School Travel Awards: Category Guide

Best Historic Attraction or Venue
Where have you visited with your students that has brought history or heritage to life? Whether it’s a trip to a castle, cathedral, stately home, historic property, museum, open-air heritage site or natural heritage attraction, tell us about where you would recommend that promotes history learning and understanding in an engaging way.

Best Sporting Venue
Getting children active, and engaging them in sport, is so important; which sports venue stood out for you and why should they be recognised? This could be a skiing venue, stadium tour, or an actual sporting event or sports museum.

Best Theatre Production for Schools
What better than an exciting trip to the West End or perhaps a theatre near your school? How about a theatrical show or performance at an arena? Did the production excite, inspire and entertain, and was it well directed with a message that pupils could relate to? Did it tie in with a subject and lesson plan? Were you able to take part in related workshops?

Best UK Attraction
The UK is home to a wealth of attractions and destinations that are perfect for school trips. Where have you taken a school group to that has stood out? Consider the attraction itself, the educational value as well as the all-important facilities and support you received from staff.

Best International Destination or Attraction
With more and more schools making short haul trips to Europe and long-haul trips worldwide, the choice and opportunity for exciting educational visits continues to grow. What has delivered for you when it comes to learning outside the classroom beyond the UK? It could be a specific country / destination you have visited, or a particular attraction that made a huge impact on the students and staff.

Best Provision for SEND
What attractions, venues and experiences offer great support and opportunities for learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)? It could be additional communication needs to meet the requirements of the school group, or good access for pupils with mobility issues. Some children may benefit from more variety when it comes to sensory stimulation. What and where has helped meet your requirements before and during a visit, whether it’s for an individual pupil or a group of children requiring support and consideration?

Best Museum Visit
Whether in the UK or overseas, museums are a cornerstone of learning outside the classroom. Where should be recognised as offering an outstanding visit, plus pre and post visit assistance and learning links for schools?

Best Education Workshops
Workshops provide good quality, fun and interactive learning for pupils while out on school trips. There are many inspiring sessions on offer at venues across the UK and at attractions and destinations overseas but where provides the best in your view?

Education / Learning Team of the Year
This award seeks to reward the education/learning team whose commitment and imagination has delivered when it comes to learning outside the classroom. We’re looking for a team of people big or small, whose collective inspiration has led to fantastic provision and great support as well as excellent outcomes for school groups. We’ll be inviting nominations from teachers as well as from staff at providers (although not the team themselves). Read more about this category here.

Best Venue for STEM Learning
There’s no better way to immerse students in STEM (Science, Technology, English & Maths) than getting them outside the classroom. We’re looking for the best interactive, engaging and exciting places that have delivered when it comes to this important area of learning.

Best Geography Learning Experience
The nature of Geography learning lends itself to the outdoors and we all have fond memories of our field trips at school – but which particular venue, attraction or site have you visited that has made a lasting impression? Consider the educational outcomes, as well as how engaging the experience was for staff and students.

Best Venue for English Learning
It might be an attraction linked to literature, a play, drama experience or a museum or library that stands out for trips linked to English. Consider where has engaged your class and deserves recognition.

Best Wildlife Attraction
There’s no better way to bring teaching to life than engaging children with the world of wildlife. Have you been to a fantastic zoo, aquarium, wildlife / safari park, wetland centre, animal sanctuary or even a petting zoo or farm that has ticked all the boxes? Tell us about the star attraction. 

Best School Tour Operator (small and large)
Reliability, creativity, due diligence and of course safety are just some of the things, teachers expect from school tour operators. Who do you trust to help organise successful trips? Think about the selection of trips and experiences on offer, as well as the service provided before, during and after the trip. Plus, was it value for money and did it achieve what you wanted from it? This category is split to reward small and large operators when voting is calculated.

Best Residential Experience
Residential trips can offer amazing experiences for children and teachers. With safety a huge factor, the trip should also deliver great value, facilities and above all, an enriching experience for the children and staff. What stands out from your previous trips to locations in the UK?

‘My Best School Trip’ Award
Schools are encouraged to enter this award, with an increased prize of £2,000 up for grabs to spend on a school trip. Pupils submit their reviews of a school trip, accompanied by a narrative from the teacher about the objectives of the trip and what was achieved. Entries are shortlisted with the finalists judged by a panel of experts. You can find out more about this award here.

School Trip Champion Award
This award recognises an individual who goes above and beyond in delivering school trips and learning outside the classroom experiences. The winner will now receive £2,000 which will be given to the school that he/she works for, to contribute to a school trip. Read more about this category here.