Planning

An educational trip is an inspirational way to build academic confidence and social skills that can only be developed by children experiencing life away from home. Our team can provide you with suitable recommendations and options covering your overall itinerary including the following:

• value for money tours, covering multiple aspects of the curriculum;

• exciting visits where young children can interact with exhibits and displays;

• accommodation with rooms and facilities that are suitable for children;

• meals and packed lunches;

• suitable evening activities to keep children happy and entertained; and

• a daily itinerary that carefully considers journey times onboard the coach.

Risk Assessment

As an integral part of planning your tour we will be happy to supply information for your Risk Assessment Forms. All our coaches are fitted with seat belts and are regularly inspected. All hotels featured in this brochure have been inspected by members of our staff and have been used within the last 12 months by local schools or colleges. We can supply you with Risk Assessments for the vast majority of the attractions in this brochure or can confirm that a member of staff has personally assessed the visit for suitability, leaving you to get on with the busy academic year.

Inspection Visits

We encourage and can help with preliminary inspection visits, especially to new destinations. Such visits help group leaders to properly risk assess all aspects of the proposed tour in advance. We can of course provide relevant information on location, accommodation, ferries and transport if you decide that an advance visit is not possible.

Supervisor Rates

We allow one free teacher's place with every 10 pupils. DfES recognises good practice as:

One adult/10 pupils for school years 4 to 6

One adult/15 pupils year 7 onwards

Teacher Resources

Where applicable we will provide you with downloadable links to resource information for your trip. Don't worry if you don't have internet access, we will do it for you! If you would like a personal visit to the school from a member of our team to discuss the tour this can also be arranged at a time that suits you.

Insurance

Ulsterbus Educational Tours offers insurance under a special holiday travel insurance scheme arranged with Towergate Chapman Stevens who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, including Speciality Insurance Ltd who provide 24 hour emergency service. Full details of cover, policy warranties and exclusions will be forwarded with your confirmation of booking. You may, of course, ask for a specimen copy of the policy at any time in advance.

Travel Arrangements Drivers

Our drivers are one of our greatest assets! They are friendly, knowledgeable, unrivalled, caring and fun to be with. When selecting them, we pay particular attention to their driving skills. They will take responsibility for travel documents such as ferry tickets and admission..." it's like having an extra teacher!"

Coaches

Unlike other tour operators we only use our own vehicles and drivers, and you are therefore 100% assured of the quality of service that we provide. We comply strictly with all EU driving regulations, paying particular attention to drivers' hours and we are well ahead of seat belt legislation.

Ferry Crossings

We have an excellent relationship with operators and the lowest rates to the UK and Europe, and can guarantee quality of service.

Accommodation

We can offer accommodation to any standard you would require from youth hostel to 4 star luxury hotels. We deal directly with your chosen accommodation and can guarantee your requests on issues such as special needs, meal times, room hire and rooming arrangements. We have included in this brochure our most popular hotels with school groups - please feel free to suggest more. On most of our tours accommodation has been arranged on a dinner, bed, breakfast and packed lunch basis - this can be altered to suit your needs.

Our Specialist Team

A dedicated member of our Educational Tours Team will plan your day-to-day itinerary and will pre-book city tours, excursions, visits, meals and evening activities as well as any other requirements your Group may have - we can arrange and organise almost everything!

Free School Pick-ups

Our Northern Ireland-wide network means that all our school tours start and end at your school - no need for costly connections! We offer many other attractive features, such as luggage labels and savings cards, but most important of all, scrupulous attention to detail and a state-of-the-art planning service, which enables you to design your own special tour.