Recent findings by Brilliant Residentials, an initiative run by Learning Away, have given educators a clearer idea of what makes for an engaging and influential school trip. Although we at The School Travel Company believe that a residential can be educationally valuable at any time of the year, we often suggest that outings that are not time-sensitive take place in autumn – and are thrilled to see that the facts and figures of Brilliant Residentials’ studies confirm the merit of this recommendation. Let’s take a look at the top six reasons for organising a trip near the beginning of a school year.

According to Learning Away, the positive changes that can be engendered by a residential are greatest the earlier the trip takes place in the academic year. With the help of an extensive survey, the organisation concluded that a whopping 87% of secondary school students felt more confident to step outside of their comfort zone and take on new educational challenges after an autumn trip with their school. Travel plans may have to be arranged in busy periods, but you’ll reap the benefits when your students become more self-confident and resilient as a result.  

Along with heightening students’ confidence, a residential in the early months of the academic year is proven to increase their engagement with learning back in the classroom. While 72% of pupils in years 1 to 6 felt that their behaviour and ability to follow instructions in the classroom improved, 71% of older students revealed that they felt more motivated to concentrate and learn. That’s not only good news for them, but also for you!

While an educational trip at the end of an academic year merely gives students a few weeks to let the newfound knowledge sink in, they’ll receive plenty of opportunities to reinforce what they learned when a residential takes place early on. In fact, 77% of pupils were confident that their autumn outing would help them gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter and improve their performance in the classroom throughout the coming months.

In addition to gaining valuable insights into an academic field, residentials give students an opportunity to bond with their classmates and get to know their teacher better. While break time intervals and formal lessons rarely allow for spending extended periods of quality time together in school, travel plans change everything: from chatting with classmates during the journey or witnessing a teacher assume a larger leadership role, a residential in autumn allows participants to develop closer relationships to their peers and instructors, which are sustained throughout the year. Brilliant Residentials’ findings suggest that this positive side effect was felt by 71% of primary school pupils, who claimed to know their teacher better after the trip, and by 84% of secondary students, who felt that their social connections with classmates had been strengthened.

When it comes to school travel, planning a residential between the months of September and November is less expensive on average. In combination with all of the benefits that an autumn trip has for students and teachers, a trip in autumn provides you with a significantly greater return on investment. More affordable and more rewarding – what could be better?

Last but certainly not least, organising an educational outing in autumn enables you to start the year on a high note. By exposing your students to new learning opportunities, such as those embedded in historical re-enactments, museums, art galleries, or astronomical explorations, you set the tone for an intellectually exciting and engaging year.