Dear Parent/Carer,
I am in the process of organising a skiing trip to Alpe d’Huez, in the French Alps for our current Year 9 students. The trip will take place during the Easter holiday 2025 when the students will be in Year 10. The trip will depart on Saturday 12 April 2025 and return on Saturday 18 April 2025. Once again, due to delays we have previously encountered at Dover at Easter, we have decided that it is in the best interest of the students to fly this time. The cost is £1585 per person. This includes:
- Return flights including airport taxes.
- Transfers between the overseas airport and your accommodation.
- Return transfers to UK airport if not allocated Newcastle International Airport.
- Full medical and travel insurance cover – exclusions may apply.
- 7 nights full board accommodation based on multi-bedded rooms. Drinks with meals other than breakfast are not included.
- 6 day hire of skis, boots, poles and helmets.
- 6 x 5 hours ski tuition.
- 6 day local lift pass.
- Resort representative service.
- Ski breakage and piste closure insurance.
- In-house evening entertainment programme organised by dedicated resort representative and JPA staff.
- Souvenir Ski Trip ‘hoodie’
The ski trip has been running for many years and in my opinion is good value for money, particularly seeing as 30 hours of ski tuition, ski equipment hire and all meals at the hotel are included in the price. Students have previously enjoyed the experience and it has benefited them in their personal development.
Whilst I do not want to be pessimistic, I do need you to consider that there may be other financial implications; i.e.
- your child will need their own passport
- all students must make sure that they are fully vaccinated as per the governments advice in order to meet the entry requirements of the countries we will be travelling through and staying in.
- if your child needs to visit a doctor/hospital you will need to pay the Travel Insurance Policy Excess and/or medication expenses etc. upon our return. However, parents can claim some/all of the medication expenses back through the UK Global Health Insurance Card (UK GHIC) – The website gives you some information: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/ All students will need to get a GHIC card (which is free) before travelling.
If you would like your child to participate in this trip please return the slip below to student reception, by Friday 7 June 2024. In previous years this trip has been very popular and oversubscribed. If you are successful in gaining a place, you will be notified by letter. Please note that Jesmond Park Academy no longer accept cash for trips and all payments will need to be made through the SCOPAY system. Contact Lyndsey Jennings if you need any help with this process. You will need to pay your deposit of £250 via SCOPAY by Friday 14 June 2024. Failure to pay the deposit by this time may mean that your place is given up to another student on the waiting list.
Please note: that this deposit is non-refundable once your child has been accepted on the trip. The remainder of the cost of the trip is to be paid in six instalments. Five instalments of £220 due on or before 1st of each month in July, August, September, October and November, and a final instalment of £235 due on or before 1 December 2024.
If the trip is undersubscribed it may not be viable to proceed and I will need to arrange to return your deposit. However, if the trip is oversubscribed, names will be pulled out of a hat and deposits returned to unsuccessful applicants. For successful applicants, remember, that once your child’s place is booked and the deposit is paid, you are agreeing to pay the full amount of the trip (payable in instalments). Deposits are non-refundable and cancellation charges are
subject to the travel company’s terms and conditions. I will let you know if you are successful or not as soon as possible.
May I highlight to you that skiing is physically and mentally demanding and students who haven’t been skiing before must take this into account when considering whether to apply for a place on the trip.
Please be aware that attendance on the trip is dependent on your child’s continued compliance with the school’s Praise Code. There are cancellation charges if your child withdraws or is withdrawn at a later date, no matter what the reason or circumstances.
If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at school on the number below, or email me at lunderhay@jesmondparkacademy.org.uk">lunderhay@jesmondparkacademy.org.uk
Yours sincerely,
Mr L Underhay
Ski Party Leader