The Educator Magazine U.K. September - December 2025 issue. - Magazine - Page 30
Why School Trips Are Now Central to Curriculum Delivery?
Linda Green, Head of Educational Destinations at PGL Beyond
young people report that a school trip
has influenced their subject choice.
For languages, where enthusiasm can falter
once grammar becomes more demanding,
immersion is a powerful motivator.
Building skills beyond the subject
Schools are also recognising the broader
benefits. A quarter of pupils say they were
inspired to travel more widely because of
a school trip, and 16 per cent experienced
their first-ever flight on one.
Such experiences develop independence,
resilience, and problem-solving –
competencies not tested in exams but
valued by employers.
Many schools are now framing trips explicitly
around employability. Navigating unfamiliar
environments, budgeting, and collaborating
in new contexts all contribute to preparing
pupils for adult life.
School trips used to be seen solely as an
opportunity for enrichment – a reward at
the end of term, or a chance to broaden
cultural horizons. That picture is changing
fast. According to this year’s School Trip
Index, at PGL Beyond we see one in two
UK school trips now directly tied to a core
subject, with modern foreign languages and
history accounting for almost half (46 per
cent) of all travel bookings.
This shift reflects a wider reality: every hour
away from the classroom must now be
justified. Trips are expected to demonstrate
clear impact on both curriculum coverage
and pupil engagement. Far from diminishing
their role, this has elevated school travel into
a dynamic extension of classroom teaching.
Learning through experience
Research and teacher feedback consistently
highlight that pupils retain knowledge more
effectively when it is experienced first-hand.
The scale of sacrifice is far more tangible
on the battlefields of the Somme than in a
textbook. Vocabulary gains greater
meaning when applied in a Spanish café.
Geographical concepts that can appear
abstract in the classroom become concrete
when observed in Iceland’s volcanic
landscapes.
These examples explain why history and
geography remain strong drivers of
educational visits – but they also highlight
the growing importance of languagefocused travel at a time when modern
foreign languages face declining uptake.
Confronting the language decline
This year’s A-level results underline the
challenge. Entries for French and German
have fallen sharply, with French dropping
by more than 9 per cent[ FFT Education
Data Lab, August 2025]. Spanish remains the
exception, having been the most popular
modern foreign language at A-level for five
years, but overall participation is shrinking.
Travel can help counter this trend. PGL
Beyond data shows Spanish trips have risen
by 46 per cent over the last two decades.
Whilst France is still the most common
destination overall, Spain is catching up
rapidly, with Barcelona, Madrid and
Andalucía among the most popular
destination requests.
By giving students authentic opportunities
to hear and use the language in practice
– whether ordering food, navigating local
transport, or holding a short conversation –
these trips reignite motivation. One in three
Designing trips with impact
The challenge lies in balancing aspiration
with accountability and affordability.
Increasingly, schools are combining subjects
to strengthen the case for travel: Paris trips
that link French and art; Berlin itineraries
that combine history, politics and language.
Integrated approaches allow leaders to
evidence both curriculum relevance and
value for money.
Three strategies can help maximise impact:
Align with curriculum objectives – clarity
on how trips support GCSE or A-level
requirements makes outcomes easier to
evidence.
Build in structured reflection – connecting
experiences back to classroom work ensures
the trip isn’t a stand-alone memory but a
step in learning progression.
Recognise wider outcomes –
acknowledging the role of travel in building
life skills strengthens the case for investment.
From luxury to necessity
Trips may still be portrayed by some as
luxuries, especially under budget pressure.
Yet the evidence suggests they are becoming
indispensable to how subjects are delivered
and how pupils are motivated to learn.
Well-planned travel is not time away from
learning – it is learning, in a different and
often more memorable form.
The task now is to design trips that
deliver on multiple fronts: curriculum
alignment, learner motivation, and personal
development. Achieving this will not only
sustain the tradition of educational travel
but cement its role as central to preparing
young people for exams, for work, and for
life.
For the full School Trip Index report, visit:
pglbeyond.com/school-trip-index/
