For Parents

Taking care of those most important to you

We understand that as a parent, you need to be confident in the tour operator organising a trip for your child. IBT has been operating ski tours since 1986, and as a result, we have a very experienced team. Our expert personnel manage all the component parts of your child’s tour, and we have resort staff to take care of them when they arrive.

We provide a high quality of service to all of our school groups, and to maintain our high standards, we pre-audit every contractor involved in the service provision of the trip. This is evident in the high level of repeat business that we experience in what is a very competitive market place. Teachers and trip organisers choose to work with us because they trust that we will take care of everything to the highest standard.

IBT treats the welfare of every child that takes part in one of our trips with the utmost care. We conduct rigorous safety audits and risk assessments in conjunction with the party leader. Read more about Safety.

A member of our team will discuss the needs of the trip with the party leader, and once a proposal has been finalised, and approved by the LEA, it is promoted to the pupils via letters and approval forms.

The terms and conditions of travel are available on this website. Once the party has been confirmed, IBT will issue a confirmation to the school, and the services are then put in place.

The school will ensure that adequate insurance provision is also in place, and you should be given sight of the policy for your peace of mind.

The departure point is always at the school and it is at this point that the pupils will then transfer to the airport or head for the ferry port for coach transfer to the resort.

Upon arrival at the resort, the group will check into the hotel where staff will conduct a familiarisation briefing as well as initiate a fire safety drill with all procedures and escape routes explained to the pupils.

Room sharing will be determined well before the party leaves the UK and you will be asked by the party leader if there are any special requests relating to accommodation, food allergies or medical dispositions.

During the day pupils will be allocated a ski/snowboarding group which will be confirmed by their instructor in the initial lesson based on levels of ability and the suitability of the slopes that will be used. There is the opportunity for progressing between ability groups and this will be monitored at all times by the ski instructor and the party leader and their staff.

Finally, at the end of each day, there will be organised activities ranging from quiz and karaoke evenings to flood-lit skiing or ice-skating.

Due to data protection, we are not permitted to discuss any aspects of the trip with anyone other than the party leader however we would be happy to forward emails or questions to them on your behalf – please forward any enquiries to our email address. In the interim, we trust that the following information may be of help with some of your initial questions.

IBT Parent Promise

What’s included?

We understand that as a parent, you want to ensure that when it comes to school trips, your child is getting an excellent experience for the cost. We offer a broad range of ski packages and education tours, and work with party leaders to build their perfect travel experience. As a result, every trip is different. After your child’s trip package has been organised, we will send a proposal to your party leader, detailing everything that is included in the cost of the trip. We hope parents are always satisfied with our proposal, but if not these can be tailored and adjusted before the booking is confirmed.
All IBT Ski Packages include the following standard items:
  • Transfer by touring coach & ferry or flight
  • Dinner, bed and breakfast in the resort
  • An evening meal before departure for coach tours
  • Full area lift pass
  • Top-quality rental equipment including helmets
  • 4 hours of ski instruction per day
  • Partnership with Vamoos travel app with secure log in
  • Concession ratio 1:10 (enhanced ratios are available on request)
  • Resort representation
  • 24hr Emergency Service
  • Apres Ski Planning
  • IBT Travel “Safety Management System”
  • Generic risk assessment documentation
  • Savings cards
  • Luggage labels
  • Final information document case
  • Family concessions for the party leader
  • Promotional support – posters, resort information, piste maps and PowerPoint presentations
  • Free Weekend Inspection visits for new party leaders*
Our Free Weekend Inspection visits are available to groups who have never travelled with IBT Travel before or to existing clients who wish to visit a new resort to view for future trips. Please click here to find out more.
All IBT Educational Packages include the following standard items:
  • High standard touring coaches less than 5 years old
  • Airport meet and greets at selected destinations
  • Partnership with Vamoos travel app with secure log in
  • IBT approved accommodation
  • 24hr Emergency Service
  • Excursion Planning Service
  • IBT Travel “Safety Management System”
  • Generic risk assessment documentation
  • Luggage labels
  • Tailor made itineraries
  • Final information document case
  • Family concessions for the party leader
  • Promotional support – posters, destination information, maps and PowerPoint presentations
  • Highly knowledgeable tour consultants
  • Travel insurance (available on request)

What to Bring on a Ski Trip

Regardless of whether this is your child’s first ski trip, or you are a family of seasoned skiers, the list below is what we recommend your child brings with you on a ski trip. When planning for skiing, you should remember that conditions can often be extreme and that being prepared for all types of weather is the key to a comfortable ski experience. Clothing should be waterproof, and it is advised that thin layers are often a better way to trap heat than one thick garment.

What are the Benefits for my Child?

Below are the answers to the questions most frequently asked by parents of our travellers.
If you can’t find the answer to your question below, please get in touch.

School travel has become a big part of children’s education. We send many school groups to locations across the world every year, with demand for new and exciting adventures always increasing. But why is school travel so important and how can it benefit your child? Generally, school trips help to reinforce and expand on classroom learning, but there are broader social rewards for children that experience travel with their peers. Here we list our top benefits for children in taking part in a school group trip.

School group trips significantly increase engagement from students in their studies, and in the classroom more generally. Travelling with peers and experiencing real-life situations can greatly boost a student’s confidence and ignite a passion for learning.

This is because travel allows students to see the bigger picture and the opportunities that might be available to them if they take their school studies seriously. It also allows children to discover skills they have which they may never have in the classroom. For example, a child who is not great at writing a long essay may discover they have a flair for real-world problem solving or leadership.

By having the opportunity to realise their strengths and skills, pupils may more fully understand the purpose of education and learning. For many, it is the beginning of taking their education seriously and becoming more motivated around their studies.

For many children, travel will bring numerous positive surprises. Exposure to different food, culture and languages can have a significant benefit to personal development at an early age. School travel allows students to experience new cultures for the first time in a unique way – with a group of their peers in an organised and safe environment. This allows them to question and discuss what they experience more freely and to become comfortable in unfamiliar situations.

It is for this reason that school travel is often more meaningful and has a greater impact on children than holidays with family. Children are forced to step outside of their comfort zone, try new foods, spend time with new people and take part in activities they may shy away from if they were travelling with friends or family.

One of the biggest differences parents often see after their child has taken part in school travel is in their confidence, social skills and understanding of responsibility. While school trips are carefully organised, children do need to take responsibility for taking care of their belongings, being on time for activities and making decisions about how they would like to spend their free time.

Children may also find that outside of the school environment they have more in common with members of their year group they don’t normally spend time with. This often leads children to think more independently and make decisions for themselves rather than going along with what their friends decide. School travel is an excellent opportunity for children to make new friends and find out more about who they are outside of their usual friend group.

The purpose of our education system is to prepare children for future life, work and participation in society. Whilst school does teach children valuable skills such as teamwork, problem solving and initiative, it often lacks real-life application.

This is when school travel can become very valuable in giving children a chance to use what they have learned in a real-life context. For example, when travelling abroad, children will have the opportunity to use their foreign language skills. They will also need to budget their spending money, and even consider using their mathematical skills to think about matters such as currency conversion. These are just basic examples of the many ways in which school travel can enrich classroom learning, but there are an infinite number of ways school travel can provide students with the skills they need to succeed.

Furthermore, on educational trips, students get a chance to see and experience what has only been talked about in the classroom. School travel allows for students to have a more complete learning experience, giving room for observation and reflection on what they have experienced for themselves.

A recent study demonstrated that 82% of employers in the UK felt that travel made you more employable. While your child may not yet be looking for their first job, a memorable travel experience can serve as an excellent basis for examples of teamwork, leadership skills and responsibility. Such skills may be useful for college or university applications and interviews as well as for becoming part of any groups or clubs they may wish to join.

As you can see, there are many benefits for your child in taking part in school travel, many of which cannot be put into words. You can find out more about our trips and what we can offer your child using the information below.

What is expected of parents?
Although you are leaving your children in the care of party organisers, certain things are expected of parents before, during and after the trip. Following the advice below helps ensure a smooth-running trip for your child and makes the process must more straightforward for party organisers.
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Payment and documentation
Parents should adhere to deadlines set by the party leader. This includes handing in permission slips and documentation, as well as any payment schedule in place. Organising a trip can be challenging, so by making sure everything is done on time, you can make this process much more straightforward for the organiser.
Additional information for party leaders
If your child has any special requirements, dietary requirements, allergies or difficulty being away from home, you should discuss this with the party leader. Making the right preparations can ensure a safe and enjoyable trip for your child.
Packing
Your party leader will generally issue a list of all of the things your child is required to bring on the trip with them. You should ensure that your child has packed all items on the list, even if you think they won’t need them. The party leader will have added them to the list for a reason and you should adhere to their recommendations.
Discussions with your child
While party leaders will set clear rules for children taking part in the trip, you should also make clear what kind of behaviour is acceptable on the trip. Going on a school trip is an opportunity for your child to demonstrate responsibility and framing discussions about behaviour in this light may be useful.
Communicating with your child
It is often recommended by the party leader that mobile phones be left either at home or in the hotel. Please bear in mind that often pupils will not be in an area with signal or that they are simply so busy enjoying themselves that they forget to phone. If you have any anxieties, you should be given a contact number for the party leader to be used in emergency circumstances only.
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FAQs for Parents

Every ski trip is different, and so the costs involved can vary quite a lot. Things such as location and time of year have a huge impact on the cost of a ski trip, as well as whether you choose to travel by plane or coach, the size of your group and the type of accommodation you choose to book. However, a European ski trip should cost between £700-£1200 per pupil and a trip to the USA and Canada between £1000-1600.

What exactly is included will depend on what the party leader has booked. However, the guide below should help give you a better idea of what you can expect to be included in the package.

There are so many benefits of school travel for children, including learning, personal growth and social skills. We have created some resources to outline how taking part in a school trip can greatly benefit your child.

How they will be travelling will depend on what the party leader has booked. This could be by plane, coach, train or even a ferry.

We take travel safety seriously. We audit our transport providers and only choose transport services we believe to be safe and reliable. You can find out more about our commitment to safe transport on our transport page.

We have a good variety of accommodation available on both our ski trips and our education tours. You can find out more about our accommodation options on our accommodation page.

Room allocation is generally organised before travel. The party organiser will be in charge of who your child shares a room with. It may be that they will let the children choose who they wish to share with, or they will assign rooms.

What your child will be doing on the trip is again up to what the party leader has organised. However, it will generally be a good mix of learning and socialising. If they are going on a ski trip, they can of course expect to be doing plenty of skiing or other snow activities. There will also be Après ski, which you can find out more about on our Après ski page. If they are on an educational tour, they will likely be visiting lots of sites relevant to the trip. They may also have the chance to socialise and attend fun activities in the evenings.

Your group leader will issue a list of what your child should bring nearer the time of your trip. You should ensure they pack the things on the list, but also keep in mind things that they might need personally. For example, if they wear glasses or contact lenses, you will need to pack everything they need.

They can bring a mobile phone, however they may have limited opportunity to use it. For many activities, including skiing, we would always recommend they leave their phone in their room. There is limited phone service at most resorts, and there is a high risk of losing or damaging your phone. The party leader may also limit the use of phones during educational tours, particularly during activities, to make sure your child is experiencing as much as possible.

Please bear in mind that often pupils will not be in an area with a signal or they are simply so busy enjoying themselves that they forget to phone. If you have any anxieties, you should be given a contact number for the party leader, which should be used in emergency circumstances only.