School trips are a fantastic way to get pupils engaged with a subject. Whether you’re planning on arranging a class visit to London’s Science Museum, the Tate Modern or London Zoo, you’ll need a way to get your pupils there. The idea of taking an entire class of 30 children all the way to the capital might seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be if you plan efficiently.
You might initially consider public transport. However, the costs soon add up. Once each child has bought a travelcard to allow them to use the London Underground and the buses and paid for a train ticket to get them into London, it could be a fairly costly way to travel. Also, it can be difficult to keep an eye on each child in busy, bustling London, and navigating 30 children through the complicated Tube system can be a nightmare.
A better option can be hiring a coach. Here, you benefit from paying one pre-arranged fee for the use of the coach throughout the day, and your class can be transported directly between each component of the trip. There is usually dedicated coach parking close to the entrance of each location, meaning no long walks through the streets from the Tube, and no tired legs or children complaining about the walk.
Another benefit of hiring a coach to London is that you can keep all of the children together. Buses may become full or busy Tube trains may mean that the group has to split in order to get the entire class from place to place, which can be stressful and may result in children being left behind. On a coach, however, you’ll know exactly where all the children are, and they will be transported safely from place to place.
Plus, delays and cancellations on public transport aren’t uncommon. If you miss one connection, it can be a headache trying to persuade the train company to let you use the next service, and parents will be expecting their children back at school by a certain time. With a coach, you can set your own schedule, and as long as you allow for traffic you won’t be at the mercy of the public transport system, meaning you can much more accurately plan your day.
If you want to make sure your school trip to London goes smoothly, it is definitely worth thinking about hiring a coach to transport your class. You’ll be travelling safely and in comfort, and won’t need to change your schedule at the last minute when a bus doesn’t turn up or a train is delayed.
Pearl Wallace has been taking school groups out in Britain’s capital for over ten years and believes there is more to see today than there has ever been.
