Overseas school trips are back on as Covid restrictions lifted

School trips were stopped on 13 March 2020, and although on-island visits were allowed from mid-June that year, and travel within the Bailiwick was permitted a few weeks later, trips further afield have been much slower to return.

Off-island travel was permitted from September 2022, but only for trips deemed to have a ‘clear educational requirement or benefit’ until a month ago.

In early March, all remaining restrictions on visits by States-run schools and services were lifted, and there is no longer a requirement for them to be specifically aligned to curriculum delivery or learning outcomes – so, for example, school ski trips could return.

New insurance arrangements have also been introduced. Insurance costs for most visits will now be paid for centrally, rather than re-charged to schools, to help keep costs down for those travelling, and to reduce administrative overheads.

In 2018, there were 64 residential off-site visits conducted by States-run schools and in 2019, there were 68. In both years, about two-thirds of the trips were to destinations outside the Channel Islands, including the USA, Canada, Laos and Zambia.

But over the pandemic period, there were just 18, 12 and 15 trips in each of the next three years, of which 28 were within the Bailiwick.

Direct funding of school trips is not typically provided by Education, Sport & Culture, with the majority of costs borne by parents and PTAs, often aided by fundraising or charitable donations.

However, the Sports Commission and Youth Commission provide staffing resources – and sometimes funding – for some trips.