Reduce the risk of this winter’s school ski trip

As winter settles in, many snowsport-enthusiast teachers take their students on what may be a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience for some students. For others, it might be the beginning of a love of snowsports that continues into adulthood.  Ski trips clearly provide a bucket loads of fun while also offering educational and personal development benefits including the learning of a new skill, building a love for the outdoors, experiencing the magic of the mountains, learning to overcome fears and challenges and all the social skills associated with overseas travel and residential trips. But how can teachers make sure their planning gives a better chance of a safe, stress-free trip? 

Here are a few tips that hopefully serve as useful reminders. These tips are based primarily on our many years’ experience of supporting schools with actual incidents.  On many occasions, ski trip related incidents could, and sometimes should, have been prevented. 

– Provide a 24/7 emergency support number to your visit leaders for use in the event of a critical incident so they can access immediate advice from incident management experts, from just £1.00 per pupil-on-roll.  Pharos Response then supports your SLT to manage the ongoing response to the incident, including advice on operational and logistical decisions as well as your stakeholder communications and of course the media.  Remember, we can only support schools who have a live subscription at the time of an incident, so subscribe today and sleep sounder while those trips are out. –

Top tips to reduce risks on your next school ski trip

1. Choose your ski trip provider carefully. If they don’t have an LOtC Quality Badge, use a provider checklist. There are many good quality operators who understand schools’ needs and it makes sense to use them. Many are members of the School Travel Forum and others even conform to the British Standard 8848, which provides added assurance.  So do your due diligence and ask questions – before you book!

2. Check that your travel insurance is suitable for the activities you will be taking part in during you itinerary or whether any insurance is included in the your tour operator package.  Know the exclusions and ensure students and parents are made aware if, for instance, personal property is not covered. Some winter sports activities (such as tobogganing or ice skating) may not be covered under your standard policy, so do check. Without insurance don’t take the risk!

3. Consider attending a Snowsport England  ‘Snowsport Course Organiser’ course for teachers.  Whilst not compulsory, these courses do provide valuable advice and confidence, especially for less experience staff members. 

4. Double check exactly what supervision is provided by the local ski school staff. Also ensure that the school’s own risk assessment covers any aspects that the tour operator’s might not, such as behaviour management and student downtime such as evening activities run by school staff. 

5. Coach travel is probably one of the highest risk parts of any trip. Use due diligence to ensure the chosen coach company is reputable and ensure at least one member of staff is awake and watching the driver.  In the event of driver fatigue, an alert teacher intervening and insisting on an unscheduled rest break can save lives – even if this delays the schedule.  It is essential that everyone wears a seatbelt at all times, minimise or prohibit walking around and restrict use of the onboard toilets – a rest stop in a service station is much better all round.  Ideally, coaches driven from the UK to Europe will have access doors on both sides to aid safe disembarking when pulling up on the opposite side of the road in Europe.

6. Evenings, when staff and students are relaxing, are another time of heightened risk. Ensure supervision during evening activities, such as swimming, is sufficient, and that staff know where students are at all times. It makes sense for all staff to avoid the gluhwein or other alcohol-based aprés ski activities, however tempting this may be (and hopefully it goes without saying that students should not be drinking!).

7. Ensure first aid and emergency arrangements are included in the planning. Highly qualified medics will be available on the slopes but again, for the journey and ‘down time’, suitable cover and access to first aid kits should be considered and referenced in the risk assessments. 

8. Correct clothing and equipment is essential for a safe and happy trip. Parents and students should be given plenty of notice, with practical advice as to what to look for in sufficiently good clothing so they can shop around and find the most affordable items. Some retailers offer special discounts if the school orders items together. Students who arrive inadequately equipped could become a safety issue once in the mountains.

9. Get advice!  Talk with other colleagues who have led ski trips, your Educational Visits Coordinator, other schools and ask for references, especially if you’re using a new provider for the first-time.  If your school has access to an Educational Visits Advisor who is part of the Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel, they will be able to give you further guidance, including that referring to the National Guidance framework.

10. TravelAware!  The Government’s FCDO and TravelAware campaign provides a wealth of advice and help to travellers and the Preparing for Winter Sports Abroad page contains further links that may be helpful.

– Provide a 24/7 emergency support number to your visit leaders for use in the event of a critical incident so they can access immediate advice from incident management experts, from just £1.00 per pupil-on-roll.  Pharos Response then supports your SLT to manage the ongoing response to the incident, including advice on operational and logistical decisions as well as your stakeholder communications and of course the media.  Remember, we can only support schools who have a live subscription at the time of an incident, so subscribe today and sleep sounder while those trips are out. –

Call us on 01183 800 140, email us at info@pharos-response.co.uk or click here to register your interest in Pharos’ services and we will be in touch.