Priestnall School's Ski Trip to Italy

The main aim of the trip was to introduce our students to a ski tour and to inspire those who already ski to continue to enhance their ski ability by attending our trip.

We were also keen to provide learning opportunities outside of the classroom by restarting international school trips following Covid.

There were a number of reasons. Primarily we picked Madonna di Campiglio/Pinzolo as the ski area has an incredible reputation – which we found that it more than lived up to.

This ski range catered to the mixed abilities of our group allowing great progression for all.

The hotel was of a size that that could cater for the size of our groups (normally around 100). It was also located in a vibrant town, just a short bus ride to the gondola station.

The ski experience was incredible. The Dolomites are unquestionably one of the most beautiful ski areas we have visited.

The ski area is vast and caters for all levels of ability. The nursery slopes are ideally located by the lift station and give students the big mountain experience on day one. This allowed them to make rapid progress.

The intermediate and advanced groups loved getting out on tour and exploring the full area, testing themselves in the snow parks and the amazing food in the mountain restaurants.

In the evenings, I was keen for students to experience Italian culture and get out of the hotel. Visiting a traditional gelato parlour one evening was a very popular option.

The pedestrianised area in the town centre meant that students could have fun while safely exploring the local area. We visited the local ice rink and had a wonderful evening skating to music around an Olympic venue. The evening visit toMadonna di Campiglio was also a treat for students.

Finally, we found the hotel facilities to be good and hosted a Kahoot quiz, movie night and karaoke party for the students.

The lasting memories will be the joy of getting a ski trip out after a prolonged absence due to Covid. It was great to be getting back to normal.

The beauty of the Madonna ski area will long live in my memory - the tree lined runs are as stunning as I was led to believe.

We will go back.

The students had the holiday of a lifetime. Many had never been abroad before (or not for a long time) and were grateful for the experience.

Students developed self-confidence on the slopes and also by being away from their families, therefore developing their own independence.

Students also made and cemented friendships on the tour.

I chose Halsbury as they provided the best ski options for our group.

They were the most attentive to our requests and came up with the best solutions.

Previously we have toured with Halsbury and I was impressed with the initial conversations and the support throughout while planning the specifics of the trip.

The Covid guarantee certainly helped me get approval for the trip through the governors’ body. In addition to this, I am certain it helped satisfy parents’ concerns - we had over 200 applicants.

It was impossible to stop smiling! We couldn’t believe we were there on the first day.

Even a month before departure I was not sure we would get a trip out but with the support of some brilliant parents, Priestnall and Halsbury staff, we were able to get it out.

I cannot praise Beth Hall and Giulia Decimi enough.

From the first conversations I had with them to the very end, they were attentive to our requests and were proactive.

Every interaction was solution focused. They were knowledgeable about the ski resort, Covid regulations and the generalissues of running a ski trip.

Without their relentless support, it would have not been possible to get the trip out. I am so impressed by them I have booked with Halsbury next year.

Absolutely. I found Halsbury had the best ski options at competitive prices. In fact, I have already recommended them to a number of colleagues without reservation.

Firstly, I want to say it’s more than worth it! I think you will be surprised by the desire of young people and their parents to get back out and back to normal and the support they will give.

Do not hesitate to ask for help. Share the jobs with your staff team.

Keep in regular touch with your tour coordinator. They are professional and experienced, and I think it is unlikely you could present them with an issue they have not come across before.

Take the best parts of lockdown and utilise them. Microsoft Teams, Google Classrooms are all great resources for sharing information digitally.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information or to request your tailor-made quote.