Language Tour Information
DfE Guidelines - Safety on School Visits
A major initiative which helps you meet your obligations.
The School Travel Forum (STF) is a group of leading school tour operators who promote good practice and safety in school travel. All Full Members of the STF adhere to a rigorous Code of Practice and Safety Management Standards which meet the safety requirements of the DSCF guidelines and are externally verified each year by suitably qualified independent Health and Safety professionals.
The School Travel Forum Code of Practice has been developed in consultation with all the major Teachers' Associations and Unions, including NAHT, SHA, ATL, NASUWT, NUT, PAT and by the Outdoor Education Advisors' Panel.
Our own Managing Director, John Boyden, is the current Chairman of the School Travel Forum, he works with members of the STF to ensure continual compliance, standards and safety on educational tours. We are working hard to establish personal relationships with local LEA's to aid our continued commitment to safety on school tours.
Financial Security
Rayburn Tours are ABTA bonded and can therefore guarantee total financial security. Booking with an ABTA bonded company like ours ensures peace of mind and guarantees financial security in the unlikely event of financial failure. In addition, our air travel packages are ATOL protected, (we hold an Air Travel Organisers Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority) which further secures your investment when travelling by air.
Risk Assessments
For your peace of mind, all aspects of our Language Study Tours and Educational Tours have been thoroughly risk assessed. Documents for each of our tours are available for you detailing risks specific to your daily activities. A general risk awareness handbook is also provided. We know of no other tour operator that provides such in-depth practical support, helping to assure you of an even safer and successful Geography Study Tour.
6 Simple Steps to Booking
Step 1 – Enquire
Call or e-mail us and speak to one of our dedicated Educational Tour Consultants. They will walk you through the aims and objectives of your tour so that we may provide you with a bespoke tour quotation.
Step 2 - Quote
Once you have received your quote, it is important that you check all the inclusions carefully so that any amendments you require can be tailored into the quotation process.
Step 3 - Approval
Following quotation approval, if required we can provide you with the SMS Policies and Risk Assessments relating to your tour. We can also provide you with PowerPoint Presentations to present the tour to your group, fundraising ideas and concepts or even have one of our Tour Co-ordinators give a presentation to parents or party members to promote the tour.
Step 4 - Deposits
Set a payment date for group members to finalise their deposits.
Step 5 - Booking Completion
Once the deposits are in, raise a cheque for the total value of the 1st deposits, fill in the booking form and send them back to Rayburn Tours to finalise your tour reservation.
Step 6 - Plan your Itinerary
Following your booking confirmation an Educational Tour Co-ordinator will work closely with you to set the finer details of your itinerary, which will be tailored to meet the specific needs of your tour group.
