It’s that time of year again! The school residential trips are coming up and you’ve been asked to come along. The residential trip is a right of way for any new teacher but is also a fantastic opportunity to see your students and colleagues in a new light, to step outside of the school walls and try a new challenge!
Whether it’s a camping trip in the New Forest, a team building trip in the Brecon Beacons, or skiing in France, you’re going to need to prepare. Your school should supply many of the activity-specific items for the trip and you should always remember to ask to borrow from colleagues rather than spending extra if possible. Here’s our ultimate list of all the other essential must-have items you will need to bring on your school residential trip.
Appropriate Clothing
This one probably goes without saying. When it comes to clothing, it’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. You might regret not bringing those extra warm gloves, scarf or umbrella.
Water Bottle/ Flask
Another obvious but essential one- you wouldn’t go without your trusty coffee at the start of the school day, you will need it on trips too!
Snacks
You will need plenty of snacks, not just for the length of the trip, but also for the long journey. Of course, be wary of products with nuts in case of student allergies.
Boredom Busters
The trip schedule may be full to bursting, but the journey (usually by coach) may be very long and you will likely need something to keep you occupied, whether it’s a book, kindle or sudoku puzzles. It’s also a good idea to bring some headphones and music to listen to and distract yourself from the noisy pack of children around you on the coach.
Notepad and Pen
You might be out of the classroom but a notepad and pen will still come in very handy, whether it’s jotting down train times or student allergy information when ordering food.
Earplugs
As you are well aware, children are noisy, especially when they are handed a whole week away from their parents to run wild! So make sure you pack some earplugs to drown out the chanting songs on the coach!
First Aid Kit
The school will have health supplies but it’s best to bring a small personal first aid kit too just in case.
Hand Sanitiser
Hand sanitiser is a life saver on school trips to stop the spread of germs.
Painkillers
Headaches and stomach aches are inevitable so make sure you pack some trusty painkillers!
Light Sticks
Light sticks can come in really handy for students to easily find you during evening touring or night time orienteering activities.
Portable Phone Charger
Portable phone chargers are a life-saver for school trips and a great investment for many other situations. You never know when you’ll need to make an important phone call and your battery is down.
Plan B Activities
You never know if a venue is going to cancel or if bad weather will interfere with plans so it’s a good idea to bring along a few rainy day ideas for activities to keep the kids occupied, such as a teams quiz.
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