We know what it’s like in teaching these days: everything needs a write-up. And school trips are no exception: from writing permission letters to parents, to the post-match analysis that are school trip reports.
Fortunately, the experts at NGT are here to help. Our tour planning tools page and Trip HQ hub contain all sorts of teacher resources, from letter templates to packing checklists. So you can get a head start on all that admin, and build a school trip your students will never forget.
As for how to write a report on a school trip, we can help with those too. Just read on for our handy guide.
When reporting on a school trip, there are no ‘set’ ways to get started.
However, we’ve included some school trip report examples below, and outlined a few essential sections to help you out.
As for the length of your school trip report, you should aim for about two to three pages. This might sound quite long, but once you’ve filled out the key elements, it should come together fairly easily.
Every school trip should have some solid objectives behind it: from allowing geography students to see coastal erosion in action, to letting your French class practice their language skills at a real Parisian market.
Hence, the aims and objectives should be the first and most important part of your school trip report. A bulleted list will suffice.
In your analysis of your school trip, it’s also important to explain why you chose that location.
Was it a once in a lifetime chance to experience other cultures? Or an opportunity for students to get to know their local area?
It’s also worth noting down why this place, in particular, is relevant to your specific study topics. From museums and art galleries to sights and sounds, what is it about this destination that makes it the perfect spot to enhance your pupils’ classroom learning?
A good school trip report should always include some diary-style entries. If it was a day trip, write up what your students did in the morning and afternoon. If you enjoyed a longer visit, you can separate out the activities from each day.
However, rather than simply writing down the itinerary, make sure you explain how students felt, and what they learned. Adding little details like what the weather was like, and all the sights and sounds you noticed, can really help to bring your experience to life.
A top tip is to use the daily entries within WST’s Trip HQ, therefore all your notes are securely kept in one place.
This section is all about the educational impact of your adventure. Did your students fulfil their original objectives? What little surprises did you encounter along the way? Was there anything they learned that they didn’t expect to?
Once you’ve answered these questions, it’s time to establish the impact this experience will have in the classroom. For modern foreign language students, this might be improved fluency in their chosen language. For art students, it might be inspiration for their coursework. For geographers, a case study they can use in their exams.
Whatever it is, write it down – it’s a crucial part of your school trip report.