We are delighted to be able to share with you the 2023 School Travel Awards finalists, as voted for by the readers of School Travel Organiser. 

The winners will be announced during the School Travel Awards ceremony on Tuesday 6th June at the five-star Royal Lancaster Hotel, London. Thanks to everyone who has voted, nominated or entered.

Here are the attractions, companies, experiences and people who are in the running to scoop this year’s trophies: 

Best Heritage Venue

  • Bletchley Park
  • Hever Castle
  • Ironbridge
  • The Mary Rose
  • St Paul’s Cathedral
  • UK Parliament

Best Sporting Venue

  • Lee Valley, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
  • Manchester City Educational Tour Experiences
  • Snozone
  • Twickenham Stadium and World Rugby Museum
  • UK Sailing Academy
  • Wembley Stadium
 

A special thank you to our 2023 Awards Partners…

 

Best Theatre Production for Schools

  • Frozen The West End Musical
  • Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
  • The Lion King
  • Matilda The Musical
  • SIX
  • Wicked

Best UK Attraction

  • Cadbury World
  • Chessington World of Adventures Resort
  • Go Ape
  • KidZania London
  • LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort
  • Zip World

School group

The UK is home to amazing attractions offering educational visits - but where will take home the award this year? 

Best International Destination or Attraction

  • Berlin, Germany
  • CERN, Switzerland
  • Disneyland Paris
  • Iceland
  • PortAventura World, Spain
  • Venice, Italy

Best Ski Resort

  • Aosta Valley, Italy
  • Claviere, Italy
  • Passo Tonale, Italy
  • Prato Nevoso, Italy
  • Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria
  • Zell am See, Austria

Best Museum Visit

  • Black Country Living Museum
  • British Motor Museum
  • Imperial War Museum, London
  • In Flanders Fields Museum, Belgium
  • National Justice Museum
  • Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre

Child at the museum taking notes

Museums offer cross-curricular learning for pupils - your favourite choice for 2023 will be announced at the ceremony on Tuesday 6th June.  

Best Education Workshops

  • Blenheim Palace
  • Cadbury World
  • Kent Life
  • LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort
  • Museum of Brands
  • Safety Centre Hazard Alley

Education / Learning Team of the Year

  • Celtic Harmony Camp, Outdoor Prehistory Settlement
  • Children’s Adventure Farm Trust
  • Eden Camp Modern History Museum
  • Ringsfield Hall’s Education Team
  • Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s Education Team

To read more about the Education Team category and about the finalists click here.

Best Venue for STEM Learning

  • LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort
  • Magna Science Adventure Centre
  • Royal Observatory
  • Science Museum, London
  • Techniquest
  • Winchester Science Centre

Science experiment

Bringing STEM to life away from the classroom can provide fantastic opportunities and we want to celebrate the venues creating experiences for pupils. 

Best Geography Learning Experience

  • Canal & River Trust
  • Field Studies Council
  • The Living Rainforest
  • Natural History Museum, London
  • Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
  • Zip World

Best Venue for English Learning

  • Jane Austen’s House
  • Royal Shakespeare Company
  • Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books
  • Shakespeare’s Globe
  • The Story Museum
  • Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

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Best Venue for History Learning

  • Gainsborough Old Hall
  • Hever Castle
  • Kentwell Hall
  • National Memorial Arboretum
  • The Roman Baths
  • Warwick Castle

Best Wildlife Attraction

  • Chessington World of Adventures Resort
  • Chester Zoo
  • Port Lympne
  • Lower Drayton Farm
  • West Midland Safari Park
  • Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Best School Tour Operator

  • Equity
  • European Study Tours
  • Halsbury Travel
  • Next Generation Travel Group
  • NST
  • TCBC School Tours

School trip to Paris

School trips abroad are hugely valuable for pupils offering a chance to experience culture, language and much more - which tour operator has gone the extra mile for you? 

Best Residential Experience

  • Conway Centres
  • Essex Outdoors
  • Girl Guiding Activity Centres
  • Kingswood
  • PGL
  • YHA

School Trip Champion Award

A category that rewards those who play an important role in organising trips that help their school and pupils benefit from learning outside the classroom.

  • Selwyn Boothe - Gunnersbury Catholic School, Romford, Essex
  • Jo Hilson - Thomas Gainsborough School, Subury, Suffolk
  • Karen Tidmarsh - Winchmore School, Enfield, London
  • Michele Vidler - Potters Gate CofE Primary School, Farnham, Surrey

Find out about each of the finalists in the running for this award and vote here. 

‘My Best School Trip’ Award

Every year we ask schools to enter a brilliant trip into the School Travel Awards. We want to hear about experiences that have achieved a range of objectives and helped to embed learning outside the classroom when back in school.

Our expert judging panel will be assessing entries in the coming weeks and the finalists will be revealed at here in due course. 

The School Travel Awards is an amazing event when guests get to network, reward and celebrate alongside teachers, LOtC practitioners and school trip providers.

Our 2023 lunch and ceremony takes place on Tuesday 6th June at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. For ticket information visit www.schooltravelorganiser.com/tickets