Planning a school trip can be a stressful experience. There are many things that need to be considered including transport, health & safety and risk assessments, but the school trip advisors at the Alton Towers Resort have put together a top five list of school trip planning tips to help alleviate the hassle of arranging a school trip.
1. Travel
The easiest way to travel to the Alton Towers Resort when on a school trip is by coach. The resort has plenty of space for coaches to park when dropping off and picking up parties from the resort.
Please be aware that at peak times, the entrance into the park can become rather busy, so early arrival at the resort is advised. Please click here for some useful information for coach drivers.
It is a good idea to take a head count of all individuals on the coach before entering the park, and then again before leaving on the coach to make sure all members of your party are accounted for.
For further information on parking arrangements, please call 0871 282 5194.
2. Supervision
It is advisable that a number of chaperones attend the school trip to the Alton Towers Resort to ensure that pupils can enjoy their visit safely. Adults must accompany children at all times while in the resort. The Alton Towers Resort’s school trip advisors recommend a ratio of 1 adult to every 10 students, in order to make sure that everyone is kept under supervision at all times. For primary school trips we would suggest bringing even more adults if you are able to.
Remember, we offer one free teacher ticket with every 5 paying primary school pupils or 10 paying secondary school pupils, which helps to ensure that sufficient staff can attend the school trip.
3. Health & Safety
The quality and safety of all our rides and attractions are of the utmost importance and therefore a considerable amount of time and effort is spent on making all visits a safe and fun experience.
It is essential that organisers of school trips read the full risk assessment available to download on the website before visiting the resort.
This means that everyone involved in the organisation of school trips is made aware of all health and safety regulations that need to be followed.
The Alton Towers school trip advisors suggest that pupils are divided into groups and that an adult is allocated to be in charge of that group. The adult in question should stay with that group at all times in case of emergency or evacuation. Should an emergency occur and an evacuation become necessary, attraction staff will be available to give you clear directions at that time.
4. Students with Special Needs
The Alton Towers school trip advisors strive to make sure that we include and accommodate students with special educational or medical needs. It remains the responsibility of the group leader to ensure that appropriate supervision is provided and any special requirements of the students should be taken into account at the planning stage. Please discuss these with our school trip advisors at the time of booking.
5. Cancellation of bookings
If you need to cancel a school trip booking, the Alton Towers school trip advisors require notification in writing or by email, at least 14 days before the date of your visit. If you cancel with less notice than this, the full amount will be payable. Full details of the Alton Towers Resort booking terms and conditions will be sent or emailed to you following your booking.
These tips are based on the most common questions asked regarding school trips to the Alton Towers Resort. However, if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of the school trip advisors on 0871 282 5194 or alternatively email education@alton-towers.com and an advisor will reply to your query.
* Calls to 0871 numbers are charged at 10 pence per minute at all times from a BT landline. Calls from mobile operators and other networks may vary.
Please check availability at time of booking for school talks in 2011. Prices apply to UK schools booking in advance and directly through our Contact Centre. Prices and dates are subject to change.