FAQ

At Schools Into Europe we aim to be as flexible as possible, and we work toward meeting your requirements rather than the other way round.

Not at all. Making a provisional booking only means that we can then advise you of what is available for your chosen dates. Accommodation, coaches, ferry crossings and excursions can be in high demand at certain times of the year, so we strongly advise you to make a provisional booking for your school trip early on to get the best for your group.

We ask for a £40 deposit per payer for day trips, and £50-£250 for tours, depending on destination and duration. Deposits will usually be due as soon as your party has been formed. Some accommodation may give an option date for payment of deposits and we will inform you of this as appropriate. Normally, a second deposit is due 8 weeks after the first for tours, with the final balance due 10 weeks before the date of departure. For day trips, we do not ask for a second deposit, and the balance is due 4 weeks before departure. We are, however, very aware that on occasion these deadlines are not always easily achievable and we endeavour to be as flexible as possible.

Please find our Helpful Notes here, which cover everything from which forms we need from you to passport validity!

Helpful Notes 1 (Provisional Booking Stage)

It is a condition of booking that you have adequate travel insurance in place. You may already have this is place with your school, either with the RPA or with an alternative provide. The cost of travel insurance, should you not have existing cover, may be included in your booking; please see your Confirmation of Provisional Booking which will specify if insurance is included in your price.

Schools into Europe partners with Howden, to create a bespoke school group travel insurance policy that covers against a variety of unforeseen risks.

Cover includes cancellation and curtailment of the trip due to illness, injury or death; the cost of any repatriation back to the beneficiary’s home country following a medical emergency. Additionally cover for over 100 sports and activities are included as standard under this group policy and full details are available within the activity guide lists in the group policy documents.

The group policy has been arranged for the benefit of persons travelling on a trip (the beneficiary / beneficiaries) with Schools into Europe (the group policyholder).

Key features and benefits:

• A 24 hour helpline for medical emergencies
• Emergency medical expenses in the event of illness or injury
• Protection against cancellation or curtailment charges
• Cover for loss or damage to baggage and personal money
• A wide range of sports and activities covered including winter sports


Key eligibility criteria and exclusions:

• Not available to anyone aged 85 or over
• No cover under cancellation or curtailment charges, emergency medical expenses or personal accident relating to any reason set out under ‘Important conditions relating to health’ – see group policy wording
• No cover where the FCO or World Health Organisation has advised against travel
• No cover where travel is not departing from and returning to your home country
• Claims may be subject to an excess, depending on the cover section of the policy
• No cover in connection with a medical epidemic or pandemic, except claims under Section 2 – Emergency Medical and other expenses.

The table below displays a summary of the maximum amounts which are payable under each section. Please note the group policy is subject to terms, conditions, limits and exclusions – please refer to the group policy wording and the statement of insurance for full details of the cover available.

It is important to note that the GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance. The GHIC may not cover the cost of all medical treatment or repatriation, whereas the Howden travel insurance policy will cover extended costs under Section 2 – Emergency medical and other expenses.

Should you decide to make your own travel insurance arrangements, please note adequate and valid travel insurance is a requirement for all groups travelling with Schools into Europe. It is a condition of completing your booking with us that you agree to obtain adequate travel insurance (which includes any bespoke features specific to the activities you will participate in whilst on your tour), or confirm that you have appropriate cover under the Risk Protection Agreement.

If you have any questions about the travel insurance we have designed for you through Howden (formerly Endsleigh), please contact us on +44 (0)29 20522236 or by email info@schoolsintoeurope.com.

Yes! We also hold the LoTC Quality Badge in recognition of the educational value of our tours; please click here to search for our listing on their website. We are members of the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT). All our package tours are furthermore ABTA bonded (membership number Y4767), so your money is 100% secure.

Yes! Schools Into Europe is very proud to offer what we feel is the best safety management system in the market today. Recognising the necessity of ensuring that the highest levels of security and safety are adhered to on all of our trips and tours we have developed, in conjunction with independent health and safety specialists, a comprehensive generic risk assessment and safety management system thereby ensuring that all of our suppliers adhere to stringent safety guidelines which we demand and which our customers expect. This system is fully audited by the School Travel Forum.

This is entirely at the discretion of the Party Leader. Some Party Leaders prefer the security of a collective passport while others prefer only to take children with their own passports. The cost is £39.00 and covers up to 50 people (under 18 only). On day trips this cost must be borne by the group; however, on tours (with overnight stays) we deduct this from the total cost of the trip where a collective passport is required.

To apply for a collective passport, please visit HM Passport Office’s website by clicking here. If you have any queries regarding your application, please contact HMPO directly on 0300 222 0000, or, alternatively, e-mail Durham Passport Office at durhamcollectives@hmpo.gsi.gov.uk.

Yes.

49, however depending on availability we can provide larger coaches. For example, 53, 57, 61, 73, 83 and 85.

Contact us as soon as you can, we will always try to accommodate extra people as long as there is room on the coach and in the accommodation.

We can provide the details of the coach company shortly after receiving a definite booking, but we reserve the right to change this if it is in your best interests.

We provide a ticketless service – to make your school trip as easy and convenient as possible, simply quote the reference number on your itinerary.

Simply send in your final specialist information form and we shall endeavour to produce the rooming list as soon as possible. Please note however, that the accommodation always reserves the right to amend a rooming list and usually releases the information approximately 10 days before departure.

This is to ensure that the coach company can operate in a safe and legal manner.

An odd number of men/women will mean 1 person is entitled to a single room free of charge. Otherwise, the supplement for this is £60 per person per night (subject to availability).

We offer free-places on the ration of 1:10 for a day trips and 1:8 for tours. We are also happy to offer additional free places to carers.

Unfortunately no, free places are provided to help ensure the safe supervision of the children.

Yes! Just get in touch with us and we can discuss your requirements!

At any time. However, it is vitally important that you notify us of any changes, as this is a legal requirement. Please also note that flight bookings may incur a surcharge.

It is the responsibility of each individual to seek any appropriate medical advice from their GP (or local equivalent) before travelling. Please advise us of any special requirements well in advance, so that we can make the necessary arrangements. For British subjects travelling abroad, we also strongly recommend that you take a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which replaced the EHIC, and which allows access to state medical facilities. For more information on this, please consult the EHIC website by clicking here.

The Foreign and Commonwealth office provides up-to-date information for British travellers, and takes responsibility for the safety of British subjects abroad. If you would like general information, or have a more specific query concerning any given destination, we would advise that you consult their website by clicking here. Alternatively, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be more than happy to assist you.