Planning a Perfect School Ski Trip
Small tips, big impact on the mountains.
Planning a school ski trip doesn’t have to feel like climbing a mountain before you even reach the slopes.
These quick, practical tips will help you stay organised, prepared, and ready for anything peak week throws your way.
Prep for Peak‑Week Travel
Preparation is key! Especially when travelling during the busier weeks of the season, so expect crowds and possible delays.
If flying, make sure pupils have enough spending money to cover any unexpected waiting time, and remind them to bring an empty water bottle – UK airports have free water refill points, and cafés will refill bottles for free too.
If you’re travelling by coach, delegate a Costco run for bulk water and snacks; if delays hit or traffic builds, hydration and snacks make all the difference.
Delegate Early, Delegate Well
Assign pupils into groups of around 10 and allocate each group a teacher. If you have 6th Form students travelling, make them deputy group leaders to help with headcounts at airports, ferry crossings, and service stations – it keeps things organised and gives older pupils a valuable leadership role.
Pack Aprés Ski Entertainment
Your Regional Sales Manager or Tour Coordinator will have already discussed apres-ski options with you, but it’s wise to have a plan B.
Ask pupils to pack a board game and keep a few card games like Uno, playing cards or Monopoly Deal handy. They’re perfect for a fun hotel game night or for keeping everyone entertained during travel or airport waits.
Top School Resorts to Explore: Discover a selection of school favourites that groups return to year after year. These trusted resorts blend confidence‑building terrain with excellent facilities, creating the ideal setting for students to learn, grow, and enjoy an inspiring week in the mountains.
Use WhatsApp to Stay Connected
If your mobile phone policy allows it, set up a WhatsApp Community before travel and set it to “admins only”. Share the QR code with students to quickly communicate meeting times, clothing needs, and updates – just be ready for that one pupil who still forgets their gloves or coat!
You may also want a parent group or trip social media page for sharing updates and photos.
Make Hydration Simple
If pupils aren’t skiing with backpacks, drinking water throughout the day can be tricky.
Ask them to bring a small empty 275ml bottle (like a Fruit Shoot bottle) that fits easily into a ski jacket pocket. They can refill it at lunchtime for quick sips during lessons.
Teach the Sock Rules
Spend time the evening before your first ski day explaining the importance of proper sock setup – it makes or breaks comfort.
Remind pupils: only one pair of proper ski socks; no leggings tucked into socks; remove all anklets; don’t tuck salopettes into socks or ski boots; and only wear socks designed specifically for skiing.
These small details prevent blisters, rubbing, and unnecessary pain.
Create Emergency Contact Cards
A laminator is your best friend on ski trips. Prepare a small card with emergency contact numbers, hotel details, and ski school contacts in both English and the local language.
Each pupil should keep this in their ski‑pass pocket at all times so they can get help quickly if separated from the group.
Use a Daily Kit Poster
Create a daily ski‑kit checklist and stick it on the inside of each hotel room door so pupils can check they have everything before leaving.
Include items like lift pass, emergency card, helmet, goggles, sun cream, lip balm, gloves, some spending money, neck warmer, phone, and water.
Assign your 6th Formers a room of younger pupils to knock for 10 minutes before departure to keep everyone on track.
Capture the Memories
If you have a staff member or older pupil who’s confident with Movie Maker, get them to create a daily montage.
Check with your Tour Coordinator that your accommodation has a compatible TV and bring an HDMI cable or small projector.
Showing a “zero to hero” movie on the final night is always a highlight – and feel free to share the videos with your Regional Sales Manager when you’re home!
Review While It’s Fresh
Use the journey home to complete your Post Tour Report – they’re genuinely read and acted on. Make your own notes on what worked well and what you’d change next time, and gather feedback from staff and pupils while it’s still fresh.
Chat through anything important with your Regional Sales Manager to help shape an even better trip next year.