The School Trip Champion Award recognises EVCs, teachers and school staff who go above and beyond to create fantastic learning opportunities through educational visits. Meet the four finalists competing for the £2,000 prize and vote for your winner.
This prestigious accolade, presented at the School Travel Awards, celebrates the dedicated individuals who make school trips possible while offering the winning recipient £2,000 for their school to spend on a future visit.
Its an award about the people who truly believe in the power of going beyond the school gates to help educate children and young people, and those who promote the benefits of doing so within their school or academy.
Vote using the links below and note that votes must be received by Monday 20th October 2025 to be counted.
Meet the 2025 finalists and vote for your winner…
Helen Claringbull
Head of performing and visual arts
The Magna Carta School, Staines-upon-Thames
With multiple hats, including her school’s enrichment coordinator, Helen has more than 25 years’ experience under her belt and has travelled the world on school trips.
She leads the school’s major residential every year and has already taken 66 students to Berlin, 80 students to Belgium and 50 to Normandy in 2025. Some of her highlights include World Challenge trips to Morocco and Croatia, a residential in Burma along with Iceland, New York and Edinburgh.
Helen told us: “I firmly believe that students learn far more out of the classroom than in it and the value of school trips is immense. Just being able to live alongside others is a massive achievement for some and learning independence and life skills.
“I’ve taken students with extreme special needs on visits and by giving these students the opportunity to do things they see their peers doing, but don’t see as possible for them, has a massive value.”
She has been busy organising trips for next year including Stratford, Belgium, Barcelona and Berlin.
Helen added: “I have so many stories of how trips have changed people’s lives. One former student I saw recently said it was during I trip I planned to Paris in 2011 that she was introduced to the girl who has been her best friend ever since.
“It doesn’t just have to be the big trips though. In June, I took our Year 10 GCSE Drama and Music students to see Wicked in London, where afterwards they were able to meet two of our former students who now work on the show.
“Meeting them, and watching the show, inspired our current students to see that anything is possible if you work hard, and it also helped them get a better understanding of the show which they are studying as part of their GCSE.”
Some of the visits Helen has been involved in include: the Weald & Downland Museum, Marwell Zoo, Cadbury World, Brighton, New York, Venice, Lake Garda and Normandy.
Dave Cook
History teacher
Tendring Technology College, Essex
Dave organises and leads historical visits that enrich students’ understanding of major global events such as trips to the battlefields of Belgium, the beaches and cemeteries of Normandy and Berlin to support Cold War studies.
But he has also taken the initiative to run trips beyond his subject area to broaden students’ horizons and raise aspirations after recognising that many young people in the Tendring district have limited opportunities to travel. These have included a trip to the Euro Space Center in Belgium and a STEM visit to Bologna and Italy’s Motor Valley.
He said: “I have taken the initiative to run enrichment trips beyond my subject area to broaden students’ horizons and raise aspirations.
“These immersive experiences help students to connect emotionally and intellectually with history, fostering empathy, critical thinking, and a lasting appreciation of the past.”
To ensure accessibility for all, Dave has inclusion at the heart of all of his trip planning, creating ‘opportunities for every child to participate regardless of background or circumstance’.
He has developed and led fully-funded visits, including a trip to the Williams F1 Engineering Centre and a tour of the UK Parliament which was aimed at inspiring high-achieving female students.
Dave told us: “Beyond my own trip leadership, I have actively mentored colleagues across the school, encouraging them to build the confidence to run their own visits. I often begin by inviting staff to assist on trips, helping them gain experience in a supported environment.”
Some of the visits Dave has been involved in include: Belgium Battlefields, Berlin, EDF Sizewell C, Italy’s Motor Valley, Euro Space Center and UK Parliament.
Craig Evason
Assistant head teacher - cultural capital and development
Royal Liberty School, Romford
Part of Craig’s responsibility is to encourage students to take part in the increasing number and variety of opportunities planned.
As EVC, he aims to ensure that disadvantaged students ‘are at least proportionately represented on visits’ and works very hard on this, seeking funding to help them access such important opportunities.
He told us: “My role is a fantastic one that I am privileged to have. Primarily, I look after disadvantaged students and the impact of our pupil premium spend, but on top of this I line manage our extra curricular lead (a role that was introduced whilst I have been in this post), so we do all we can to encourage students to participate in the ever increasing number and variety of opportunities that we seek to create for them.
“As a small school of only 750 boys, I am extremely proud that we are able to offer so much to students and as well as visits to places such as Belgium and New York this year, we also try to get experts and guests to enhance students’ learning and experiences beyond the curriculum wherever possible.
“The challenges of staffing cover, costs and students being out of school do make this increasingly difficult, but the value to our students makes it a struggle worth overcoming and that is why we have increased enrichment opportunities year on year since I took these roles on.”
Some of the visits Craig has been involved in include: a whole school trip to watch The Lion King, Chessington World of Adventures Resort, Belgium, New York, Thorpe Park and the Cutty Sark.
Davita Grafstein
Deputy head teacher
Sudbury Primary School, Brent, London
As deputy head and her school’s EVC, Davita plans the annual trip calendar, working closely with subject leaders to ensure all trips are ‘purposeful and curriculum-aligned’. She has implemented a number of measures to reduce staff workload and aims to make most of the visits free of charge.
Davita said: “Trips are often the most memorable part of a child’s school journey, and I am committed to providing the children at Sudbury Primary School with as many opportunities and experiences as possible.
“With this in mind, I run a packed annual trip calendar, averaging six to seven trips per year group, including visits tailored for our high needs SEND unit.”
She has taken pupils to international football matches at Wembley Stadium and planned a trip for 240 children to go to the theatre, many experiencing live theatre for the first time.
As a school with a high number of pupils eligible for pupil premium and many children with SEND, Davita prioritises planning trips that are inclusive and accessible. Every July, she organises a whole-school trip for over 900 children to one of London’s Royal Parks, creating a shared experience for the entire school community.
The school’s Rainbow Room, which supports children with high additional needs, regularly uses the school minibus to visit places like the Gruffalo Trail, the London Transport Museum and the RAF Museum.
Year 6 children attend a residential trip each year, and from next year, Davita is extending this opportunity to include pupils from Year 4 upwards.
Some of the visits Davita has been involved in have included: the British Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Wembley Stadium, Lille, Frameless, RAF Museum, London Transport Museum.
Votes must be received by Monday 20th October, 2025 to be counted.
The winner will be announced at the awards lunch and ceremony on Friday 21st November at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London.
For more information about the School Travel Awards click here.
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