Celebrate the end of primary school with an unforgettable rite of passage before your pupils embark on their secondary school journey. A Year 6 residential trip abroad offers an exciting opportunity for pupils to build confidence and create lasting memories with their classmates.
Our Year 6 trips offer instructor-led activities, excellent safeguarding and the excitement of experiencing a new culture, all in a supportive environment. With no French language skills required, every trip is accessible to everyone.
At Voyager, we take care of the practical arrangements, including transport, meals and itinerary planning, so teachers can focus on the pupils’ experience. Pupils stay in our exclusive school group accommodation, with the instructors who deliver our programmes leading activities from breakfast through to bedtime.
Each trip combines on-site activities with local excursions, giving pupils the chance to try something new and explore their surroundings.
Activities include:
Breadmaking
Aeroball
Archery
Assault courses
Circus skills
Raft building
We can deliver entertainment in English, French, or with some simple French vocabulary, depending on your group’s preferences.
Each destination offers its own mix of activities and memorable experiences. Here are some of the highlights pupils can look forward to:
Disneyland® Paris: Experience the magic of the theme park, with Voyager as a Disneyland® Paris Trusted Partner for educational trips. Pupils can enjoy the attractions with classmates and create lasting memories together.
Opal Coast: Try your hand at breadmaking in a bakery workshop and discover a variety of marine life at the Nausicaá National Sea Centre.
Normandy: Take part in team-building challenges, obstacle courses and kayaking to develop teamwork and confidence. Pupils can also visit Mont Saint-Michel and discover the local beaches. For a closer look at the experience, read our guide to the
Mont Saint-Michel Bay Walk.
Not ready to travel overseas? Our
London school trips
offer iconic landmarks and hands-on learning closer to home.
Voyager’s exclusive school group accommodation offers comfortable rooms and convenient travel connections for your group.
Moulin aux Draps:
Located a short journey from Calais, this 18-acre centre has en-suite bedrooms, on-site activities and is within easy reach of historic French towns.
Château de Chantereine:
Set near the seaside town of Criel-sur-Mer, this 17th-century château provides a memorable setting for a primary school residential.
Château de la Baudonnière:
A great option for groups looking for a wider range of on-site adventure activities. Travel is usually via the ferry routes to Caen or Cherbourg.
At each centre, pupils take part in activities led by experienced instructors, who help them get involved and make the most of their residential experience.
Planning a Year 6 residential involves plenty of decisions. Voyager works with your school to make the process straightforward, with support and flexibility at every stage.
Dedicated trip coordinator: Get a consistent point of contact throughout the planning process, plus access to our 24/7 helpline while you’re away.
Flexible quotes: If your pupil numbers or dates aren’t confirmed, we can quote for different group sizes and travel dates side by side to help you compare options.
20 years of experience: We’ve organised residential trips for primary school groups for two decades.
Safeguarding at every stage: Our exclusive school group accommodation means your group won’t share the facilities with members of the public, while the
instructors
are trained to UK instructor standards.
When to Run a Year 6 Residential Trip
Most schools run their Year 6 residential either after SATs in June or July, or at the start of the school year in September or October. Both options have their benefits, depending on your school’s priorities and budget.
June and July: These months are popular for end-of-primary celebrations, but demand is high across the school trips sector, which can make this period more expensive.
September and October: An early-year residential can offer better value, with the same opportunities for pupils to build confidence and strengthen friendships. September trips can also be considerably cheaper than a UK residential in June.
Taking pupils away earlier in the school year gives them time to develop teamwork, maturity and confidence, helping build a positive foundation for the months ahead of SATs in May. For more advice on choosing the right time for a residential trip for Year 6, read our blog on whether schools are travelling at the wrong time of year.
I have been working with Voyager School Travel for over 10 years. They have tailored our Year 5 French trip to our needs. The person looking after our trip was very efficient, sending me all the documentation I needed to fill in well in advance and with clear deadlines.
Florence Capell, Head of French at The Mall School
Frequently Asked Questions About Year 6 Residential Trips
A Year 6 residential trip gives pupils the chance to experience a new environment and spend time away from home in safe hands. With support from experienced centre staff, they can build confidence, develop independence and try new things beyond the classroom.
No, pupils don’t need to speak French to enjoy their trip. Activities can be delivered in English, or include some simple French vocabulary, depending on your group’s preferences.
A residential trip helps pupils develop skills beyond the classroom. Through shared activities and new experiences, they can improve teamwork and learn to take on new challenges. Visiting new places also broadens their understanding of the world and helps prepare them for the transition to secondary school.
There are several ways to tailor a Year 6 residential to your budget. We can explore different travel dates, group sizes, trip lengths and transport options to help manage costs.
If your plans aren’t finalised, we can also compare options to help you decide. For more advice on managing costs, read our guide to making school trips more affordable.
Yes, school travel insurance is available through Voyager School Travel’s group policy. Schools must have adequate insurance for their trip, so speak to your dedicated trip coordinator to confirm the cover included in your booking.
Pupil safety is central to the planning process. Our safeguarding policy sets out how we recruit, train and support staff working with children, including background checks and safeguarding training.
The experienced team who deliver our programmes are recruited and trained under clear safeguarding procedures, and your dedicated trip coordinator will help you prepare for your trip. For more information, read our safeguarding policy.
All our Year 6 residentials include door-to-door coach transport, often with Pegasus, Voyager's specialist school coach company. Depending on your chosen location, Channel crossings will be via ferry or Eurotunnel. Your trip coordinator will help arrange suitable transport for your group and destination.
Yes. You don’t need to have everything confirmed before getting started. We can compare different travel dates and pupil numbers side by side, helping you explore options before finalising your plans.
