EVC Magazine Autumn 2025_digital - Flipbook - Page 11
School story
Craig Evason is the assistant headteacher and Head of Cultural
Capital and Personal Development at the Royal Liberty School,
and is a School Trip Champion finalist in the 2025 School
Travel Awards (p. 43).
He helps Visit Leaders with planning
and risk management, rallying
support from the wider team as
appropriate, such as admin staff
or first-aiders.
Sometimes it’s a very hands-on role –
"For one visit, the leader didn’t book
the minibus in advance. On that day,
I had to drive two groups of students
myself to different locations!"
Access for all
New York
London thea
tre visit
The biggest barrier to any visit is
the ever-increasing cost, which can
exclude some students from taking
part. "I work really hard to involve as
many students as possible, not just
those who can pay," Craig says. He
insists that every visit must include
at least one disadvantaged student in
every five. "It means that the teacher
is thinking how to achieve this from
the start."
Craig devotes a lot of time to making
school funds go as far as possible
and finding new sources of funding.
"I look at The EVC Magazine for
suggestions, which has been useful.
We also approach private companies.
For example, Williams has generously
funded our visit to the F1 HQ for
the last two years, including the
coach hire."
"I work hard to involve
as many students as
possible, not just those
who can pay"
Charitable donations and grants
are another source. "We use the
Jack Petchey Foundation a lot,"
says Craig. "Any teacher or student
can nominate a department for an
award. I once used the funding to
pay for a school visit to the Living
Rainforest, and this year one of our
teachers is using it to take iMedia
students to Harry Potter World."
CRAIG’S TOP TIPS
Sea Life London
Wider benefits
An ambitious visits programme
has many benefits beyond
developing confidence. Royal
Liberty consistently has
attendance in the top 10% for
the country and a Pupil Premium
attendance that is better than
non-PP national figures – and
Craig firmly believes that the
visits are a key factor. "If a student
enjoys those visits and sees a life
beyond the school curriculum,
they are more likely to come to
school and to make the most of
everything it offers," he says.
"The experiences that we give
our students last a lifetime, and I
really see what it does for them.
It’s a great job!"
THE EVC MAGAZINE – AUTUMN/WINTER 2025-26
Leave no stone unturned –
there are many kinds of funding
available, but it takes time to
find it. Keep looking, asking and
applying.
Don’t miss a bargain
– always look for discounts,
especially off-season; for
example, many theme parks
offer cheap tickets at the end of
the year. And plan ahead – free
train tickets for educational visits
require at least two weeks’ notice.
Be prepared – check
the school calendar early for
clashes; ask your colleagues for
help; expect things not to run
smoothly; and don’t forget to
book the minibus!
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