Safety will always be our priority. We comply fully with the DfES (now the DoE) guide "Health & Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits 1998" and the appendices added in 2002.

Encounters Europe is an assured member of the School Travel Forum (STF). The STF has established a high set of safety standards for school travel operators and its members must adhere to a rigorous Code of Practice and Safety Management Standards. These at least meet the requirements of DoE guidelines and are externally verified each year by suitably qualified independent Health and Safety professionals. In addition we were one of the very first school travel companies to be awarded the Quality Badge by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom.

Your money is fully protected.  We are a member of the Association of British Travel Agents, and the air holiday packages shown are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority.  Our ATOL number is 5525 (Acorn Venture Ltd.). Please see our Booking Conditions for more information.

Our accommodation is selected by a senior representative of Encounters Europe and regularly inspected in accordance with the requirements of the School Travel Forum. This includes a stringent and externally verified accommodation auditing procedure. The type of accommodation we use for our groups varies from 2 or 3 star hotels to youth hotels and hostels. We will recommend accommodation to suit your needs and your budget. Please note: We only ever use accommodation that is particularly suited to groups.

We use executive coaches as standard on our trips. As a minimum these will have a toilet, DVD player, reclining seats and a PA system. Please note that air-conditioning is not standard on these coaches. If you wish to guarantee air-conditioning on your coach we can arrange this for £10  £5 per person. All coach companies are checked by us in accordance with the requirements of the School Travel Forum.

Following Government legislation, all British coaches transporting young people under 16 years of age must be fitted with seatbelts. All coaches hired by Encounters Europe in the UK conform to this requirement. Most European coaches are now fitted with lap belts, though they are not yet subject to the same rules as the UK. However, the coach transporting you from Britain will fulfil most or all of the transportation required by your group whilst abroad. Wherever fitted, seatbelts must be worn and it is the Party Leader’s responsibility to ensure children comply with this rule. This is also becoming a more common requirement across Europe.

If you are travelling by coach then yes, you will have use of your coach during your tour, subject to EU driving regulations.
If you are travelling by air then the transfers to and from the destination airport and hotel are included. If you want the use of a coach during your stay we can organise this for you. Please speak to your Tour Organiser.

Inspection visits play an important part in the risk assessment process and are encouraged by the DoE. We are happy to offer such visits to the Party Leader (or their nominated deputy) plus one other adult.

• We will arrange for one night's (B&B) accommodation for two people free of charge (or two nights for one person).

• We will arrange a channel crossing (Dover – Calais) for a standard size car and two people free of charge.

• If you would rather fly then we will make a contribution of up to £100 towards the total cost of the flight and provide one night (B&B) accommodation for two people. Please Note: Flights should be booked by you.

• We will include insurance (as per our group insurance) free of charge if requested.

• If you wish to go on an Inspection Visit before you have confirmed your booking, we will charge you £200 for these arrangements. We will then discount this amount in full from your booking when you confirm.

Should you require any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact your Tour Organiser.

We are dedicated to providing a wonderful experience to all children, no matter what their needs. Please speak to your Tour Organiser about your requirements and we will endeavour to accommodate them.

We offer a 24 hour helpline, for your peace of mind. Our staff follow clear guidelines to ensure a fast and efficient response to your call.

We will provide you with a copy of our Safety Management System which contains all the information about our accommodation standards and sample risk assessments. This should provide all the information that you or your Local Authority require, but if you have further paperwork we will be happy to complete it on your behalf.
You may find the School Travel Forum guide, Demystifying Risk Assessments, useful.

Yes. We require a First Deposit of £25 per paying person for coach bookings, or £150 for flight bookings, to confirm your trip. We then ask for a Second Deposit of 30% eight weeks later. The balance is then due ten weeks before you depart. However, within reason, we are happy to tailor your deposit schedule to your specific requirements, provided that this still enables us to make the necessary payments to our suppliers.

Many schools or their local authorities provide appropriate travel insurance. You should check to see if this is the case for you. If this is not the case then Encounters Europe is happy to offer you free insurance cover.

This will cover each child and adult for the whole period of the trip including travel to and from your chosen destination. Please make sure that your Tour Organiser knows that you wish to take up this option. You can see a copy of our policy here. There is also an Organiser's Summary and a Key facts document.

Please note: We strongly recommend that all members of your party carry European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC). If you are taking our insurance policy and possess an EHIC card you will avoid paying the policy excess for medical treatment. (Please see Section B of the policy).

If you have a smaller group, don’t worry. Although our brochure prices are based on 40 pupils, we will still make the best possible arrangements to accommodate your group. Please ask us for details on small group travel arrangements.

Of course. Our name Encounters Europe doesn't just refer to continental Europe. We would be delighted to help you with your trip to London, Stratford, York, Edinburgh or wherever. As well as our standard itineraries, which you can find on the UK pages, we're very happy to tailor a trip to your specific requirements. It's what we do.