Speeding up school trips to Europe

A collaborative boarder initiative is making it easier for school groups to visit Europe. The School Travel Forum explains how schools can benefit from the new fast-track border clearance system at the Port of Dover

For decades, school trips to Europe have been a cornerstone of British education, offering students invaluable opportunities to explore different cultures, practice languages, and broaden their horizons beyond the classroom. Yet in recent years, the administrative burden and border complexities have increasingly threatened these vital educational experiences.

Now, a new initiative has been launched at the Port of Dover to restore the ease and accessibility that school travel once enjoyed. Now, school groups traveling through Dover can benefit from a fast-track border clearance system, developed through a collaboration between the Port of Dover, UK and French authorities, and participating ferry operators, P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries.

This initiative represents more than just administrative efficiency, it signals a renewed commitment to prioritising educational travel in an increasingly complex post-Brexit landscape.

The challenge behind the solution

The introduction of this new system comes at a critical time for educational travel. Schools have faced mounting challenges in organising European trips, from increased paperwork requirements to unpredictable border delays that can disrupt carefully planned itineraries.

The looming implementation of the European Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) has added further complexity to what was once a straightforward process.

Gill Harvey, chief executive of the School Travel Forum (STF), has been part of the group advocating for solutions to these challenges. “This initiative demonstrates a real commitment to supporting educational travel and reducing administrative burdens for school groups,” Gill explains.

“With the support of the Department for Education and ABTA, we have been working with our colleagues at the Port of Dover to devise a solution for school groups ahead of the introduction of the new EES and ETIAS systems.” The statistics underscore the importance of this intervention. Educational travel contributes significantly to the UK economy while providing immeasurable value to students’ personal and academic development. Language learning, cultural awareness, and global citizenship skills developed through school trips cannot be replicated in the classroom alone. Yet the increasing complexity of border procedures has led some schools to reconsider or abandon their European travel programmes entirely.

How the new system works

To take advantage of the simple fast-track system, schools planning trips through Dover to Calais with either P&O or Irish Ferries, can now submit passenger information 72 hours prior to their scheduled departure, allowing for pre-screening that significantly reduces processing times at French and UK border control points.

To qualify for the scheme, schools must provide documentation confirming their educational status, such as evidence of registration on national school databases. This verification process ensures the system’s integrity while maintaining its accessibility for legitimate educational institutions. Once approved, schools can submit their passenger manifests in advance, allowing border authorities to process the information ahead of the group’s arrival.

The benefits extend beyond time savings. The advance submission system provides schools with greater certainty about their travel schedules, allowing for more precise planning of journey times, educational activities and accommodation arrangements. For students, it means less time spent in queues and more time enjoying the educational experience.

Industry collaboration

The success of this initiative lies in its collaborative approach which brings together multiple stakeholders. The Port of Dover, as the UK’s busiest passenger port, has leveraged its unique position to facilitate discussions between UK and French authorities. The participation of both P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries demonstrates the ferry operators’ commitment to supporting educational travel and providing schools with travel options, ensuring that the benefits of fast-track processing aren’t limited to a single operator.

This multi-stakeholder approach reflects a growing recognition that complex modern challenges require coordinated solutions. The Department for Education has also published comprehensive guidance to help schools navigate the new process effectively. This step-by-step guidance provides teachers, educational visit co-ordinators and trip organisers with everything they need to take advantage of the swifter processing times.

“We’re pleased to see this very clear guidance published by the Department for Education,” Gill notes. “It is hugely helpful for teachers and school groups. It is a very simple process and will mean school groups will not face lengthy waits when crossing from Dover to Calais.”

Practical support for schools

The Department for Education’s guidance represents a crucial bridge between policy and practice, translating the technical aspects of the new border arrangement into actionable steps for busy teachers and trip organisers. By providing clear, step-by-step instructions, the Department for Education has removed much of the uncertainty that surrounded the new system’s implementation. This level of practical support demonstrates the government’s commitment to ensuring the initiative’s success.

Gill Harvey is optimistic about the benefits this new arrangement will bring for teachers and students: “We will be monitoring how this pilot scheme works as successful implementation could hopefully pave the way to further improvements. “Educational travel has often served as a bridge between nations, fostering understanding and cooperation. By prioritising these connections, the Dover initiative sends a powerful message about the value placed on educational exchange.”

Looking to the future

The implementation of this fast-track system comes at a crucial juncture for educational travel. As schools continue to recover from the disruptions of recent years, the restoration of efficient, predictable European travel arrangements provides hope for a resurgence in educational trips.

For education professionals, the message is clear: educational visits are important for schools, students, learning and the economy, and the Dover initiative demonstrates that with sufficient collaboration and commitment, practical solutions can be found to complex regulatory challenges. The success of this initiative could mark a turning point, restoring confidence in European school trips and encouraging more schools to offer these transformative opportunities to more students.

The School Travel Forum and ABTA have demonstrated that collaborative persistent advocacy, combined with practical expertise, can achieve meaningful change even in complex regulatory environments.

Gill urges schools to talk to their school tour provider: “We are grateful for our colleagues at the Department for Education for bringing all partners together. As well as visiting the Department for Education website, your school travel provider will also be able to explain the process to you. The 72-hour advance submission requirement means it is important to plan ahead, but the rewards, in terms of reduced delays and improved travel experiences, make the effort worthwhile.”

The Dover fast-track initiative is a commitment to ensuring that educational travel remains accessible, enjoyable, and transformative for all students.