The School Travel Forum (STF) and ABTA welcome the introduction of a faster border processing pilot for school groups and the participation of P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries in this new initiative. School groups will be able to send passenger information to participating ferry operators 72 hours prior to their scheduled departure and benefit from faster processing at French border control points in Dover.
P&O Ferries implemented the scheme on Thursday 3 April, with Irish Ferries to following on Friday 4 April.
This new process has been designed to streamline border procedures for school groups travelling through the Port of Dover to Calais, reducing administration time for schools embarking on educational visits.
This collaborative scheme, developed in partnership between the Port of Dover, UK and French authorities, and participating ferry operators, marks a significant improvement in facilitating educational trips abroad.
“This initiative demonstrates a real commitment to supporting educational travel and reducing administrative burdens for school groups,” said Gill Harvey, Chief Executive of School Travel Forum.
“We have been working with Government authorities and our colleagues at the Port of Dover to devise a solution for school groups travelling from Dover to Calais. We will be monitoring how this pilot scheme works as successful implementation could hopefully pave the way to further improvements.”
Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs at ABTA – The Travel Association said: “We’ve been working with the School Travel Forum and other industry partners to highlight the problems school group tours are experiencing since the UK’s departure from the EU. This pilot is an important part of demonstrating that solutions can – and should – be found to facilitate school travel. We’re encouraging all stakeholders promote the scheme and play their part in making it work.”
To qualify, schools must submit documentation to participating ferry operators confirming their educational status, such as evidence of registration on national school databases. The advance submission of passenger details will allow for pre-screening, reducing administration time and potentially reducing queue times at the border.
Ahead of travel, ferry operators will send schools signage that they must print off and add the first seven letters of their school name and the number of passengers on each coach. Schools must place this clearly in the inside windscreen of the coach before arriving at Dover. Please speak to your ferry operator for further detail.
In addition, children who are visa nationals in the UK—non-UK citizens living in the country under a visa—will benefit from visa-free travel when taking part in a school trip to France, bypassing the usual requirement for an EU visa.
Luke Petherbridge, ABTA – The Travel Association
