Safer School Trips: Key Takeaways from Jamie Wansey’s ICGS Global Forum Session

Student Horizons recently had the privilege of contributing to the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools (ICGS) Global Forum on Girls’ Education in Toronto, where Founder and Managing Director Jamie Wansey led a breakout session titled “Safer School Trips – A Joint Approach to Risk, Incident and Crisis Response.

Why safer school trips are a leadership issue

Jamie began by asking school leaders a simple question: “When you think about school trips at your school, what keeps you up at night?” The answers consistently came back to two fundamentals: Are our funds safe, and is my child safe? Before anyone can focus on learning outcomes and global citizenship, trust in financial security and student safety must be established. Jamie shared that in today’s 24/7 connected world, travel risk is no longer just an operations concern but a core leadership responsibility, given how quickly a minor incident can escalate into a safeguarding, legal or reputational issue.

The power of accredited partnerships

A key message from the session was that “better partnerships create safer outcomes.” Jamie highlighted how accredited educational travel providers offer financial assurance and safety assurance, giving schools confidence that tour funds are protected and that robust risk controls underpin every itinerary. Using recent industry examples of non‑accredited operators collapsing and leaving families out of pocket, he emphasised the importance of working with organisations that meet recognised quality standards such as ATIA, SETO, SYTA, IATA and other national travel bodies.

Jamie outlined Student Horizons’ own role as an accredited specialist, operating across multiple countries and destinations and partnering with global educational bodies such as ABSA and ICGS, as well as with crisis management experts like Crisis24 for real‑time risk monitoring and support. These partnerships strengthen due diligence, incident response capability and governance, allowing schools to focus on the educational purpose of travel with greater confidence.

A six‑step framework for safer trips

The heart of the presentation was a practical six‑step framework that schools can apply alongside their travel partner to design and deliver safer school trips.

• Leadership and culture: Safety is built, not assumed. Clear vision, expectations and practiced incident and crisis plans set the tone.
• Planning and due diligence: Early planning, supplier vetting, and itinerary stress‑testing help reduce foreseeable risk before departure.
• People and roles: Matching the right staff mix to student needs, clarifying responsibilities, and prioritising duty of care are essential.
• Communication and decisions: Agreed escalation pathways and one “source of truth” for messaging support calm, accountable decision-making.
• Monitoring and response: During delivery, pastoral care from staff and 24/7 logistical support from the provider enable joint management of incidents as they unfold
• Review and improvement: Post‑trip debriefs, near‑miss reviews and shared lessons strengthen policies, training and the provider partnership for the next tour.

Jamie stressed that safer outcomes come from getting all six elements working together, not relying on one policy or one person.

Knowing your students and preparing them

Another major focus was the importance of understanding your students before you book, and then actively preparing them for travel. Jamie recommended a multi‑lens student profile considering medical needs, behavioural history, wellbeing, and supervision requirements, guided by the key question: “Is this student safe and ready for this itinerary with this staffing model, at this point in time?”
He also described Student Horizons’ scenario‑based pre‑departure student risk workshops, which move risk from theory into practical judgment. In these sessions, students rehearse responses to realistic situations such as a missing friend, lost medication, or social media issues, while reinforcing everyday safety habits like seatbelts, buddy systems and following instructions. This approach builds student agency and helps them understand how their behaviour can trigger a response and impact the wider group.

Incident and crisis response: working together

Using a tabletop exercise about a “missing student in a major city,” Jamie walked participants through what should happen in the first 10 and 30 minutes, who needs to be informed, and when an incident crosses the threshold into crisis. He shared a simple crisis structure that clarifies command, operations, communications and documentation, noting that clarity of roles is a risk control in its own right.

Jamie emphasised that schools remain accountable for duty of care, risk assessment and parent relationships, even when working with third‑party providers. At the same time, strong partners contribute destination intelligence, logistics, incident support and crisis coordination, creating a joint response model where escalation is early and de‑escalation is possible. For parents, trust is protected not by spin but by behaviour: fast carefor students, clear ownership, consistent updates and honest review after the event.

Practical takeaways for schools

Jamie closed the session with a checklist of practical steps schools can take before, during and after trips to strengthen safety.

• Before: Know your students and staff, own your risk assessment, rehearse your escalation model, and understand how your provider’s crisis plan integrates with your own.
• During: Respond early, document accurately, and maintain one coordinated communication line to families and leadership.
• After: Debrief honestly with your provider, capture lessons learned, and improve systems and training before the next trip.

He encouraged schools to consider whether they have a clear overseas travel strategy, a “safety first” culture around trips, fit‑for‑purpose travel insurance, and a vetted list of accredited educational travel providers. For those seeking further support, he pointed to official government travel advisory sites in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Canada, the US and South Africa, as well as industry bodies such as SETO, STF and SYTA.

If you would like help applying this framework to your school’s travel program or are interested in Student Horizons’ pre‑departure student risk workshops, would you prefer an initial conversation focused on policy development or on an upcoming specific tour?