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There is no doubt that over the course of the last twenty-odd years, school children and students have been ever increasingly indulged with a variety of overseas trips. But are these foreign excursions really of educational value or just an extravagant but unnecessary expense? A school day trip to France is one thing but these days parents are increasingly finding themselves presented with sometimes very considerable bills for school ski trips, rugby tours of South America or trekking in the Okavango Delta. While no parent would probably want to deny their child such fabulous opportunities when it comes to world travel and adventure, parents could be forgiven for asking to what extent such trips fit into the national curriculum and why it's been apparently assumed that they will fork out the many hundreds of pounds required for the child to partake in such extravagant pastimes. After all, there's always the dry ski slope in Milton Keynes. But in our ever shrinking world and international community, school travel is surely going to play an increasingly important role in our children's overall development and education. On a simple level, most parents have experienced how a trip to a country such as France or Spain suddenly puts language lessons into perspective and just spending time there helps children to absorb the culture and language with new interest which of course in turn makes it easier and more fun to learn. But looking at the wider picture, these new and adventurous school trips abroad are actually packed with a plethora of life skills and enhancing experiences from which most children benefit for the long term. Enduring new and difficult situations like long haul travel, harsh or unusual living conditions, physical and dietary challenges and living and working in a shared environment are not only a test of stamina but lead to increased confidence and adaptability, greater social awareness and a deeper sense of sympathy and understanding. Being put together with a group of people whom they may not know well can also lead to greatly improved interpersonal skills, team work and leadership as well as a greater sense of responsibility and maturity. Almost any trip abroad gives a subject a sense of freshness. Whether it's French architecture, African geography, team sport or an endurance activity, these pursuits can result in a lifelong passion or interest and open up all sorts of potential opportunities and ideas for adult life. The reality is that school travel abroad is here to stay and with such fundamental benefits, it's not hard to see why. And the really good news is that there are now a number of highly experienced school travel operators. These companies are able to offer a diverse but ever more affordable selection of trips and activities in a way that offers excitement, adventure and experience but also with a healthy element of adult control and thorough vetting for safety. The bottom line is that however good a school your child attends, there is only so far it can go in personal and social development in the context of the class room and now has never been a better time to allow our children to experience the world and all its glories first hand.
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