

How to assess a school camp provider

Here is some advice from a freelance facilitator they point out some important things to note.

Having worked with a range of outdoor education providers, each company have different strengths and weaknesses. They will have different specialities in terms of style and environment. Think about what you’re aims are for the trip and choose accordingly. While each will tell you it does everything, some are stronger at different aspects. Some maybe stronger on the activities and personal development. Whilst others are more involved in terms of conservation and sustainability. The feel of the trip will also be entirely dependent on the individuals they employ. Therefore its important for you to check their typical backgrounds and experience. Comparing companies’ backgrounds, SOPs and risk management policies is also a very easy way to assess their experience.”

For me, as a provider the best teachers are the ones who are involved. It’s a two-way partnership and small details are very important. So I personally think you need to find an organisation whom you personally can work well with.  You know the students better than the school trip provider and will know better their food and activity preferences.

In a nutshell

First decide the aim and purpose of the trip. Do you want more voluntary service or team building and personal development. Do you want the students to develop field work skills and use the site visit as case studies?

Only then you can start your research of relevant programmes and providers.

Research the providers and contact them, speak on the phone. Organise a visit, mainly get a feel of them and how they work and if you are both compatible.  Talk to them about their  safety records and SOPs, t heir facilitators and ask t hem for contact details of past school teachers they have worked with.

Selling the programme to the students and parents

Now you have found a great programme and provider. You think the programme will be popular with the students and parents with great aims and outcomes. So how do you promote the school trip to the students and importantly the parents?

We asked this question to our experienced teachers and leaders and here are the general tips.

Presenting to Students

• Promote the trips as early as possible
• Provide lots of photos and vidoes
• If possible, ask the provider to come in and talk to the students. Get the students doing some short activities related to the school trip like short team building games. This will get them feeling good about the school camp.
• For older students show that this programme is about building or cementing your friendships and look good for university applications.
• Make the trip look fun but also challenging.
• One I find works with kids these days is show off the food and accommodation, if its nice. It’s taken me by surprise but food and standard of accommodation is becoming an increasingly important factor for students.  I think its because they are used to traveling so much. IF, there is a pool at the accommodation SHOW THAT OFF.

Below is a video story by a friend of mine who has made the story book for kids called the Box People.  It highlights the importance of the benefits of nature.  

Presenting to parents

One of the most seemingly daunting tasks is presenting to the parents and this shouldn’t really be the case. Change the presentation completely and present to the parents what they want to know.  Pre-empt the parent’s questions and answer them in your presentation.

Here are some great tips and advice from our experienced crowd.

• If it’s your schools first time with a new provider, and/or at a new location then it’s imperative for the provider to talk to the parents directly. Parents will ask more specific questions than the students. The provider should be able to answer all the parent’s questions and be knowledgeable.  The parents need to feel they can trust you and the provider with their children.
• Be honest, if there are risks say there is a risk, but stress how the risks are managed. The key is in the detail.
• Clear payment schedules. Not all parents find it easy to pay for educational tours and school trips.  They may have 2 or 3 children all going on trips at the same time.
• One reason why we have made the infographics above is for you to use during your presentations. Use the infographics to highlight to the parents the BENEFITS of the trips to the students.
• Link the trip focus/aims to your schools guiding statements,
• Point out how the trips are a means to show universities that your child is a risk taker, shows resilience and is willing to face challenge and see value in activities outside the classroom. (This is one way I engage parents whose children are wrapped up in cotton wool. They think academic qualifications are all that’s needed to ace a top university place).

Ultimate pre school trip check list

This is a chronological check list to ensure your school camp goes without a hitch! The list below has information about the tasks. You can download the check list in an easy to understand tick box format below.

Download the  Ultimate pre school trip check list  !

I would go through this list and work back chronologically from the day you depart.  This way you can work out when things need to happen.

Build your core team!

It may seem a bit early but you need to think who will be your on camp senior leaders. I would select 1 or 2 right hand people and get them involved as early as possible.  It is always better to have a few brains rather than one.  These core people will help with decision making and leading if you are unable.

Ensure these people add a different flavour and are hyper and organised.  I love music and drama teachers.  Music is very important on camp.  If a teacher can play a guitar or recorder and play on camp that would be awesome. Drama teachers are great as they normally have 101 ice breaker and energizer games which can help if there any low points.

Once you have your core team, do a site visit with the core team. If your educational tour is abroad set up a skype session. Get to know your provider better and ask plenty of detailed questions.  Ask them about dates, transportation, responsibilities, payment schedules and indemnity forms.

Now you are ready and armed with the information to send off letters to the parents, these letters should include

Payment details

Send these to the parents early with a payment schedule and refund policy, these must be signed by the parents.

Permission slips and indemnity forms

These have to be signed by a legal adult which means someone 18 or over. This means the parents will most likely have to sign. MOST if not all providers will have their own.  Check with the school and see if the schools indemnity forms already cover the school trip provider. If the schools indemnity covers the providers then send them a copy. Incase the schools indemnity does not cover the provider then the parents or participants who are 18 years and over will need to sign.

When scuba diving is involved then a self-assessed medical form will need to be completed and signed. If the PADI medical is not completed when you arrive you will have a problem. The students who are 17 and under will need to get their form signed by their parents and sent electronically before ANY in water scuba diving activities can take place.  Indemnity forms are important for liability and also if there is an accident to help the teacher and provider to act as guardians for the student.

Indemnity forms are very important and always best to get them out of the way early, expect parents to ask many questions.

Scanned copy of passport

You will often need a scanned copy of the students passport. Obtain the scanned copies early especially for international travel. In Malaysia we need these for entering the national parks and forest reserves.

Student detail form

Your school may already have this. If not, you will need all the student details, full name, nickname, gender, passport number, country as per passport, next of kin details, diets and allergy issues.  The best way is to set up a google form and then send the parents the link or you may have something with your school or university intranet.  The idea is to have a system which populates an electronic spreadsheet to save you time.

Electronic copies

Get all these saved electronically and email them to yourself. I recommend you also save them on your desktop for easy access. Then print out hard copies!.  Get a folder with all this in.

If you are travelling abroad ensure you understand the visa requirements for your students.  Do this nice and early like 6 months in advance.  Ensure the students passport is valid for 6 months after they are back from the trip.

If you are traveling into Malaysia for your school trip then check out the immigration website here https://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/entry-requirements-into-malaysia.html

Building your team

Now, if you have a small group then you should be fine with 2/3 adult leaders but if you have 40+ students you will need a bigger team. You will need a minimum of 1 teacher to 10 students. I recommend 1 to 10 plus yourself so you are free.  This will mean during the school trip the provider will probably provide 1 staff to every 10 students meaning you have a combined adult team of 1 adult to 5 students.  Which is a very good ratio.

The key to choosing people is making sure they really want to go.  Don’t take helpers who don’t want to go. You need cheerful people whom the students can relate easily with and a team of people with different skills. Some better at first aid, some better at music, sports, arts etc.  When you are on a school camp the students attitude often is reflected from the teachers.  If the teachers are low and not enjoying themselves this will reflect onto the students who will also be low. If a teacher is really enjoying it, they will spur on the students.

Get the final kit list from the provider and ask where best to buy and which items are essential.

Write your Team notes – Detailed Itinerary, PIC’s and menu

Up until now you probably will have had a rough itinerary. Now is the time to ask for a detailed itinerary with rain back up plans and menu’s.  The itinerary should include if free times are structured or not structured and if the provider will provide games and activities or not.  In my experience, free time means the provider won’t provide any activities and the teachers can lead activities if they like.

I suggest even during free time there are a few scheduled activities though NOT included on the itinerary the students get. The teachers should get an itinerary we call Team Notes, this document is basically an annotated itinerary.  The team notes will even include tasks of what to do for the next day and who is doing what.  Remember in the team notes to include FREE TIME for staff as well as they will need some down time for sure.

Organise at least 3 meetings with the students.

Before you depart, you will need to organise a few meetings with the students.  We recommend at least 3 meetings with the purposes of each being different.

Focus on bonding games. Bonding games help the students to get to know each other and so you get to know the students.  Getting to know the students will help with group and room selections. Give the students a kit list and email it to the parents through your communication channels

Learn about the topics covered in the school trip. For example if you are doing a marine conservation school trip then get the students to present topics on marine conservation.  This time I would ask the students to write down their favourite music so you or one of the teachers can compile them onto a USB stick

The last meeting should be discussing specifics like rooming partners (ask them to write their preferred room mates so you can then mix and match) and last minute planning and going over kit lists again.

What tasks to delegate to your team

I would delegate tasks to your team a minimum of 2 weeks before the start of the school camp. Go through the detailed team notes and allocate tasks as below.

• First aid kits including thermometers
• Reflection questions and activities
• Free time equipment – frisbee, football, board games, rounders equipment
• USB stick with music which the student like – make a few copies for different transport ie if your group moves in 2 buses at the same time you need at least 2 USB sticks.
• Cable extension
• Coffee and kettle
• Zip locked bags
• Extra batteries
• At least one school phone for communication and DON’T USE YOUR PERSONAL PHONE.
• Detailed notes for all with all important contact numbers
• Set up whats app group between staff for easy communication
• Set up communication channel with the parents – one way for photos and daily updates NOT two way.
• Back up phone cables
• A lockable box
• List of games for wet weather back up
• Insurance policy with all contact details – SAVED ONLINE AS WELL, things easily get lost and missed places which will make you panic!
• Contingency money, always have some spare money to buy ice creams or whatever

It’s time, all that prep and now you are going to be making lasting memories for all your students.

The day before, if your provider hasn’t contacted you, contact the provider. You can discuss all the final details and the pick up times etc.  If you are booking your bus then call the bus company to get the number of the actual bus drivers.  Then contact the bus drivers directly and share location of where to meet them.  They will normally arrive 30-60 minutes early.

Ensure the parents are reminded through your one-way communication channel.   Remind the parents that IF they don’t arrive by x time the bus will leave.

If a student is late, give the parents a call and see where they are.  Try not to be to leave late because that will have repercussions and you don’t want to rush your bus driver.

Here are a few of our tips for making the trip a great one!

Music on school camp

We have mentioned it a few times but MUSIC is a must, especially for a proper ‘in tent’ school camp.  Music really changes the mood. Use upbeat music so the students can dance.  For journey’s have music the students can sing too. You can throw in some golden oldies as well as surprisingly a lot of the students know some of the classics. I always remember one group loved my playlist as it was full of Queen and their dads all play Queen at home.

Have lots of back up short and snappy games. Here are a few from our experts

• Uno card game,
• Mancala African stone game
• Cribbage Card game & travel board
• Farkle dice game
• Active games that are inclusive and not too skills based so all kids can join in, or let them select from choices,
• treasure hunts, scavenger hunts are always good and fun.
• I went to Market,
• Card games – Uno.

Dealing with student problems – disruption and homesickness.

Its likely that some of the kids and staff will get home sick or be disruptive, especially if you have a large group or are away for a long trip of 2-8 weeks.

Here are some advice from our experienced teachers.

“Disruption usually happens with kids who are either fearful of looking incompetent or are bored. If you determine it’s the first, then you can try to identify the source of the fear: don’t want to fail in front of others, don’t have the background knowledge, didn’t understand the prompt, etc”

“For disruptive students in activities the key is to give them something of importance, or at least reined importance, especially if it’s a social issue. Once they feel they’re responsible for a key duty they tend to take on this with enthusiasm, especially the more confident disruptive ones. As an instructor is usually the quite detached ones that are more of an issue. With these involvements may need to be heavily encouraged with additional prompts.”

“If you can create an environment where the students take on responsibility to support each other then this is by far the most effective situation to dispel homesickness. Often homesickness is purely an attention seeking strategy, and even where it isn’t, paying too much attention to the issue can be far more damaging than helpful—it’s a delicate balance.”  

Expect changes and issues during school camps

Sometimes things just don’t go right!  The key to this is to have things planned as best as possible and have back up plans!  Say it rains all morning and you can’t do an activity as planned.  They you need to go into the back up plan. Your provider should have some back up activities planned and also games.

It is always great if the teachers could have a few games up their sleeves as gap fillers as well.  Always expect there to be an accident, so IF heavens for bid it does happen, you are expecting it, and so you don’t panic.

How to deal with an accident during school trips

Time and communication are the most important things with this.  If an accident happens the teachers need to work closely with the providers.  In my experience accidents normally happen in free time, like twisting ankles whilst walking down stairs, accidents happening during sports etc etc  Here are some tips

• Always ensure the provider has an evacuation vehicle ready and that the keys are in a safe place! The vehicle has spare cash in case fuel runs out and for whatever happens.
• Put a hard copy of all the staff and student details inside the vehicle.
• Send one staff, one provider and a friend of the patient
• If the person going to the hospital is the leader inform your teacher team and assign someone as the new leader. This is why having a few senior team members is important. They may not be senior at the school but senior for the school camp.
• RELAX, you are going to hospital and will be in good care
• Inform the school and if its minor ONCE you have information then inform the parents. If major, then of course inform the parents straight away. If it’s a sprained ankle then that’s minor and you will only worry the parents until you have more news from the doctor.
• Write what happened down as it happens to help with specifics for your accident report form.

How to deal with special diets

Special diets should be informed to the providers at least 3 to 4 weeks before the start and they should then give you a menu. It is important to add the teachers in this list as well! In my experience the leaders diet requirements are often missed out and then we need to make changes onsite which causes some stress.

Allergies are the main issue, ensure you talk with the parents to get a clearer picture of the allergy. ALSO ask about what the student likes to eat.  Then portray this info to the provider and they should deal with the rest.  But at meal times ensure you have an eppy pen available if they have been required before.  The provider should double check the kitchen to ensure what they have is allergen free.

Assign a few students to be school trip photographers

In each group of students assign a student to take photos and videos.  This is really important for remembering the experience.

Reflections

In my experience its best to have reflections each night which are fun, more game focused and then have a more serious one on the last night.  BUT finding the right time and location to do a reflection is important.

I like to play games like charades and pictionary.  The students will write down their own experiences from the day for the subjects to act or draw.  Make it competitive and then you have a reflection activity that is a fun game and doesn’t feel like a reflection.

Here is what the teachers said

“We found that our students didn’t want to write anything down!!  However, it is always great at the end of the day to sit down together as a team and discuss the day’s events.  What went well, what needs improving etc”

“ A common theme through the week helps them structure their ideas during reflections – small daily ones can build up to a big one at the end of the trip where you go over the ideas they have come up with throughout the week.”

“Would you rather….or…? is a an excellent journal prompt. For example, after a day on the trail, Would you rather pick leeches off your ankles or swat mosquitoes?  After a few of these, the students will be able to create their own and you can use them.”

“video it, podcast it, draw it, act it – anything but write it down which is the boring one. Or ask them questions that are quirky and a little different which make them sit up and think.”

The last night

The last night is really important, if we have a large group we would do a talent show with fire breathers and a little disco at the end. Its important to get the students involved in planning and hosting this. BUT be warned you will likely be called up to do a performance with the teachers – this is why I said having a music teacher is important 😊

If you have a smaller group have a BBQ with the students cooking, build a bon fire, play a guitar, cook smores, play some music and games and watch the stars.

After the experience

Let the students go home and relax, time for you to relax and give yourself and your team a pat on the back. You have just one more thing to do. That is ask the students to create a presentation to show to their parents.

Use the students who were taking photos to make a presentation or video and use this with voice overs from the students talking about their experience of the school trip.  They can either present this live to their parents or you could film it and send them the video link.  This will cement the learning and experience for the students and show to the parents why school trips are important.

Right then, Good luck, and relax. As one of our favourite teachers said – relax and enjoy the experience, school camps are far better than marking books.

How to solve a Rubik’s cube –   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ron6MN45LY  

Great games for students –  https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/wi4hcitizenship/files/2018/04/YACH-Handbook-Ideas.pdf

Scientific papers and articles https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2018.00046/full

https://www.studyinternational.com/news/benefits-learning-outdoors/

https://www.stem.org.uk/news-and-views/opinions/benefits-learning-outside-classroom

Support our causes and buy some merchandise

You can support the Fuze Ecoteer projects and supported organisations by buying their merchandise.  A minimum of 60% of your fee goes directly towards the conservation cause linked to that product.  The other percentage is for production costs.

Turtle Adoption

You can adopt one of our turtles in the Perhentian islands.  Through our turtle photo ID database we have identified over 260 turtles that have been seen around the Perhentian Islands.  Support our important conservation and adopt today.

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How to Plan a Successful School Trip: Step-by-Step Guide

School trips have numerous educational benefits for students.

Let’s consider some of them below!

The Advantages of School Trips

Start as early as possible, turn to an educational tour operator, instruct students and parents, include the trip into your curriculum, set the rules, find volunteers, final thoughts.

First of all, going for school tours reinforces knowledge gained in a classroom.

Why so? Probably because the material comes to life, so students can visualize, experience, and discuss it.

For sure, this contributes to effective studying.

Also, multimedia used in some educational tours grabs students’ attention and encourages them to partake in exciting learning experiences, which is beneficial for the assimilation of novel information.

Another advantage of school trips is that they provide a cultural experience necessary for the understanding of subjects like History, Arts, Sociology, etc.

And last but not least, such activities allow students to communicate with peers outside the classroom and create nice lifelong memories.

Despite a large number of advantages, students rarely go on school trips.

Why so? Maybe, because of the big school workload that doesn’t leave time for anything else except for learning.

Teenagers often get absorbed with the study as it requires complete devotion.

Hence, if you decide to travel, make sure that it won’t harm your academic outcomes.

You should submit all your assignments or pay someone to write essay before leaving your study setting.

This way, you can enjoy your educational trip to the fullest, without worrying about upcoming assessments.

How to Plan a School Trip Step by Step

Planning in advance increases your chances to have a successful trip.

You should start organizing and fundraising as early as possible.

Usually, it takes up to a few months to agree on a destination with students, get necessary permissions from school administration, and find volunteers.

Therefore, give yourself plenty of time to get all the details in place.

There is no need to plan the whole trip on your own.

To save your money and time, you can consult a company that specializes in educational tours for students.

An agent can help you with choosing the right options for your teaching purposes.

Tour operators usually offer a wide range of possibilities you may have never considered before.

They can provide you with great support, answering any questions and addressing your concerns.

After planning out the basics of your trip and receiving administrative approval, it’s time to hold informational meetings for students and parents.

To track who attends the gatherings, you can create a sign-in sheet.

Also, a great idea could be to distribute registration forms to students and parents at the meeting.

No matter what kind of tour you are going to organize, it’s important to integrate it into your curriculum.

To make the most out of your trip, plan a few lessons beforehand that are directly related to it.

Most education experts believe that this helps students build more associations about the topic and effectively assimilate knowledge.

You can also ask pupils to do background research on the places you are going to visit and share their insights with classmates during the lesson.

Create a list of rules prior to the trip and send it to students and their parents.

Make sure that pupils know what clothing to pack for the trip and what things they are not allowed to bring with them.

Also, remind parents that you cannot be with the kids every single minute, so they must teach their children responsibility and explain some code of conduct.

You can even ask them to sign a contract before taking part in a tour.

This will help you avoid accidents.

It’s really a big challenge to keep an eye on all the students and take control of the tour organization at the same time.

Hence, you might need some help from volunteers and chaperones.

Importantly, you should find them and assign particular responsibilities in advance, so there will be no confusion when you arrive at the destination.

Ensure that everyone clearly understands their roles.

Pedagogical experts state that doing some learning activities in the educational environment helps learners retain more information.

Therefore, school tours must be an integral part of the study curriculum.

They are not only an enjoyable way to spend time out of the classroom but a great teaching tool as well.

Hopefully, the recommendations given in this article helped you understand how to plan a trip for students in the easiest and most effective way possible.

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5 Steps to Planning a School Trip: Advice and Resources from an Award-winning Educational Travel Operator

WildChina has been operating residential and excursions in China for over 20 years, so we know just how much work goes into them. Teachers can often get bogged down with filling out forms and stressful planning, but it doesn’t have to be this way. In this article, we’ve combined all of our resources, knowledge, and guidelines to better support the teachers we love working with.

Steps to planning a school trip

Below is WildChina’s five-step plan to ensure a well-thought-out and engaging trip that maximizes your time and focuses on some of the more overlooked trip planning essentials, while also producing a well thought out program for your students and staff :

1. Lay out the objectives and determine the key goals of the program

Consider what is affordable for your students and their parents and ensure you are giving them enough time to save for the trip

2. Contact with an Educational Provider

Ensure the operator you are choosing fully understands your learning objective and the mission of your trip. They should also have your requirements at the heart of their offering. Request a full written quote, clearly showing what is and is not included along with any surcharges that you may incur.

3. Approval

Meet with your school administration and get full approval of your dates, prices, and choice of operator. Prior to approval, you are likely required to complete a risk assessment form and recce trip. If you book through Wild China , we are happy to help you with the above.

4. Promote the trip

Launch the trip to your students and parents, sharing as much information as possible including deposit and payment dates plus a proposed itinerary. If you choose WildChina, we will help you promote your trip with students to help students and parents make an informed decision. Establish potential numbers of participants and collect any additional information that may impact the planning of the trip such as disabilities, allergies, and dietary requirements.

5. Book your trip

Send deposits and confirm passenger details. Your tour operator will guide you through the finer details such as the passenger manifest list and future payment dates. Once you are fully booked, your tour operator will continue to support you, booking all agreed elements of your rip and tailor-making your itinerary to suit your objectives. They should also help you with parent’s communications, expectations, and communications

The Parental Perspective

Sending one’s children away can be daunting for any parent. The most important aspects a teacher can focus on to ensure high engagement and enjoyment from both students and parents is detailed planning and strong communication with parents on safety and learning opportunities. Still, some parents may be hesitant about sending their son or daughter hours away, so below are some tips on how teachers can help put parents’ minds at ease:

Why a school trip?

Travel helps children to develop their sense of independence, experience new cultures, and bond with their classmates. Parents will support an itinerary with strong educational content alongside enjoyable, interactive, and hands-on visits.

Know your Program Operator!

Choose an experienced tour operator with a proven track record. Then if the parents want to check out who you are booking with, they will see safety is covered to the highest level of standards.

What about health care?

Ask your parents to give clear instructions on any allergies, conditions, or concerns about their children’s health so you can be fully prepared. In return, inform them about health care contingencies.

Setting expectations

Have a pre-departure parent meeting to go through the program in detail, the education objectives, and the logistics details. This will give parents peace of mind that all details have been taken care of.

Keeping in touch with family

Parents will be concerned about keeping in touch with their children. Manage expectations by making it clear what your mobile phone and social media policy are.

Communication is Key

Setup a trip blog that students can manage and upload each evening with photos, videos, and a diary of what we have done that day. Parents will be able to check in and keep up to date with the fun

WildChina vs DIY

There are many teachers who may still choose to arrange their school trip themselves. But when you are taking your students away overnight, it can start to get more complicated. Dealing with transportation, lodging, food, attraction tickets, lesson plans, and more can quickly take up your time, and hours can be spent on the phone or emailing with businesses to no avail. 

We at WildChina serve as the bridge between your trip idea and actual experience, prioritizing safety, comfort, and education while ensuring that you and your students have a fun, worry-free trip. 

Apart from the time savings you get in the tour planning process, the added benefit is the round the clock support you get from WildChina throughout a whole range of emergency situations such as a delayed flight, a ferry strike, a sick child, extreme weather, and other events that could sideswipe your journey. WildChina has 24-hour emergency support and should be able to provide solutions in order for your trip to run smoothly and for you to concentrate on the students.

To view some of our world-class educational journeys and offerings or get in touch with WildChina about planning your next trip, please visit https://wildchinaeducation.com// or email [email protected] to start planning!

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Teacher’s guide: How to plan a school trip

To carry out a school trip effectively, you must have a robust plan for all contingencies. This guide details the most critical elements in planning for school trips. If you can tick the following boxes, you have a very high chance of creating memorable experiences for your students.

Field trips can be an important instructional tool for students. They help students interact and absorb information in a practical way. Most studies show that students get higher information retention and critical thinking when exposed to educational materials during trips.

With all these in mind, it’s only natural that every good teacher wants to plan a trip or two for their students. However, the planning and safety concerns mean that school boards are often reluctant to sign off on trips for students. Coordinating a large group of young children or teenagers in a public place can be complicated, and any accidents will likely result in a lawsuit for the school. 

To carry out a school trip effectively, you must have a robust plan for all contingencies. This guide details the most critical elements in planning for school trips. If you can tick the following boxes, you have a very high chance of creating memorable experiences for your students: 

Talk to the school administrator The school administrator is the biggest hindrance between you and planning your trip. Getting them to approve the trip can require some persistence, especially if you weren't previously scheduled for a field trip. One way to achieve this is to tie the trip to your curriculum. That way, you can explain in detail how the tour will be beneficial to the students.

Make sure to run them through all the details of your ideas, but be prepared to make some adjustments. They may require you to wait until a later date than you had in mind or want a reduction in the number of students you'll be taking. They will also walk you through the process for organizing a trip within the school, especially the needed forms for permissions.

Arrange transportation Depending on where you're going and how many students are going on the trip, the mode of transportation will differ. If the site is close to the school, then the option of walking there may be more appealing.

If, however, the site is far away, you'll need to plan for a vehicle, which can be a bit complicated. If you're going with a lot of students, the school bus will be the best option. You may, however, have to fill specific forms to be able to access it. You'll also have to inform the transport department on time to find a driver with an available bus.

If the class size is small, then a teacher’s car or minivan may be enough. 

Decide on a food plan One of the most underrated aspects of field trips is the children's meals. You should plan for meals if you're going to spend a long time on the trip. Hungry children aren't typically very attentive and can get grouchy. There are three main ways people plan for food on field trips, and they are:

• On-site cafeteria: If the site you’re visiting has a cafeteria or restaurant, you might be able to plan with them to feed the children. This option is easier to coordinate and typically assures you quality meals. It may, however, significantly add to the cost of your trip.  • Off-site restaurant: You can choose to eat out at a different restaurant, but there are typically no guarantees on food quality or supervision. The students generally love this option, though. • Children bring their lunch: This option requires no spending and is the cheapest option available. However, you run the risk of some children not bringing food. Children who don't bring food can become irritable from hunger, and that can be bad for your trip.

Create a schedule Children have a relatively short attention span, so you have to be smart about planning trips, especially when they involve long travels. Break the day into small activities that can keep the kids engaged. For instance, while on the bus, you can engage them with puzzles. 

You can also schedule some fun time before or after your main visit to help the kids cool off and have fun. The idea is to make sure that all the students perform activities that they enjoy and stay engaged.

Arrange for supervision If you're dealing with a large number of students for the trip, then you'll need extra hands. Some states have local laws that set minimum chaperone to student ratios. It's crucial to consider the local laws while planning for the trip. Regardless of if there are local laws or not, once the students exceed 15 per supervisor, ask for help. 

You might be able to get other teachers to tag along as supervisors on the trip or get parent-volunteers to come.

If you aren’t going with all your students, you have to make sure that those that are left behind have adult supervision. All children must be accounted for by adults.  

Send out a permission form Permission forms are important to gain the consent of the parents before taking the children on trips. Most schools won't allow a child who hasn't been granted express permission to go on the journey as a matter of policy.

The letter is usually a very straightforward one detailing the information around the trip. It should contain:

  – The destination address   – The purpose of the trip   – Timeline of the trip   – School contact information and contact person for the trip   – What the students will need (clothes, money, etc.)   – Feeding and transportation arrangements   – Latest date for the return of the form   – Permission segment (where their parents authorize the trip)

Keep in mind that you'll have to remind the children to return the signed forms. Anyone who doesn't return theirs won't be able to go on the trip. 

Conclusion The biggest concern with organizing class trips is the safety of the children. You should endeavor to carry a first aid kit along in case any of the kids get injured during the trip. 

If you can, you should also try to get uniforms for the kids. Uniforms can help build a sense of familiarity among the children, and also makes it easier to spot them. Screenprinted t-shirts are an excellent option for school trip uniforms. Check them out here: https://thrivescreenprinting.com/wholesale-screen-printing/  

Stavros Andriopoulos

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• Stavros Andriopoulos https://www.traveldailynews.com/author/stavros-andriopoulos/ Meet Porto Angeli Beach Resort and Olympic Palace Resort in Rhodes island, Greece
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Step by Step Guide to Planning a School Trip

It's no secret that teaching is a stressful job and you put in countless hours outside the classroom that goes unnoticed by many.

If you've taken on the extra responsibility of planning a school trip, this step-by-step process will make this as simple and pain-free as possible. ‍

‍ Step 1: Decide where to go and what the focus of the trip will be

Understanding the curriculum and educational goals of your trip as well as the interests of your students is the first important step. Shortlist two or three destinations that fit your educational goals while keeping in mind that it needs to be something parents will support, and students will want to go on.

Step 2: Obtain Approval

Getting approval is an essential step, and if you’ve done a thorough job with step one, this will assist you now. Going to your relevant school officials with an outline of what you achieve and a sample itinerary is the best way to do this. You can download one of our sample itineraries here .

Step 3: Set a Budget

Once approval has been granted request a quote for the itinerary that you have selected, keeping in mind that you can make changes to it to suit your school’s individual interests. To get the most accurate quote, have approximate dates ready and your best guess at teacher and student numbers. It makes sense to add a buffer to the price you quote to parents as numbers can unexpectedly change. ‍

Step 4: Information Evening

An information evening is the best way to gauge an idea of how many students are going to sign up for this trip. You will be joined either online or in person by our expert team who will be able to answer any question that parents or teachers have. This evening is pivotal to the success of the trip and it is best to right away ask for expressions of interest once the evening is complete. ‍

Step 5: Make the Booking

Once you have a clear idea of the numbers it is time to make the booking. You just let us know you want to proceed and we will make all your bookings from flights, accommodation, attractions, and specified meals. Any information that we need from you will be clearly communicated with timelines outlined so there are no surprises along the way. ‍

Step 7: Risk Assessment

Plan for safety and emergencies by creating a detailed risk management plan. Your school will likely have a template for you to work off and should include such things as emergency contact information, medical needs, and contingency plans.

‍ Step 8: Enjoy Your Trip

While it may not quite be a holiday for you, it is still rewarding to get out of the classroom and get to know your students in a different environment. All the planning and work will be worth it as you see the trip come to life. Also, you’ll have our tour manager with you the whole time, which means less stress and more time to take in the experience.

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Educating Adventures™ is part of the Educating Adventures™ Group

How to Plan a Field Trip Like a Pro

Planning a school field trip can be daunting for teachers and chaperones. From deciding on a destination to securing financing and school field trip transportation , the list of to-dos seems to be never-ending. However, field trips in school are some of the students’ most cherished memories and present a unique opportunity to experience what they have learned in the classroom in the real world. The efforts are well worth the reward. To make organizing school trips less stressful, we’ve put together the eight steps to planning a field trip to make this task a breeze.

Benefits of School Field Trips for Education

Although planning field trips significantly adds to the workload of teachers and educators already stretched thin by their daily duties, their benefits for students make it all worth it. Here are some of the benefits of field trips for students:

• Improving critical thinking skills : During a school field trip, students can gain essential soft skills like problem-solving and communicating, which are critical in an ever-changing world.
• Applying knowledge outside the classroom : Students will have a unique opportunity to experience their lesson in real-life situations to encourage their love of learning.
• Reinforcing classroom bounds : The shared memories of a field trip for school will encourage students to create new connections with each other and their teachers.
• Encouraging new forms of learning : From applying previously acquired knowledge to learning informally by doing, field trips in school are a great way to help students who need more hands-on teaching.

School Field Trips 101 Essentials

If you’re wondering how to organize a field trip, these eight steps will put you on the road to success.

‍‍#1. Decide on Your Field Trip Destination

When deciding on your class field trip destination , it's crucial to consider the age and learning abilities of your students. Ensure that the chosen destination aligns with the curriculum and is appropriate for their age and learning level, especially when planning for elementary school students. Whether you're planning a day visit to a nearby museum or organizing overnight school trips or out-of-state adventures , take into account logistics such as cost, available services, and opening days to prevent any potential issues down the road. Don't hesitate to collaborate with colleagues for valuable insights based on their experiences with various options.

#2. Discuss Your Trip with the Administration

Before getting your students’ hopes up, clear the feasibility of your field trip with your administration. Put together a detailed plan of your idea, including the financial impact, how the destination may benefit the students about the curriculum, which days may be best, and so on. Additionally, make sure to coordinate with the principal to ensure that the class trip doesn’t conflict with any other mandatory school activities.

Although there’s nothing more frustrating than planning a field trip for your hard work to go to waste, being on the administration’s good side and being able to answer all of their questions is essential to your success.

#3. Prepare Parents and Students for the Trip

Once you’ve worked out the details of your school field trip and received the benediction from higher authorities, it’s time to let your students (and their parents) know about the upcoming event. Hold a meeting and encourage them to sign up early so you can plan your school trip better.

Get Parental Permission

Make sure to get parental consent for each student attending the field trip. Distribute student permission forms well in advance to allow parents ample time to review, complete, and submit the required documents. A permission form should include essential trip details including the date, location, educational purpose, cost, meal arrangements, and a schedule of activities.

Collect Medical Release Forms

For safety considerations, request that parents complete medical release forms. These forms should contain information about the student's health, medical insurance, and permission for necessary medical treatment during the trip. Consult with your supervisors or school boards to determine specific student medical form requirements.

‍#4. Establish the Rules for Your Trip

Once you announce your plan for your school field trip, your students will likely be very excited. However, to ensure the success of your adventure, it’s usually best to set up the ground rules from the get-go to avoid any disappointments or misbehaviors.

Make sure that your students are aware of the rules for attending the field trip, such as appropriate clothing, and behavior expectations. The parents should also be aware of these expectations and be prepared to enforce any consequences – such as holding the student back – if they’re not confident that the child can respect the rules.

#5. Plan for the Food

Deciding on what – and where – students will eat is a key consideration in planning school trips. The easiest route for a day trip is having students bring their lunch, which makes it easier to respect dietary restrictions and keep costs low. However, you’ll still need to figure out where the students will go for lunch, especially if the weather is bad.

You can also organize an outing to a restaurant, whether an on-site cafeteria or an off-site restaurant. Your choice should be large enough to accommodate large groups and provide an appropriate and affordable menu.

#6. Finalize the Trip Schedule

When organizing a school field trip, you will be required to provide a detailed timeline of the activities and how long each one will take. You will also need to account for how long it will take to go from one location to another, whether within the same site or between locations. Remember that moving large groups of distracted students can be particularly tricky. Make sure that the time you allocate for each activity is realistic and in line with your student’s attention span. It can also be a good idea to plan for buffer zones allowing students to relax and accommodate delays.

#7. Make Sure Your Trip Is Tied to the Curriculum

Field trips in school should be tied to the overall learning experience. Although they are also an opportunity to have fun and relax, they should serve as a support for past or future lessons, deepening your students’ understanding of the subject and helping them to get excited to learn more about it.

Some class field trip destinations already have age-appropriate learning activities, but it may be a good idea to prepare some assignments to complete during the trip. You should also include some reading or research in class on the destination so your students understand the background better.

#8. Arrange Transportation

Coordinate transportation logistics for the field trip. Depending on your school's policies, you may use school board buses or external transportation services like a charter bus , depending on the specific needs and logistics of your field trip. Always communicate clearly with the driver, providing pickup and drop-off addresses, the number of passengers (including chaperones and teachers), and introducing yourself as the trip leader.

#9. Conduct a Pre-Visit to the Destination

Whenever possible, visit the trip destination in advance. Many venues offer free visits for teachers to familiarize themselves with the site, activities, and staff. This pre-visit allows you to plan engaging pre-trip classroom activities, take photographs for reference, and create a deeper connection between the trip and the curriculum.

#10. Recruit Chaperones

Depending on the size and venue requirements, recruit volunteer chaperones. Parents, family members, colleagues, or administrators can serve as chaperones. Hold a meeting with chaperones before the trip to clarify their roles, responsibilities, and emergency protocols. They should have contact information readily available on the day of the trip.

#11. Be Prepared for Anything

Taking your students outside the classroom can be a stressful ordeal both for you and them, so always expect the unexpected. This could mean delays, forgotten items, or more. Ensure that your planning includes flexibility and a contingency plan (Plan B) to accommodate unexpected situations. Remind students of important details during the field trip to help avoid some of these issues.

Plan for Non-Participating Students

When organizing a field trip, always consider the students who may not be able to attend for various reasons. While ideally, all children in the class would participate as it’s part of the instructional day, it's important to provide engaging activities for those who remain at school. Aim to offer these students a similar learning experience to what their peers will have during the trip. This could involve research projects related to the trip's topic or creative activities such as online scavenger hunts focused on a similar subject. Be creative and make sure that these students have a meaningful and enjoyable learning experience in the classroom.

Contact Infinity Transportation for Your Field Trip Charter Bus!

We hope that these eight steps to planning a field trip helped make your organization as stress-free as possible. The final step to the success of your field trip for school is to hire the services of a reliable school event transportation company . This step will ensure that all your students reach their destination safely while keeping the cost of your adventure low.

At Infinity Transportation, we offer a wide range of coaches and buses in Chicago, IL, to take your class anywhere. Don’t hesitate to contact us for a personalized quote or for any additional questions you may have regarding how to plan a school trip.

Illinois Areas We Provide Charter Bus Rentals For

We serve businesses, organizations, and private parties across Chicago and surrounding areas, from Glencoe and Northbrook to Joilet, Rosemont, Lake Forest, and beyond.

Arlington Heights

Discover the vibrant charm of Arlington Heights, where modern meets tradition. Indulge in diverse culinary delights, explore renowned museums, and cheer for your favorite team at Arlington International Racecourse. Unforgettable memories await your group adventure!

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Buffalo Grove

Bolingbrook

Embark on an adventure in Bolingbrook! Relish family fun at The Promenade, revel in the natural beauty of Hidden Lakes Historic Trout Farm, or tee off at Boughton Ridge Golf Course. Explore Bolingbrook today!

Cicero awaits, blending historic charm with urban convenience. Explore the bustling local markets, savor authentic Mexican cuisine, and immerse in the lively local festivals. Cicero - a treasure trove of unique experiences!

Carol Stream

Des Plaines

Unearth the gem that is Des Plaines! Witness the birthplace of McDonald’s, relax by the tranquil Lake Opeka, and learn something new at the Des Plaines History Center. The perfect destination for your group!

Downers Grove

Explore Elmhurst, where tradition and innovation intertwine. Visit the iconic Elmhurst Art Museum, shop in charming boutiques, and taste unique brews at local breweries. Get ready for your next bus trip to Elmhurst!

Discover Elgin, where the Fox River brings people together. Visit the Grand Victoria Casino, immerse yourself in Elgin Symphony Orchestra's melodies, and engage with nature at the Hawthorne Hill Nature Center.

Evanston is ready for you with its lakeside charm and vibrant intellectual life. Stroll around Northwestern University's campus, enjoy the arts at Noyes Cultural Arts Center, or unwind at Evanston’s scenic beaches. A must-visit destination for any group!

Highland Park

Hoffman Estates

Hoffman Estates is an enticing destination for your next trip. Infinity Transportation’s impeccable charter buses, including deluxe coaches and minibus rentals, serve both small groups and larger parties.

Mount Prospect

Discover reliable group transportation in Mount Prospect, IL with Infinity Transportation. Our charter bus rentals are tailored to suit your needs, whether it's for corporate events, sporting events, weddings, or airport transfers. While on board, you can enjoy comfortable seating, climate control, and professional drivers as you explore Mount Prospect and its surroundings.

Experience Naperville, where modern living meets rich history. Visit the iconic Naperville Riverwalk, explore interactive exhibits at the DuPage Children's Museum, or try shopping downtown. Grab a charter and make your memories here!

Welcome to Northbrook, a haven of natural beauty and recreation. Experience the thrill of speed at the velodrome, explore the scenic Botanic Garden, or shop at Northbrook Court. Your adventure starts here!

Embark on a delightful journey through Oak Lawn, IL, with Infinity Transportation's diverse charter bus services. Proudly serving major markets, our luxury coaches and minibus rentals are perfect for small groups and larger gatherings.

Orland Park

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Tips for New Teachers Planning A School Trip

If you’re a new teacher planning a school trip, you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed. There are so many questions, so many details to handle, and lots of deadlines to meet. The key to success is planning on a timeline!

Below are some tips for new teachers planning a school trip. Depending on the unique needs of your group, not all of these will apply. Think in terms of benchmarks, not specifics.

1. Find A Reputable Trip Planner

Think of a trip planner like a mentor teacher. Your partner company should have experience, connections in the industry, and a track record of success. A trip planner will help you manage the details of your adventure, giving you time to focus on teaching.

Choose A Reliable Tour Operator 

2. choose a destination and decide on dates.

Your trip planner can help you choose a destination and set a travel schedule that works for your group. In many cases, your dates will be determined based on a performance or program.

3. Request Approval from Your Administration

Administrative approval is a must for any school-sponsored trip. Clearly communicate the purpose of your trip and demonstrate how it meets curricular requirements and learning goals outlined by your state.

Get Your Student Trip School Board Approved

4. book airfare or motorcoach transportation.

Decide how you plan to travel from Point A to B and book it. Airlines and motorcoach companies accept reservations approximately 10 months out.

Booking Buses and Driving Through the Night

5. book accommodations and restaurants.

Remember to choose student-friendly hotels and restaurants that meet current sanitation and safety standards. Again, a reputable trip planner will connect you with industry vendors that best meet your group’s needs.

Student Youth Travel Association Safety Guides

How to travel safely with students.

6. Choose Trip Chaperones

9 tips for picking the perfect chaperones, 7. finalize your itinerary and the cost of your trip.

Your partner planning company will determine your final itinerary and trip cost based on your preferences.

8. Promote Your Trip

You can’t have a trip without travelers!  Look for ways to promote your trip for maximum participation.

Teacher Tips for Promoting Trips

9. Set Up A Deposit and Payment Schedule

When you work with a student trip planner like Kaleidoscope Adventures, you’ll know exactly when deposits and payments are due. KA’s online registration and payment make the process simple and transparent so you and your parents always know where you stand.

10. Submit Paperwork for Performance Venues or Education Programs

Some venues require teachers to apply for participation directly. Check with the program in which you are interested for application guidelines.

1. Time to Fundraise

Fundraising is a great way to offset the cost of travel. Check out some of these creative ideas for helping students pay for the school trip.

How to Pay for the School Trip

2. host a parent meeting, what parents should ask about the school trip.

3. Collect Deposits

4. confirm reservations.

Be sure to confirm your reservations with transportation companies, accommodations, attractions, restaurants, performance, and program venues.

1. Continue Fundraising if Necessary

Keep fundraising efforts going as you close in on your departure date. It may mean more students can join the fun!

2. Collect Payments Per Your Payment Schedule

3. Make Final Payments

Be sure to settle up with vendors three months before your adventure to ensure everything goes off without a hitch.

4. Finalize Rooming Lists

Establish a list of rooming partners, motorcoach seating, or seating on flights to help prevent last-minute chaos.

1. Schedule A Final Parent Meeting

Gather your parents to confirm the details of your trip, including packing lists, travel tips, and safety communication. Be sure you have emergency contacts and medical information for each traveler. Collect all completed permission forms, travel insurance forms, etc.

2. Communicate Emergency Procedures

Be sure all chaperones and trip leaders are familiar with emergency procedures for hotels, parks, motorcoaches, etc.

3. Gather Important Local Information

Collect local hospital addresses and phone numbers.  Check for road closures that may impact your itinerary or height and weight requirements for motorcoaches.

4. Prepare A Backup Plan

In the event that one of your venues closes unexpectedly, have a backup plan ready.  Keep those kids occupied at all times!

Planning A School Trip

If you’re a new teacher planning a student trip , start with Kaleidoscope Adventures. KA has been a trusted trip planner for 30 years. They’ll handle all the details (and schedules!) to keep your student trip on track!

PLAN YOUR ADVENTURE WITH KA

Updated June 2023

Why Kaleidoscope Adventures?

As a leader in the student travel industry for 30+ years, Kaleidoscope Adventures exceeds expectations for student and performance group travel.

We’ll work with you to plan an exceptional travel experience and provide impeccable customer service from start to finish

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Moscow to Kostroma via Elektrostal

Moscow to kostroma road trip planner.

Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Moscow to Kostroma. If you're planning a road trip to Kostroma, you can research locations to stop along the way. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members.

10:00 am  start in Moscow drive for about 1 hour

11:07 am   Elektrostal stay for about 1 hour and leave at 12:07 pm drive for about 1.5 hours

1:50 pm   Vladimir stay for about 1 hour and leave at 2:50 pm drive for about 1.5 hours

4:25 pm   Ivanovo stay for about 1 hour and leave at 5:25 pm drive for about 1 hour

6:31 pm  arrive in Kostroma

driving ≈ 5.5 hours

Where should I stop along the way?

Elektrostal Vladimir   (2 answers) Ivanovo

What are some things to do in Kostroma?

This section could be endless, so rather than trying to suggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave it open-ended.

Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions because there's an entire community of travelers talking to each other and sharing tips and advice. Trippy is where you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, trip dates & more!

Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Kostroma.

Do I really have to go back home?

Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation who wants the trip to end? It's okay, you can start planning your next trip!

Want to plan the trip back? Get the reverse directions for a Kostroma to Moscow drive , or go to the main page to plan a new road trip .

You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from Moscow to Kostroma . Or get a full Moscow to Kostroma flight plan .

Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend.

And if you know Moscow well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Moscow!

More info on this route:

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President Joe Biden unveils student debt forgiveness plan in trip to Madison. Here is what to know

M ADISON — President Joe Biden unveiled a new student loan debt forgiveness plan for millions of Americans during a Monday visit to Madison Area Technical College.

More than 4 million student loan borrowers could see their debt fully canceled under the proposal, according to the White House. In addition, more than 10 million borrowers could get $5,000 or more in relief. Biden also hopes to eliminate interest past the original loan amounts of 23 million borrowers.

"While a college degree still is a ticket to the middle class, that ticket is becoming much too expensive," Biden told a crowd gathered in the college's gym. "Too many people feel the strain and stress, wondering if they're going to get married, have their first child, start a family. Because even if they get by, they still have this crushing, crushing debt. And it's not just a drag on them, it's drag on our economy."

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The announcement comes nearly a year after the  U.S. Supreme Court knocked down Biden's first attempt to cancel borrowers' debt . Conservatives on the court said the $400 billion program needed congressional approval. It would have canceled up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers earning less than $125,000 per year.

Biden immediately vowed to come up with a new program, the broad strokes of which he outlined Monday. It was the president's third visit to Wisconsin this year. Biden and high-level members of his administration have frequented this battleground state as he seeks to fend off a challenge from Republican former President Donald Trump in November.

As of now, Biden and Trump are each tied at 49% among registered voters in Wisconsin, where races are often decided on razor-thin margins.

Here's what to know about Biden's visit:

More than 700,000 Wisconsinites have student debt

Wisconsin's 700,600 borrowers hold $21.4 billion in federal student loan debt, according to the latest federal education data .

An analysis by the University of Wisconsin's Student Success Through Applied Research Lab found in 2020 that the largest group of borrowers — 23% of those with student debt — owed between $20,000 and $40,000, and 21% owed between $10,000 and $20,000.

" President Biden and I both know that the dream of pursuing a higher education looks a bit different these days than it did when we went to college. Today, high costs can often be a barrier for kids and families and families pursuing their dream," said Democratic Gov. Tony Evers ahead of the president's speech. "Higher education should be affordable and accessible for every Wisconsinite who chooses it, period."

Different types of borrowers targeted for relief

The plan  would help:

• Borrowers who owe more than they did at the start of repayment. They would have up to $20,000 of that interest wiped away, leaving them to repay only the amount they originally borrowed. People making less than $120,000 a year would qualify for having all of their interest forgiven if enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan.
• Borrowers who are eligible for other loan forgiveness programs, but have not yet applied. New rules would authorize the U.S. Education Department to cancel the debt for those people without their having to apply. Among these programs are Biden's Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
• Borrowers who have made payments for decades. People who took out federal student loans for undergraduate degrees and began repaying them more than 20 years ago would automatically have the debt canceled under the new plan. The same would apply for graduate students who began paying 25 years ago. 
• Borrowers who attended colleges that have lost their certification or eligibility to participate in the federal student aid program. 
• Borrowers experiencing "hardship" paying back their loans. People with other expenses, such as high medical debt or child care, that make it difficult to pay off their loans now or in the future could apply to have their student loans forgiven. 

Biden has launched other loan relief efforts

The president's Saving on a Valuable Education plan has saved nearly 2,000 Wisconsin borrowers $13.8 million, officials announced in late February.

The plan — commonly known as SAVE — promises a lower monthly bill and a shorter path to loan forgiveness. The plan bases monthly payments on income and family size and is readjusted every year.

Borrowers with undergraduate student debt pay 5% of their discretionary income, down from 10% or 15% in other plans. For those with graduate debt, the cap is set at 10%. Borrowers with a mix of undergraduate and graduate debt have payments weighted somewhere between the two.

Madison business owner Ashley Storck touted the SAVE plan before Biden's remarks. Under the plan, Storck said, she and her partner saw their monthly payments go from $700 to $0.

Program's timeline unclear

Most of the program will require an extensive public comment period before it can take effect, likely July of next year at the earliest, experts say .

But the Department of Education is considering taking actions to expedite parts of the plan, which could bring relief to some borrowers as soon as this fall.

Court challenges could be coming

The plan is based on the Higher Education Act, a different law than the one struck down last summer and one Biden officials said would hold up stronger to legal challenges. 

But like the previous effort, this one may face challenges from conservative groups. 

“These loan schemes do not forgive debt," Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, the ranking Republican on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said in a statement. "They transfer the debt from those who willingly took it on to the 87% of Americans who decided to not go to college or already worked to pay off their loans. This is an unfair ploy to buy votes before an election and does absolutely nothing to address the high cost of education that puts young people right back into debt.”

Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., called student loan cancellation unconstitutional, unfair and inflationary. 

"The president is simply shifting the burden to those individuals that paid off their student loans or worked their way through school or chose to take a career that didn’t require a four-year education," Steil told reporters. "The president should explain to someone who is working as a carpenter in Kenosha how this plan is fair to them."

He accused Biden of “trying to buy votes” by targeting students in Madison with his message and said he thinks the Supreme Court would deem this latest student loan debt cancellation effort unconstitutional. 

Governor's task force studied student debt

Evers in 2020 created a task force to study student loan debt in Wisconsin. At the conclusion of its work, the task force recommended creating a borrower bill of rights and student loan ombudsman for the state, reinstating the state's Educational Approval Board and tightening oversight of proprietary schools, expanding financial literacy education, increasing funding for need-based, targeted aid, improving access to loan counseling, expanding loan forgiveness programs, offering loan refinancing and creating a student debt income tax credit.

"By working to get Wisconsinites out from under student loan debt, President Biden is helping give folks a little more breathing room in their household budgets to save, buy a home, to buy a car, start a family, start a business and prepare for the future. And he’s helping make sure our kids have the future and opportunities that we promised them," Evers said Monday.

Republicans slam Biden plan

"Let’s be honest about what’s going on here: Joe Biden is in trouble," Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman Brian Schimming told reporters, referencing polling numbers showing Biden trailing Trump in most swing states. "There’s an eclipse going on here today, and that is Joe Biden’s polling numbers being eclipsed by Republicans."

He claimed Biden visited Madison, Democrats’ main stronghold in the state, to shore up support among a critical group of Democratic voters he will need to win in November.  

“What we have here today is the ‘Joe Biden bribe,’” Schimming said. “He’s coming in to try to buy voters that he’s been losing out of his base with this whole scheme that he’s got coming in here today.”

Steil said the underlying issue with student debt is the high cost of college, saying Biden’s plan does nothing to address it. He suggested tying schooling to workforce needs in the state would help graduates find jobs. He said school administrators need to assume the responsibility “to control the cost of the educational product in the first place.” 

USA Today contributed.

Jessie Opoien can be reached at [email protected]. Kelly Meyerhofer can be reached at  [email protected] .

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: President Joe Biden unveils student debt forgiveness plan in trip to Madison. Here is what to know

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Rory mcilroy debunks liv golf rumors. greg norman claims unanimous support during masters trip.

Doug Ferguson

Associated Press

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

Rory McIlroy, left, of Northern Ireland, and Joaquin Niemann, of Chile, walks off the 18th hole after final round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Sunday, April 14, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

AUGUSTA, Ga. – This wasn't the kind of attention Rory McIlroy was hoping for on the day after the Masters.

A London financial paper, City A.M., cited anonymous sources as saying McIlroy was believed to be close to an $850 million deal to join LIV Golf. The publication did not say how the sources would know. That set off speculation and innuendo across the internet.

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McIlroy was able to shut it down when he arrived at the RBC Heritage.

“I honestly don't know how these things get started,” McIlroy told Golf Channel from the range at Harbour Town. “I've never been offered a number from LIV and I've never contemplated going to LIV. I think I've made it clear over the past two years that I don't think it's something for me.”

He most recently said that at Bay Hill last month.

McIlroy said he won't judge players going to LIV if they feel that's what it is best for them. He also expressed anew how important it is to have the top players come together more often than the four majors. And he believes some PGA Tour players are still contemplating going over to the Saudi-funded tour. It's just not for him.

“I'll play the PGA Tour the rest of my career,” he said.

He wasn't the only person getting plenty of attention involving LIV Golf. The commissioner and CEO, Greg Norman, spent three days at the Masters and made his presence felt at every turn.

Norman acquired a ticket to watch like any other spectator — presumably the 104 tickets available to the 13 LIV players in the Masters already were taken — and raved about the reception he received.

Norman took to Instagram to thank “the hundreds if not thousands of people" for what he called “unanimous support.”

“My right hand is sore from shaking hands with each and every one of you as well as the hugs given to so many,” Norman wrote.

THE DRIVE FOR FIVE

Nelly Korda has more than a major championship at stake this week in The Chevron Championship. She will try to join Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam as the only women to win five straight tournaments on the LPGA Tour.

Korda would be more similar to Sorenstam than Lopez, and not just because the fifth in a row would come at the LPGA's first major of the year. There also was a significant gap.

Sorenstam won twice at the end of the 2004 season — Japan, a week off, and then the ADT Championship. She skipped the 2005 season opener in Hawaii and then reeled off the next three tournaments on the schedule, capped by winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship.

Korda won the Drive On Championship in Bradenton, Florida, in January, and then skipped the entire Asia swing, taking a seven-week break. She returned to win in Los Angeles, the Phoenix area and then captured her fourth in a row at the Match Play in Las Vegas.

Lopez won her five straight in a six-week span in 1978. She started with three wins in three weeks, skipped the Peter Jackson Classic in Canada and then won the LPGA Championship and the following week in New York.

Korda is the first to win four straight tournaments since Lorena Ochoa won four straight in four weeks by seven shots, five shots, 11 shots and three shots. She took a week off and then tied for fifth at Cedar Ridge in Tulsa, Oklahoma, five shots out of the lead.

MAJOR BOOST

The Chevron Championship pledged to upgrade the first LPGA major of the year, and it took a big step Tuesday. It announced a purse increase to $7.9 million, up from $5.2 million. The prize money has gone up $4.8 million in the three years that Chevron has been title sponsor.

The winner will get $1.2 million.

Chevron also said it would extend its sponsorship through 2029.

The purse is closer in line with the other traditional majors in women’s golf. The U.S. Women’s Open remains the highest at $12 million, followed by the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at $10 million. The AIG Women’s British Open is $9 million.

The LPGA made the Evian Championship a major a decade ago. Its prize money is $6.5 million.

In addition to the big purse increase, Chevron is giving $10,000 to every player who misses the cut to help with expenses in travel.

REED'S MOVE

Patrick Reed left the Masters with a small measure of frustration because of a poor week driving the ball and not getting any momentum. He closed with an even-par 72 and had to settle for a tie for 12th.

It might have done him a world of good.

Reed had not received an invitation to the PGA Championship before he arrived at the Masters as the No. 112 player in the world ranking. With a good finish, the LIV Golf player moved up 27 spots to No. 85. The PGA Championship at Valhalla is a month away, and it's unlikely Reed will have fallen out of the top 100 by then.

The PGA of America has a history of inviting everyone inside the top 100 in the world ranking, though it's not part of the criteria. Oftentimes officials will go a little deeper.

At stake for Reed is a streak playing in every major dating to the 2014 Masters.

Reed said after the third round of the Masters he was uncertain of his schedule outside LIV Golf. He already got a small boost in the world ranking — LIV events do not offer ranking points — with a fourth-place finish in the International Series-Macau on the Asian Tour.

“Hopefully the PGA and the U.S. Open and The Open Championship take a look at things like that and take consideration on who they’re deciding to give exemptions to,” Reed said. “All I can focus on is playing good golf.”

A TOUCH OF CLASS

The most poignant memory of a caddie at the Masters was how Shota Hayafuji replaced the pin after Hideki Matsuyama won in 2021, and then removed his cap and bowed to the course as a show of respect.

Scottie Scheffler’s classy gesture wasn’t so obvious.

Two years ago, he walked off the 18th green with his wife, Meredith. She was home in Dallas this year awaiting the birth of their first child. Scheffler hugged two of his sisters, his parents, swing coach Randy Smith and manager Blake Smith and was about to walk to scoring when he stopped and turned.

His caddie, Ted Scott, was still exchanging hugs when Scheffler called to him and waited. He had Scott go with him, leading the way.

“He doesn’t want to make the walk alone,” CBS announcer Jim Nantz said. “That was great of him. What a gesture.”

The final round of the Masters averaged a 5.2 rating and 9.59 million viewers on CBS, which Sports Media Watch said was 5% down in ratings and a drop of 20% in viewership compared with last year. Among reasons for the drop is that last year the final round fell on Easter Sunday and benefited from a boost in out-of-home audience. One other factor could be the streaming option on the Masters' state-of-the-art website. ... Scottie Scheffler is leading the PGA Tour in birdie average and bogey avoidance. ... Rickie Fowler announced on social media that he and his wife are expecting their second daughter this summer. His wife, Allison, said the baby was due the week of the Olympics in early August. That also is two weeks after the British Open. ... Webb Simpson is No. 138 in the FedEx Cup and it's not from a lack of opportunity. He already has received sponsor exemptions into two $20 million signature events that did not have cuts. Simpson is playing on a sponsor exemption this week at the RBC Heritage, another signature event with no cut. Simpson won at Hilton Head in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

STAT OF THE WEEK

Scottie Scheffler is averaging $431,235 for every round of golf he has played this year on the PGA Tour.

“That's what I’m looking forward to most about being a parent is being able to love my child like my parents loved me.” — Masters champion Scottie Scheffler.

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Biden Announces Student Debt Relief for Millions in Swing-State Pitch

During an appearance in Wisconsin, President Biden said 10 million borrowers could see debt relief of at least $5,000. The plan could help rally support among young voters.

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Biden Announces New Plan for Student Debt Relief

President biden announced a large-scale effort to help pay off federal student loans for more than 20 million borrowers..

Today, I’m proud to announce five major actions to continue to relieve student debt for more than 30 million Americans since I started my administration. And starting this fall, we plan to deliver up to $20,000 in interest relief to over 20 million borrowers and full forgiveness for millions more. [applause] I will never stop to deliver student debt relief and hardworking Americans. And it’s only in the interest of America that we do it. And again, it’s for the good of our economy that’s growing stronger and stronger, and it is, by freeing millions of Americans from this crushing debt of student debt. It means they can finally get on with their lives instead of being put — their lives being put on hold.

By Michael D. Shear

Reporting from Madison, Wis.

President Biden on Monday announced a large-scale effort to help pay off federal student loans for tens of millions of American borrowers, seeking an election-year boost by returning to a 2020 campaign promise that was blocked by the Supreme Court last year.

Mr. Biden’s new plan would reduce the amount that 25 million borrowers still owe on their undergraduate and graduate loans. It would wipe away the entire amount for more than four million Americans. Altogether, White House officials said, 10 million borrowers would see debt relief of $5,000 or more.

“While a college degree still is a ticket to the middle class, that ticket is becoming much too expensive,” Mr. Biden said during a speech to a small but enthusiastic audience filled with supporters. “Today, too many Americans, especially young people, are saddled with too much debt.”

Mr. Biden announced the plan in Madison, Wis., the capital of a critical swing state and a college town that symbolizes the president’s promise to make higher-education affordability a cornerstone of his economic agenda.

But it is a promise he has so far failed to achieve, largely because of legal challenges from Republicans and other critics. They accuse Mr. Biden of unlawfully using his executive authority to enact a costly transfer of wealth from taxpayers who have not taken out federal student loans to those who have.

Officials did not say how much the new plan would cost in coming years, but critics have said it could increase inflation and add to the federal debt by billions of dollars.

Mr. Biden said his new effort would help the economy by removing the drag of enormous debt from people who would otherwise not be able to buy a home or pursue a more economically sound future.

“We’re giving people a chance to make it,” Mr. Biden said. “Not a guarantee. Just a chance to make it.”

Mr. Biden’s announcement was a presidential do-over. In the summer of 2022, he put in motion a plan to wipe out $400 billion in student debt for about 43 million borrowers. That was blocked by the Supreme Court , which said he exceeded his authority. In the months since, Mr. Biden has waived small amounts of debt using existing programs. But now he is attempting a larger effort closer to the scale of his first try.

The original plan relied on a law called the HEROES Act, which the administration argued allowed the government to waive student debt during a national emergency like the Covid pandemic. The justices disagreed after Republican attorneys general and others challenged the debt waiver plan.

The new approach is different.

For months, Mr. Biden’s Education Department has been developing regulations using a long process authorized by the Higher Education Act. Instead of an across-the-board waiver of debt, the new approach targets five groups of borrowers: those whose loans have ballooned because of interest; borrowers who have been paying for decades; those who have economic hardship; people who qualify for existing debt relief programs but have not applied; and people whose loans come from schools that have since been denied certification or have lost eligibility for federal student aid programs.

Administration officials said because the new approach is based on a different law, it is more likely to survive the expected challenges. They said lawyers for the White House and the Education Department have studied the Supreme Court ruling and have designed the new program to make sure it does not violate the principles laid out by the justices.

But lawyers for those who oppose the approach are likely to argue that waiving the debt is unfair to those who already paid back their loans or never took out college loans in the first place. That argument helped sway the justices in the last case.

Neal McCluskey, the director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, called the new plan “dangerous policy” that is unfair to taxpayers and would cause colleges and universities to raise their prices.

“The Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the authority to enact law, and the Supreme Court has already struck down a unilateral, mass student debt cancellation scheme by the Biden administration,” he said. “It would stick taxpayers with bills for debts other people chose for their own financial advancement.”

The legal challenges will likely take months to resolve, and that could leave the debt relief plan in limbo as voters go to the polls in November to choose between Mr. Biden and former President Donald J. Trump.

Members of Mr. Biden’s administration fanned out across the country on Monday to talk about the new plan, betting that it will rally support among voters who were disappointed that the court blocked the first one, which would have eliminated up to $20,000 in debt for tens of millions of borrowers. Vice President Kamala Harris held a round-table discussion with a teacher, a nurse and a social worker in Philadelphia. Miguel A. Cardona, the education secretary, spoke in New York City.

“We need you to stay in these jobs doing this work,” Ms. Harris said in the library of an elementary school. “And you shouldn’t have to make a decision about whether you serve or are able to pay your bills.”

But beyond the threat of legal action, the president faces steep obstacles just because of the calendar. The new plan has not yet been published in the Federal Register, which will kick off a required, monthslong public comment period before it can take effect. Officials said on Sunday only that they hoped some of the provisions would begin going into effect in “early fall” of this year.

Administration officials hope that the president’s supporters will give him credit for trying, even if many of the borrowers do not end up seeing any relief before they go to the ballot box. Andrew O’Neill, the legislative director for Indivisible, a liberal advocacy organization, praised Mr. Biden’s announcement.

“Progressives have led the fight for student debt cancellation, and Joe Biden has responded,” he said in a statement. “More than 30 million folks will now get relief from Biden’s programs. That’s a huge deal.”

White House officials have been scrambling for months to respond to the anger about student loans among the president’s base. In one poll released last month, more than 70 percent of young people said the issue of student loan forgiveness was “important” or “very important” to them as they make their decision in the 2024 election campaign.

Officials said the five groups of people targeted in the new plan will address most of the egregious issues that some borrowers have with their student loans.

People whose loans have grown beyond the amount they originally borrowed because of interest would have up to $20,000 of that interest wiped away, leaving them to repay only the amount they originally borrowed. People making less than $120,000 a year, or couples making less than $240,000, would qualify to have all of their interest forgiven.

Officials said that 23 million people would most likely have all of their interest-related balances waived from that provision.

About two million borrowers who already qualify to have their student loans waived under existing programs have not applied for relief. Under the new rules, the Education Department would be authorized to cancel the debt for those people without their having to apply.

People who took out federal student loans for undergraduate degrees and began repaying them more than 20 years ago would automatically have the debt canceled under the new plan. Graduate students who borrowed money and began repaying 25 years ago would have their debt canceled.

Officials said that about 2.5 million people would qualify under that rule.

People who borrowed money to attend colleges that have since lost their certification or their eligibility to participate in the federal student aid program would have their debt canceled. Officials did not say how many people that would affect. And people who are especially burdened with other expenses — such as high medical debt or child care — could apply to have their student loans forgiven.

Officials did not estimate how many people might qualify for what they called the “hardship” programs.

Nicholas Nehamas contributed reporting from Philadelphia.

Michael D. Shear is a White House correspondent for The New York Times, covering President Biden and his administration. He has reported on politics for more than 30 years. More about Michael D. Shear

Our Coverage of the 2024 Election

Presidential Race

The start of Donald Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan  drew intense security, smothering media coverage and loud demonstrations to a dingy courthouse that will be the unlikely center of American politics for the next six weeks.

President Biden will kick off a three-day tour of Pennsylvania , a crucial battleground state, with a speech that focuses on taxes and aims to contrast his policies with those of Trump.

Trump leaned heavily on major Republican donors  in March as he sought to close the financial gap separating him from Biden, new federal filings showed.

Vice-Presidential Calculations: As Trump sifts through potential running mates, he has peppered some advisers and associates with a direct question: Which Republican could best help him raise money ?

Embracing the Jan. 6 Rioters:  Trump initially disavowed the attack on the Capitol, but he is now making it a centerpiece of his campaign .

Mobilizing the Left: Amid the war in Gaza, the pro-Palestinian movement has grown into a powerful, if disjointed, political force in the United States. Democrats are feeling the pressure .

On a Collision Course:  As president, Trump never trusted the intelligence community. His antipathy has only grown since he left office, with potentially serious implications should he return to power .

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Important for children and schools to aim high, says teacher running marathon

Ryan Thomas is planning for some of his TCS London Marathon fundraising to go towards a whole-school seaside trip to Hunstanton.

An assistant school principal hopes to use the TCS London Marathon and mini marathon to encourage children, teachers and the wider community to set ambitious aspirations.

Ryan Thomas, 35, will lead by example by running the 26.2-mile event on Sunday April 21 while 251 students at Beck Row Primary Academy, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, are set to complete the TCS Mini London Marathon at their school in May.

Their efforts will raise money for the whole school to go on a day out to Hunstanton, Norfolk, to play on the beach, visit the sea life centre and enjoy an ice cream.

“Over 50% of our children have never been to the beach so what probably sounds like quite a simple thing is actually quite life-changing to them,” he said.

Mr Thomas, a keen runner as a teenager, had a “big lung operation” – a  pleurectomy – at the age of 19 after his lung kept collapsing and he was told he would never have the lung capacity to run a marathon.

Although he cannot run to the “maximum” that he could before, Mr Thomas will run his fifth marathon on Sunday after running his first marathon in London in 2013.

“Anything is possible for anyone. It’s working within your means and your drive to do that.”

“Andy was in my form group. He had pathological demand avoidance (PDA).

“A really tragic part of his downfall, I suppose, was that when doctors were trying to get him to have treatment and do things, the brain was saying otherwise.”

PDA is part of the autistic spectrum and can be all-encompassing where many everyday demands are avoided because expectations can lead to a feeling of lack of control, anxiety and panic, according to the PDA Society website.

“It was in a lockdown, post-lockdown time and I was very fortunate that Addenbrooke’s (Hospital) let me go in to help teach him and have sessions with him.

“He inspires me. He was a child who made immense progress in what he was doing but just didn’t get the opportunity.

“When you are 19 miles into your training run and thinking ‘oh my toe hurts’, you just think ‘Ryan, come on’.

“I wish it had never happened but if I can do things to keep his memory going, absolutely I will.”

Mr Thomas, who has two children aged 10 and three, said Beck Row Primary has “quite a diverse demographic” as it is next to a US military base and around one in 10 pupils are from the traveller community.

Taking part in the TCS Mini London Marathon in schools last year “was inspiring more than the children, it was getting the community involved”, he said.

“The children were really feeling part of something for the first time.”

The school has organised a trip to Wembley and will take pupils to see the musical Matilda in May.

“Things can just happen if we really want to make them happen. You might ruffle a few feathers along the way,” he said.

“I’d never put them at risk but I’d happily write 120 risk assessments if it means that they can have that opportunity and that challenge.

“Our attendance is higher than ever. The school, the parents are happy. Everyone’s on board. We got a very good Ofsted. It’s all got a purpose.

“It’s to inspire teachers as well as the pupils. You can do this and the difference you can make, just kind of broadening minds as to how they can do it.”

Mr Thomas, who got a place through the Team TCS Teachers scheme, is looking forward to showing the children his TCS London Marathon medal on Monday morning: “There’s no better way to inspire them than to show you can do it.

“They are excited by seeing a medal. You’ll get comments like ‘isn’t that the one that’s on the telly?’

“That Mr Thomas is going to do something that’s on the telly, it’s huge to them.

“So many of our children have never been to London and even the thought of me going there is mind-blowing, hence the trips that we are putting on. They are definitely inspired.”

He hopes that next year the school will join the TCS Mini London Marathon event in central London where children can run, jog, walk, or wheel one mile or 2.6km.

“We as a school weren’t ready for it this year but next year that’s the next step.

“Here’s a pic of me running down the Mall, who fancies it? I can guarantee there’ll be a lot of hands going up. They are an enthusiastic bunch.”

– To sponsor Ryan, visit: justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ryan-thomas-5?utm_term=jEmVnKWQJ

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Vice President Kamala Harris, in Philly, promotes student debt relief plan

“What can we do to relieve some of the burden?” Harris said as Biden administration unveils new debt relief plan.

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Philadelphia on Monday to promote the Biden administration’s latest plan to provide student loan debt relief, stopping at the William Cramp School in North Philadelphia to highlight relief available to teachers and other public servants.

Harris’ visit to Pennsylvania, a battleground state that could decide the election, comes as President Joe Biden looks to revive his promise to cancel student debt for millions of low- and middle-income Americans ahead of his November rematch with former President Donald Trump .

“What can we do to relieve some of the burden?” Harris said. “... For those individuals who have received this forgiveness, that’s more money in their pocketbook to pay for things like child care. More money in their pocket to get through the month for things like rent or a mortgage.”

Harris’ second trip to Pennsylvania this year comes roughly two weeks before the state’s April 23 primary. The vice president spoke during an informal, roundtable discussion, which included U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Philadelphia) and several Philadelphia school and city employees who have benefited from student debt relief.

“You have shown the type of leadership that we need today,” Evans told Harris. “And you do not — you, nor the president do not let the Supreme Court get in the way when you think that there is something that needs to be done right for workers and middle-class people.”

» READ MORE: What’s in the Biden student loan forgiveness plan that Kamala Harris touted in Philly Monday

Biden’s first attempt at canceling student debt was blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court last year. Since then, the administration has used more narrow channels to eliminate around $140 billion in loans for around four million borrowers — despite falling short of its goal to cancel tens of thousands worth of debt for a wide swath of borrowers.

Biden’s new plan would automatically cancel debt for people who would qualify for the existing debt relief programs but who have not applied, including from the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which can provide relief teachers and other public servants.

“We don’t pay our teachers nearly what they deserve in terms of the value that they give to society as a whole,” Harris said at the North Philadelphia school.

Cramp School enrolls about 350 students in grades K-5. All of its students are considered economically disadvantaged; 24% are English-language learners, and 17% require special education services. The school has a dual-language program that teaches children to become bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish.

Harris said teachers and other civil servants should not have to choose between public service and being able to pay their bills.

The administration is looking to expand relief to over 30 million borrowers, according to the White House. That includes canceling up to $20,000 of “runaway” interest on loans for most income-eligible borrowers, federal loans that have been in payment for two decades or longer, and loans held by those experiencing hardships like medical debt and childcare costs, among other goals.

Black and Latino borrowers are likelier to experience growth in their student loan balances due to excessive interest accumulation, according to figures provided by the White House, and four years after graduation, Black bachelor’s degree borrowers on average owe more than they borrowed.

The vice president listened with empathetic nods as two Philadelphia public servants shared their experiences with student loan debt.

Kelli Gray, a children’s social worker, shared a tearful story about her loans, which ballooned to over $300,000 as she pursued education degrees.

”My student debt story is like everyone else’s,” Gray said. “I knew I wanted a better life for myself and twin daughters.”

Gray, who works with the Department of Human Services, became emotional as she described how relief programs enabled her to clear her debt and buy a home.

”I just want everyone to know there’s help out there,” Gray said.

Biden spent Monday in Wisconsin — another pivotal state in his reelection campaign — to announce the proposal; Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona traveled to New York City; and Harris’ husband, Douglas Emhoff, touted the plan in Arizona.

“Too many people feel the strain and stress, wondering if they can get married, have their first child, start a family, because even if they get by, they still have this crushing, crushing debt,” Biden said in Wisconsin.

National Republicans attacked the string of events as election year theater.

“Kamala Harris’s empty rhetoric will never erase the high-costs Pennsylvanians are paying for Bidenomics,” the Republican National Committee said in a statement as Harris’ event in Philadelphia kicked off.

The administration’s plan is hardly final and is expected to face months of public comment and objections from Republican lawmakers before any parts take effect.

Should the plan survive a likely host of legal challenges, it would clear the full student loan debt owed by four million people, while 10 million borrowers would see $5,000 or more in relief, a spokesperson from the White House said.

Following the student debt event, Harris was whisked from North to South Philadelphia for a special appearance at the Philadelphia Democratic City Committee’s annual cocktail party.

Harris arrived by motorcade at the Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 Banquet Hall for the event, which was attended by Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, Philadelphia Democratic Chair Bob Brady, and other influential names in city politics.

Staff writer Kristen A. Graham and the Associated Press contributed reporting.