School ski trip- anyone want to share their (kid’s) experience

@whataboutbob i don't know how far south you are but we are a little north of London and they left about 8pm and got there 12pm next day. They were going to Aosta Valley if it's of any reference. If they sit next to a friend it's not bad at all and the ferry is exciting.

@whataboutbob I actually disagree about the flight thing. My DD has really really bad car sickness but the coach was one of the highlights, especially on the way back. Those acupuncture bands work amazingly and sickness meds too.
Make sure they take a tablet the night before they leave and are still home and than one morning of trip. They work best that way.

My DS is signed up for one in February next year (he’ll be Year 8) so it’s good to see all these positive stories.

His school insist non-skiers take a short course of dry slope lessons before the trip. 3 of DS’s friends are going, but they’ll all be in the beginner class whereas DS has been skiing since he was little so will probably be in with all the older teens. He’s fairly confident and sociable so I’m hoping he’ll be ok and that they’ll be nice to him!

Both my DCs have done many school ski trips and had time of their lives. All trips had flights though not long coach trips.

Not my DC's. But on ours the creepy PE teachers would drink with and cop off with girls.
It was the 80s.
Shudder!

If you can afford it and he wants to go, then go for it! My DH and his siblings all learnt to ski on school trips, and loved them. I fully intend to send mine when the opportunity arises. I learnt to ski in my late 20s which was great fun, but I did wish I'd had that confidence and fearlessness of a child or teen.

Can I just say as someone who ran and/or staffed a good number of school trips (not skiing!) it's great that sop many DC have enjoyed them. They are time-consuming and challenging to organise and exhausting when you are on them (on duty 6am - midnight) but if the students have a good time then it really is worthwhile.

I have some great memories of a trip we ran every year to France and some of the kids whom we took.

DD went in Year 8. Great experience for her. Had a really lovely time despite long coach journey to Austria and back. Often talks about it, was very mixed age groups - yrs 8-11 - they all got on great! Not something we could do as a family due to disabled sibling but might have done in other circumstances as DH and I have skied before kids. It felt important to give her that opportunity if she wanted it.

When I was a teen I went on the school ski trip and had an amazing time. 20 years later I went on one as a teacher. It was bloody exhausting and a horrible never ending coach journey - I was sat next to the toilets helping those who felt sick. The students had an amazing time. I loved the skiing part and seeing the kids have a fab time but I wouldn't go as a staff member again, unless it doesn't involve a coach. We only had one student who didn't enjoy it. She didn't want to carry her skis, found her boots uncomfy, was cold etc etc. My dd is only 4 but when she's in secondary I will be saving up to send her if she wants to go.

DD went on 3 school ski trips, alternate years. She thoroughly enjoyed them.
She did a course at the Chill Factore before the first one, which I think made it more enjoyable.

Beefing!!! Briefing obviously

Overall my DDs enjoyed their various trips to Italy, France and USA.

However a few things to be aware of. Mine would not have gone if it was coach all the way to a European resort. Just too time consuming, boring and you need more than one driver to ensure safety. You are far better off if it’s fly in.

Secondly. What resort is it? Where is the hotel? Or is it a hostel? Is it anywhere near the ski area or a transport link to it? Are dc going to have to walk along roads to get to the ski are/lifts? Is the accommodation reasonable or total sh—-? Would you stay there?

Thirdly: you are paying for the school staff. That’s why the price is high?

Lastly: are beginners and more competent skiers catered for? Who is teaching them? My DD2 went on a school ski trip and one of the teachers went off and snowboarded all week. We thought, as a PE teacher, she would be with the pupils. Apparently not. So go to the beefing, read all the documents and read about staff/pupil ratios and safety measures. If it all stacks up and dc wants to go, they certainly can be fun. Even when DD2s flight back was cancelled by Ryan Air with no alternative until the next day from another airport. Who would be a teacher in a school trip? That was Italy by the way!

My DD went Feb half-term last year (Y8) and loved it. School took 150 children, of whom over 80 (including my DD) had never skied before. Can honestly say she loved every moment even the hanging around airports and the 3 hrs coach transfer. I think these opportunities are so amazing and I am just always grateful to the school staff who are willing to provide them

My friend went on a school ski trip to Scotland in the 70s

She insisted that she wear her Bay City Rollers trousers instead of salopettes 😂😂

Just in case they were around Aviemore

DD went in Y7, as the only y7 going, just before lockdown. She didn't know anyone and I got lots of sad texts between London and the ferry crossing. It got much better from there and she loved every minute. She was gutted this year was cancelled and made lots of friends she would've never made otherwise as they're in the older years.

My DD's both went had an awesome time utterly hopeless at skiing still but cracking trip.

I'm so glad I went when it was my turn. I had to contribute to the cost and got a Saturday job and did loads of babysitting as I was so keen to go and it was so expensive! My parents were not the skiing sort so it was a great way to get to try it out in a non pressured way. I'll be really keen for mine to go if they get the offer.

I had the best time on mine!

Sorry I meant to add that the kids seemed to really enjoy it despite the coach trip. It would put me off but hey! Worth checking tho if your child is coach-sick (I once took such a student on a very coach-heavy trip to France - she was sick every time we got on the coach!).

Oh and don't buy ski gear, the trip organisers do hire which is brilliant and pretty cheap too, I wish I had known this before I went out & bought a load of ski gear!

My DS went skiing with school and loved it! I can think of nothing worse than skiing but I have fantastic memories of school trips that I went on as a teenager, even the long coach journey. It's a great experience and if your child wants to go and you can afford it (school trips are not cheap!) then I would do it.

I went a few times with my school, was utterly useless at actually skiing but had a great time.
Did manage to come back injured every time (much to my parents horror) but it didn’t put me off

They ran one from my DCs' school - DS2 would love skiiing but I thought it was too £££. Check how they get there - on the trip DS didn't go on they went by coach to keep the cost down (it still cost about £1k) and they were on the coach for something like 30 hours each way. Bit grim.