FAQs

Read our most commonly asked questions to find out more about your tour booking. Get in touch if you have more questions

Contents

Can you tailor the tour to my requirements?

Yes! All of our MasterClass tours can be specifically tailored to fit your budget and sporting expectations. From choosing between a range of destinations, travel options, excursions and inclusions, we can always find the tour that is a perfect fit for you and your students.

Who will be leading our coaching?

At MasterClass we’re proud of the high level of coaching we are able to offer across all sports. We recruit club and county coaches from all over the country, all with a minimum of a level 2 coaching qualification.

Across football, rugby and hockey we bring a minimum level 2 coach with many of our coaches at Academy level, from places such as Wigan Athletic, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Hove Albion, Harlequins and Saracens.

What sports equipment and kit do we need to bring?

Please bring a minimum of one ball to share between two players. For hockey please bring minimum one stick per child and a minimum of 24 balls per hockey team of 16 persons.

For racquet sports, please bring an adequate supply of shuttlecocks, and squash or tennis balls. Please also ensure you have a sufficient supply of the correct racquets for each sport.

Groups using indoor sports halls, particularly netball, basketball, volleyball and racquet sports are required to wear trainers with non-marking soles.

In the event of wet weather, soccer players may be offered indoor facilities. In this case, trainers with non-marking soles must be worn and it is important that all players have the correct footwear for all eventualities.

All hockey training and matches are played on AstroTurf so you can wear trainers or rubber studs. Football teams train and play fixtures on a mixture of grass and artificial pitches so please bring suitable footwear for either eventuality. Hockey goalkeepers will need to bring full goalkeeper kit (e.g. body armour, padded shorts, leg pads, kickers and helmet).

Please bring enough GK kits so that you have one for every team.

For team sports, please bring at least one full set of bibs per team.

With so much equipment being around the pitches and sports halls, it is easy for things to get mixed up. Please ensure all equipment is clearly marked (one ball looks much like another). MasterClass cannot assume any responsibility for damaged or lost equipment.

Are you able to present our tour to the parents for us?

Yes, please speak to your personal sales advisor who will be able to assist in all stages of the process in school. We can help with template letters to parents, individual meetings at your convenience and presentations to the SLT and parents.  

Do you have any information that can help us with our risk assessments?

We can actually do your risk assessments for you! As an ‘Assured Member’ of the Schools Travel Forum (STF) our health and safety assessments go above and beyond. We also have the LOtC Quality Badge, awarded to us by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom.

Please speak to your tour operator about help with your risk assessments.

What is the food like? Are the hotels able to cater for dietary requirements?

All our hotels are 3* or above and the standard of food is very high. Our larger hotels run buffet-style meals and there is always plenty of options for students to choose from. Our smaller hotels are family-run and are very adaptable and helpful when dealing with dietary requests.

All hotels are able to cater for dietary requirements. Please let us know your dietary requirements  before your departure to ensure we can cater for you.

What payment deadlines should I expect?

Coach tour

  • Initial deposit: £50 per person
  • Second deposit: £80 per person

European flight tour

  • Initial deposit: £150 per person

Non-European flight tour

  • Initial deposit: £250 per person
  • Second deposit: TBC depending on destination   Second deposit payment is due 8 weeks after securing your tour with your initial deposit. Some airlines may require a larger deposit, as would booking within close proximity of your departure date. In these circumstances, details will be included within your quote.   The balance of the price of your travel arrangements must be paid when indicated on the invoice, and in any case, must be received by us at least 12 weeks before your departure date. 

Late payment fees: We reserve the right to levy a late payment fee of £50 per group if we have not received your payment by the agreed deadline date without a prior extension agreed in writing.

What happened if my passenger numbers fluctuate?

You, or any member of your party, may cancel your travel arrangements at any time. Written notification from the person who made the booking must be given and the cancellation will be effective from the date it is received at our offices. Since we incur costs in cancelling your travel arrangements, you will have to pay the applicable cancellation charges shown below:

Period before scheduled departure date written notification is received by us - Cancellation charges (including the deposit paid) as a percentage of the total price:

More than 56 days

Deposit and all interim payments plus any non-refundable flight costs.

55-29 days

75% of the price

28-0 days

100% of the price