When Alison joined Maiden Erlegh School in 2013, there was no ski trip. After several years of persistence, the first trip took place in 2016, taking 53 students and 7 staff to Claviere in Italy. Since then, the trip has grown significantly. In 2022, it expanded to include students from Maiden Erlegh School in Reading and Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge, evolving into a Trust-wide experience. More recently, students from River Academy joined for the first time, forming a group of 200 students and 25 staff travelling together.

The trip is designed to create access. “Ski holidays are expensive and beyond the reach of many families,” Alison explained. “A school ski trip, organised at the lowest possible cost, gives children the opportunity to experience something they might never otherwise have access to.”

For Alison, the work is rooted in personal experience. “School trips change lives,” she said. “Without the commitment and generosity of school staff, many of the opportunities that shaped who I am today would never have been possible.”

While Alison leads the trip, she is clear about what makes it successful. “The ski trip succeeds because of the small army of staff behind the scenes,” she said. “Supporting, helping and championing it every step of the way. We all share the same values and the same hopes for our children.”

The sense of community is central to the experience. “There is something incredibly powerful about bringing staff and students together from across our family of schools to share new experiences and create lasting memories,” Alison said.

“There is something incredibly powerful about bringing staff and students together from across our family of schools to share new experiences and create lasting memories.”

Reflecting on MET values, Alison identified most strongly with Be Inclusive, pointing to the way the trip is designed to be as accessible as possible so that more students can take part.

Looking ahead, the work continues. “The ski trip is never really finished,” she said. “The 2027 trip is already booked, and my sights are set on 2028.”

Alison also encouraged others to build similar opportunities. She described the trip as a “labour of love” and offered support to colleagues considering organising cross-school experiences in the future.

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