Gordonstoun's Accompanied Travel Service

Laurie Stewart, having been one of our Travel Chaperones, discusses being part of the wider travel team and how we look after our young travellers.

What does the Travel Chaperone job involve?

Children travel to Gordonstoun from all over the world and we have a dedicated team of people who meet them when they arrive at a UK airport, take them through security, accompany them when relevant on UK internal flights and onto coaches to school. We drop them off right at the door of their boarding house where house staff will be there to greet them, especially the younger students.

Tell us about yourself?

I’m a retired police officer and I also worked for the NHS. My two children attended Gordonstoun. I've ended up getting to know the children I accompany very well, along with their parents and guardians. Even after two or three years when they tend to want to travel alone, they give me a wave in the airport, if it’s not too uncool!

What’s the best thing about your job?

It’s lovely to see how the students make friends whilst travelling to school. Often a child will meet and make friends with an older child from their boarding house before they even arrive.

What’s the most difficult thing about your job?

It can be a bit like herding cats, especially when they all get through security and all want to go shopping! Thankfully, when asked, the airport staff are always willing to let us through security as one large group so that we can keep track of everyone.

Tell us something you don’t want people to know!?

My most embarrassing moment was on my very first day in the job when I checked everyone had their passport and then realised I’d forgotten my own! Luckily it was an internal flight and I was able to use another form of photo ID. I’ll never make that mistake again!

What’s your advice for children travelling for the first time?

Bring small snacks and fruit to sustain you just in case your travel plans go awry. Most of the children we accompany are pretty seasoned travellers, but we are still there to support them. What’s not a good idea is to buy soft drinks as soon as you arrive at an airport, before you go through security for your internal flight, as drinking too quickly can lead to stomach ache!