TCBC School Tours took STO mascot Teacher Ted on a packed trip to Rome to experience the best the city has to offer.
TCBC School Tours were named Best Tour Operator (small/medium) at the 2025 School Travel Awards and Teacher Ted recently joined them on an educational visit with a school group from King’s College, The British School of Alicante.
Accompanying TCBC tour specialist, Ruby Ho, Teacher Ted experienced the highlights of the historic city of Rome, from the ancient structures of the Roman empire to the food that Italy is renowned for.
Ruby Ho said: “Travelling to Rome with one of our school groups gave me the chance to experience the trip exactly as our students and teachers do. Seeing the learning come to life was a powerful reminder of why educational travel matters so much.
“Bringing Teacher Ted along after our award win made the experience even more special and something we were proud to share.”
Travelling alongside the group from the British School of Alicante, Ted visited landmarks such as the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Vatican City and St Peter’s Basilica.
Teacher Ted helped to capture the grandeur of the Italian capital and also joined the group on an excursion to Pompeii where they walked through preserved streets and ancient ruins frozen in time.
No Rome school trip is complete without experiencing the food and the group had opportunities to try a range of culinary flavours, from classic Roman pasta dishes to freshly baked pizza.
They also took part in an ice cream factory visit complete with a behind the scenes tour and tasting to find out how gelato is produced. Teacher Ted made sure to keep his hairnet on for the entire time.
About the School Travel Awards
TCBC School Tours was named Best Tour Operator (small/medium) at the 2025 School Travel Awards ceremony in London which took place on Friday 21st November at the five-star Royal Lancaster Hotel.
Commenting on the win, TCBC School Tours’ Rebecca Ford said: “We were incredibly proud to be named Best Tour Operator (Small/Medium) at the School Travel Awards.
“What makes the award particularly meaningful is that it is voted for by the schools we work with, who are at the heart of everything we do. It reflects the trust schools place in us and the dedication of our team, who work tirelessly to deliver safe, meaningful and well organised educational travel experiences.”
Organised by School Travel Organiser magazine, the awards recognise inspiring people and the best companies, venues and attractions providing school trips.
The 2026 awards lunch and ceremony will take place on Friday 20th November at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London. Nominations for the first stage of the awards are now open until Monday 13th April.
For more information about the School Travel Awards, visit www.schooltravelorganiser.com/school-travel-awards.
