Accommodating additional needs on your school trip

At NST, we believe that every pupil should have the opportunity to enjoy an inclusive, safe and memorable school trip. We work closely with schools to support SEND and additional needs, including disabilities, medical conditions, religious or cultural requirements, behavioural needs and specialist dietary needs. Our team will help you plan the right arrangements so every learner can fully participate wherever possible.

Planning ahead

To ensure the best possible school trip experience, we ask you to tell us about any additional needs as early as possible. This gives us time to assess requirements, explore suitable options and agree on the right support with you. All requests must be confirmed in writing with your NST Educational Tour Coordinator before we finalise your booking.

Areas we support

Religious and cultural needs:

We respect participants’ right to opt out of activities on religious grounds, however, teacher supervision arrangements will need to be made by you.
Attendance at religious ceremonies is dependant on local availability, and any additional travel costs will be covered by the participant, parents or school.
We will do our best to accommodate dress codes and cultural practices where practical and safe to do so.

Dietary requirements, allergies, intolerances and coeliac disease:

We cater for most dietary needs, including coeliac disease, nut and dairy allergies, vegetarian, vegan, kosher and halal, when requested in advance.
Availability varies by destination, and overseas interpretations of vegetarianism and veganism may differ.
We’re unable to cater for weight management diets or personal food preferences.

Behavioural needs

Behaviour management is the responsibility of the teacher/s, but we can offer support and advice on suitable accommodation and visits.
If additional supervision is required, we may be able to offer extra discounted adult places.
All participants must adhere to our Code of Conduct, and we reserve the right to exclude anyone whose behaviour is unsafe or disruptive.

Disability support

Accessibility varies across destinations, accommodation and transport, so please inform us of any disabilities as early as possible.
Wheelchair accessible coaches are limited and must be booked well in advance.
We do not provide personal carers, but we are able to offer discounted places for carers.

Insurance

Insurers cannot discriminate against disabled persons. However, insurers need to know about medical conditions – for example, if a person is in a wheelchair because of an illness, the illness needs to be declared rather than the fact they are in a wheelchair.

Next steps

Inform us of any additional needs at the enquiry stage, as this may affect your choice of destination, accommodation, or dates.
Discuss options with us, we’ll talk through the details and possible adjustments.
Confirm your additional needs in writing, so we can ensure all arrangements are in place.
We’ll finalise the details and arrange any necessary provisions or special facilities before confirming your booking.
Confirm your acceptance in writing to ensure your additional arrangements are included in your booking.

We’re committed to making school travel inclusive, accessible and enjoyable for every learner. Contact us as early as possible so we can help create the best experience for your group.