At PGL, we use the outdoors to deliver unforgettable school trips for primary and secondary pupils. Dedicated to creating educational residential trips for schools, we offer students an immersive learning experience outside the classroom. Our goal is to captivate students, ensuring a meaningful experience that not only engages them but also creates lasting memories.
Quality school trips in the UK and France
We have over 65 years of experience providing thrilling, educational and inspiring residential activity holidays for pupils of all ages. All PGL residential activity centres have been awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge – an achievement we’re proud of. We continually work with schools, local authorities and academies throughout the UK to ensure our curriculum-based activity courses meet your needs effectively.
Planning a residential trip for your school students can aid individual development by boosting confidence and promoting team bonding. Whether you’re looking for a residential outdoor adventure activity course, an educational school trip, a subject-focused study course or a school ski trip, we’re experts at delivering bespoke residential trips for schools across the UK.
The BEST residential experience!
A residential experience is a key milestone in any child’s journey, and we are proud to be recognised, by teachers, as the best residential experience at this year’s School Travel Organiser Awards.
This award reflects our passion and dedication for investing in adventure, setting new standards, and raising the bar for school residentials, now and for years to come.
We go above and beyond to protect the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our care.
Our long-standing dedication to safety has led to us holding over 15 governing and safety accreditations, and we voluntarily apply for Ofsted inspections to be on the Childcare Register.
Everything we do is built on five protective pillars:
Safe People People are at the heart of all we do. From our ‘safer recruitment’ process (including enhanced DBS for all centre colleagues) to our in-depth training programmes, continuous development and supervision, we go the extra mile to ensure our guests are in the safest of hands.
Safe Places Our centres are continuously monitored, maintained and risk-assessed by dedicated teams to ensure our places are safe and secure, always. What’s more, ongoing investment in our locations is powering breakthroughs in guest comfort and satisfaction.
Safe Spaces We believe adventure is for everyone. We’ve developed our spaces with SEND, accessibility and inclusivity in mind, and can make further adjustments for guests’ individual needs wherever possible – our goal is to deliver enriching experiences for all.
Safeguarding As the leader in our industry, we are committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults in our care. Our teams are trained to recognise and report safeguarding concerns and aware of their responsibilities to safeguard guests.
Safe Travels Our travel partners are carefully vetted to ensure they meet our high standards and are able to demonstrate effective safety management systems – providing transport that is safe, reliable, suitable for children and adaptable to the needs of our guests.
Safe People People are at the heart of all we do. From our ‘safer recruitment’ process (including enhanced DBS for all centre colleagues) to our in-depth training programmes, continuous development and supervision, we go the extra mile to ensure our guests are in the safest of hands.
Safe Places Our centres are continuously monitored, maintained and risk-assessed by dedicated teams to ensure our places are safe and secure, always. What’s more, ongoing investment in our locations is powering breakthroughs in guest comfort and satisfaction.
Safe Spaces We believe adventure is for everyone. We’ve developed our spaces with SEND, accessibility and inclusivity in mind, and can make further adjustments for guests’ individual needs wherever possible – our goal is to deliver enriching experiences for all.
Safeguarding As the leader in our industry, we are committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults in our care. Our teams are trained to recognise and report safeguarding concerns and aware of their responsibilities to safeguard guests.
Safe Travels Our travel partners are carefully vetted to ensure they meet our high standards and are able to demonstrate effective safety management systems – providing transport that is safe, reliable, suitable for children and adaptable to the needs of our guests.
Experts in outdoor learning
PGL is the UK’s leading provider of outdoor education. With over 65 years of experience delivering life-enriching adventures, discover our range of expertly designed programmes perfect for any residential school trip.
Testimonials
Testimonials
Residential School Trips FAQs
What educational trips for schools do PGL Offer?
Whilst we love to play hard at PGL, outdoor education blended with classroom learning can provide a truly enriching learning experience for your school children whilst on a residential school trip.
We provide a range of outdoor educational trips for schools across the UK and France. Our programmes extend from Primary School to High school and onto College. For Primary school pupils, we provide Outdoor Education in the UK and French Language & Culture in France.
High school students would benefit from our range of outcome-focussed school trips through to subject-based study. We also offer Skiing and Snowboarding school trips for high school students, a once-in-a-lifetime experience they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.
What is a residential school trip?
Residential school trips take place over a few days and pupils are required to stay away from home. Residential trips for schools are usually activity-based and are one of the first experiences for children staying away from parents/guardians.
Why should students go on a residential school trip over a day trip?
Residential school trips have been proven to have a positive effect on students’ self-esteem and confidence levels, helping to improve their emotional health, physical health and mental well-being.
To put it simply, a day trip doesn’t provide school children with the opportunities to improve their soft skills and social development. Having your pupils attend a local school with PGL allows them the space to safely grow and discover new passions.
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Why are residential school trips good for students?
Residential school trips take pupils out of their usual classroom surroundings and help them develop crucial life skills. Here at PGL, we have tonnes of adventure centres across the UK for your students to explore.
What are the benefits of residential school trips?
Residential school trips are a great way for students to improve their confidence and independence. Experiencing new locations and staying away from home will help children gain new skills, knowledge and life experience that will help them grow and develop. 3 ways that residential school trips can benefit pupils:
- Boost a child’s self-confidence
- Encourage good behaviour around other children
- Broaden their social network
Young people may also benefit from one of our Revision Weekends for schools. With dedicated classrooms for teaching and a diverse range of PGL residential activities, these are particularly beneficial during exam season. This combination creates an environment where students can not only relax but also absorb information more effectively. Elevate the learning experience by booking your residential school trip today!
Will children be safe on a residential school trip?
PGL has always placed a huge emphasis on safety – as a founder member of BAPA (British Activity Providers Association) and a licence holder for activities in the scope of AALA (Adventure Activities Licencing Authority) regulations. Canoeing at all our centres is approved by Paddle UK and all our sailing centres are recognised RYA (Royal Yachting Association) teaching establishments.
PGL’s excellent reputation ensures that we receive a wealth of applications from enthusiastic and competent young adults. The candidates selected are offered contracts of employment subject to satisfactory checks (at an enhanced level) via the Disclosure and Barring Service, the successful completion of pre-employment training, and a favourable performance during their probationary period.
You can rest assured that your children will be safe on a PGL residential school trip.
What is the accommodation like on a residential school trip?
Details vary by location; you can find specific information on the dedicated PGL centres page for your chosen location. Accommodation from our local school trip centres ranges from tents, to en suite wooden lodges, dormitories in mansion houses and more.
All of the accommodation PGL offers are safe and kept to a good clean standard.
All of our sites are inspected by relevant health and safety inspectors and authorities.
Where are your school residential centres located in the UK?
As a leading provider of outdoor school trips for children in the UK, we have sites across the United Kingdom.
Our school trip locations in the UK include:
- Devon
- Suffolk
- Shropshire
- Lincolnshire
- Perthshire
- Northumberland
- Wiltshire
- Isle of Wight
- Surrey
- North Yorkshire
- Dorset
- Sussex
- Lancashire
So, no matter where you’re looking for residential school trips in the UK you can count on us having one near you.
