Memberships and affiliations

Our partners for success

  • PGL Affiliation Logos

Our Industry Partnerships

PGL is a founder member of the British Activity Providers Association (BAPA) and the School Travel Forum (STF) and a Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge holder. Our substantial bonds with the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA ATOL) are a symbol of the Company's stability, and guarantee our guests' financial security.

Due to our high standards of safety and staff training PGL is recognised by the major activity governing bodies and is licensed by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) for activities in scope.

We have received the SkillsActive award for ‘Achievement in Training’. Following our recent inspection by the Adult Learning Inspectorate we are benchmarked as one of the top training providers in our industry.

See why we're the leading provider of school trips in the UK.

Please see below a list of our key affiliations and memberships:

Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC)

All PGL centres have been approved and awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge. This award establishes a benchmark for quality provision and is awarded to providers who pledge to engage in high quality learning outside the classroom and can also demonstrate its fulfilment in practice. In accordance with the Learning Outside the Classroom quality indicators, you can be sure that at PGL we:

  • have a process in place to assist users to plan the learning experience effectively
  • provide accurate information about our offer
  • provide activities, experience or resources which meet learner needs
  • review the experience and act on feedback
  • meet the needs of the users
  • have safety management processes in place to manage risk effectively

For more details visit www.lotcqualitybadge.org.uk

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA)

We are a member of ABTA which means you have the benefit of ABTA's assistance and Code of Conduct. Many of the travel arrangements that we sell are protected in case of the financial failure of the travel company. Please ask us about the protection that applies to your booking.

PGL is a member of the Association of British Travel Agents in the tour operator category. The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 require us to provide security for the monies that you pay PGL for the course, tour or holiday booked and for repatriation in the event of our insolvency. For packages in the UK and by coach abroad, we provide this security by way of a bond held by ABTA. For packages abroad by air please see ATOL.

www.abta.com

The Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA)

Under the Activity Centres (Young Persons' Safety) Act 1995, we are required to hold licences for some of the activities / locations we operate in the UK. We have passed all our AALA inspections and have been granted the following licences:

  • Abseiling - Osmington Bay 
  • Abseiling - Ford Castle
  • Dragon Boating - Little Canada and Osmington Bay
  • Improvised Rafting (Raft Building) - Osmington Bay 
  • Kayaking - Little Canada and Osmington Bay
  • Open Canoeing - Little Canada 
  • Rock Climbing - Osmington Bay
  • Sailing (Keelboat) - Little Canada and Osmington Bay

www.hse.gov.uk/aala
029 2075 5715

Air Travel Organisers Licensing (ATOL)

ATOL stands for Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing. Managed by the Civil Aviation Authority and Government backed, ATOL financially protects all flights and air packages sold by licensed UK tour operators. From the moment you pay, ATOL protects your money against the insolvency of your tour operator. If an ATOL tour operator stops trading, the CAA will refund your money. If you’re already on your course, tour or holiday, they will bring you and your group home as planned.

Many of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are provided by PGL Air Travel Ltd and ATOL protected by the CAA (ATOL 4630). ATOL protection does not apply to all holidays and services listed on this website. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking.

Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate

British Activity Providers Association (BAPA)

PGL has been a leading light in BAPA, (formerly known as BAHA) the trade body for our sector, for more than two decades. As such, we have made a major contribution to the establishment of agreed good practice for centre and activity operation, staff training and customer care. BAPA members are required to follow the Association Code of Practice and undergo inspection leading to Adventuremark accreditation where activities / locations are not covered by the Licensing Authority (AALA). All PGL centres in the UK and France are submitted to BAPA inspection and results are available to the public on request.

www.thebapa.org.uk

British Canoeing (BC)

Canoeing at all our centres is approved by British Canoeing (BC). We understand that we qualify more staff with BC than any other organisation, apart from the armed services.

www.britishcanoeing.org.uk

England Netball

Netball tournaments at our centres are officiated by England Netball.

www.englandnetball.co.uk

The Institute for Outdoor Learning (IOL)

PGL is a member of the Institute which supports the development and promotion of excellent practice in learning through outdoor experiences.

www.outdoor-learning.org

Royal Yachting Association (RYA)

Little Canada, our centre on the Isle of Wight, and Osmington Bay in Dorset, are our RYA recognised teaching establishments in the UK. We have centres in the South of France that are similarly recognised.

www.rya.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

SkillsActive

The Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning, SkillsActive is the organisation charged by the Government with developing appropriate qualifications for staff working in the Outdoor Activity sector, amongst others. PGL is a Patron of SkillsActive, because we believe in making the maximum possible contribution to the competence of our staff. In this way we can ensure an ongoing commitment to the high quality product we provide; the Continual Professional Development of our staff; and our wholehearted commitment to the advancement of standards in the Outdoor Industry.

www.skillsactive.com

British Council

The accreditation follows an in-depth inspection of our English Language courses, practices and facilities by the British Council-managed Accreditation UK, the quality assurance scheme for the UK ELT sector. Inspectors for Accreditation UK observed PGL’s classes, visited accommodation, looked at the premises, resources and records, interviewed staff from every area and talked to teachers and students.

www.britishcouncil.org