Ski Trip Letter 2026

Dear Parents / Guardians,

We are running a ski trip for pupils in Years 7-10 to Santa Caterina, Italy during February 2026 half term (Saturday 14^th – Saturday 21st February, 2026). The trip will cost £1295.00 and is inclusive of the following:

• 5 days of skiing in the 4 Valli ski area, including lift pass, ski, boot, poles & helmet hire
• 4 hours of ski instruction per day
• 5 nights’ full-board accommodation (all meals in resort are included in the price)
• Executive coach travel
• Ferry crossing from Dover-Calais
• Winter sports travel insurance
• A trip hoodie
• Apres-ski activities (to be confirmed closer to departure date)

A payment plan has been set up on Parent Pay and all payments will need to be made using this platform. The payment plan is as follows:

1^st Deposit: Wed 8^th January £150 (non-refundable)

2^nd Deposit: Wed 5^th March £150 (non-refundable)

3^rd Deposit: Wed 30^th April £150 (non-refundable)

4^th Payment: Wed 2^nd July £150

5^th Payment: Wed 10^th September £200

Final Balance: Wed 5^th December £495

Through Parent Pay you are able to make payments in between these dates if you should wish.

In order to participate in this activity, pupils will need to be in possession of a valid passport. This can be a UK or non-UK passport.

Information for UK passport holders

As far as passports are concerned, the following applies:

Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after the date you intend to leave the EU (i.e. Italy) (i.e. 21^st August 2026) and it must have been issued within the last 10 years.

Prior to 2018, passports could be issued for a period of time in excess of 10 years.Given the fact that children’s passports are issued for a period of 5 years, this stipulation should not apply, but it is important to be aware of it. UK passport holders do not need a visa to travel to France.

Non-UK passport holders

The passport holders of a number of other countries will require a visa. Please indicate on Parent Pay if your child is not a UK passport holder so that the trip leaders can check whether or not they will require a visa. If a visa is required, parents will need to take responsibility for this themselves in advance of the trip taking place, and will also be responsible for any costs involved.

Permissions, along with contact information and medical information, will be recorded on Parent Pay. The trip will go live on Parent Pay on Wednesday 4^th December at 9am. Parents who require support with Parent Pay should contact the school and ask to speak to Miss A Evans.

We anticipate that this will be both an exciting and enjoyable trip. If you would like your child / ward to participate in the trip, please complete the consent form on Parent Pay and pay the deposit required.

If you require any further information about the trip, we will be holding an online Teams Meeting at 6.30pm on Tuesday 3^rd December. If you wish to join this meeting, please email Ms Suarez so you can be added to the list. Alternatively, you can either phone us (02920 544400) or email us (JTaylor@cathays.cardiff.sch.uk) (CSuarez@cathays.cardiff.sch.uk).

Yours faithfully,

Mr James Taylor                    Ms C Suarez

Trip leaders