School Trips Increase Attention Levels and Self Esteem—But Many Pupils Miss Out Due to Costs

The research, which tracked the behaviour and feelings of pupils on normal classroom days compared to excursion days, proved that learning outside the classroom provides a massive lift to student well-being. According to behavioural scientists, a school trip triggers a seventy-one percent rise in excitement and a forty percent boost in self-esteem, with over three-quarters of children describing a trip as their "best school day ever."

Despite these incredible benefits, the study highlights a troubling financial gap. Two-fifths of children across the UK have either missed out entirely or come close to missing out on these experiences because of family financial limitations. Teachers have heavily echoed this concern, with over eighty percent citing cost as the single biggest barrier for schools trying to organize trips, and over three-quarters naming it the primary obstacle for parents. This comes even though the vast majority of educators firmly agree that school trips are essential to a child’s long-term development and mental well-being.

The project was led by Dr Martha Newson, a behavioural scientist at the University of Greenwich, in collaboration with Hyundai Motor UK. To help schools measure these benefits, the study launched a new School Experience Index, which turns what teachers have long observed into quantifiable, science-backed evidence. This tool is designed to help education providers plan specific activities that will have the most positive, lasting impact on a young person's memory-making, inspiration, and focus.

To directly combat the ongoing financial challenges faced by families and educators, the research marks the launch of the latest round of the Great British School Trip initiative. Since its inception, the program has invested more than three million pounds in bursaries, successfully funding trips for over two hundred thousand children and reaching nearly a third of all UK schools. Education providers can actively apply for these bursaries to ensure that no child misses out on vital learning beyond the classroom.

A fascinating new study has revealed that educational school trips can boost a child's attention span by up to eighty percent and their curiosity by seventy-five percent.

HandsamSchoolTripsAdvisor is a website brought to you by Handsam Ltd, the UK's leading experts on school trip planning, educational experiences and safety (link is external). We have created this site specifically for staff who plan and lead trips to be able to do so more easily, effectively and quickly - engaging and stimulating your students whatever their age, ability and aptitudes are.