The opportunity to see Britney Spears’ latest film before their friends at home was an unexpected bonus for the 13 and 14-year olds from Godolphin amp; Latymer School for Girls in west London on their ski trip to Killington, Vermont, earlier this year. It was the school’s fifth visit to this purpose-built resort, following several trips to Tignes in France. But why bother to go so far when it involves coping with a long journey, jet-lag and having to pay at least pound;200 more than going to a European ski resort? “The Americans’ concern for safety on the slopes, having English-speaking instructors and the quality of the accommodation have convinced us to return,” says Sue Adey, joint head of PE. “We also add to the experience by including a day in Boston.”

Altogether, about 90,000 British children are expected to cross the Atlantic on school ski trips during the coming season, representing about a quarter of the total schools market.

Planning for the Godolphin trips starts a year ahead and there is a special parent’s evening prior to the trip. A maximum of 45 Year 9s can go, accompanied by five staff, as this fills an American yellow school bus. Killington provides these for school groups as part of its campaign to cultivate the British market because most stay in hotels a few miles down the valley in the little town of Rutland. Getting to the resort involves a seven-hour flight plus three more on a coach, but the Godolphin girls were undeterred. “We were pretty exhausted that night but were too excited to mind being woken early next day to get to our ski lessons by ten,” said Miranda Callan, who is 14.

To ease their arrival, rooms had been allocated in advance, packed suppers awaited them on arrival and no activities were arranged for the following evening. On Killington’s slopes, school groups are welcomed by a resort co-ordinator who issues lift passes, supervises skiboot hire and checks that everyone’s boots fit properly. The girls spent their first two days on Pico mountain where some slopes are kept specially for beginners. They had four hours’ instruction each day in groups of up to ten and were not allowed to go off skiing on their own. Further up the valley from Pico, Killington’s main ski area spreads over six mountains where there are 200 linked pistes, 70 per cent with snow-making cannons.

“It’s so extensive that it never feels crowded,” says Sue Adey. “The slopes are well patrolled and anyone caught skiing dangerously gets their lift pass taken away.”

Ski instructors who are able to express more subtle concepts than simply “bend zee knees” were also a bonus. But not having to worry about language barriers has other benefits as Sue Adey found when one girl had a minor accident on a previous skiing trip. “It made talking to doctors and sorting out the insurance so much easier,” she says.

The group stayed at the Ramada Hotel in Rutland. Its rooms, each for four, were en-suite and had coffee-machines and 32-channel TV, so were distinctly a cut above the hostel-like accommodation that the school had used in Tignes.

The hotel had a pool, and other apres-ski activities included the cinema, bowling and shopping. Evening meals, taken at several different buffet-style restaurants, were included in the cost. Sometimes America’s east coast resorts like Killington suffer biting cold and icy snow conditions, but so far the Godolphin groups have been lucky. “The snow has invariably been good because it’s been topped up by the cannons when necessary,” says Sue Adey. “We’ve had rain but it didn’t spoil the skiing. In fact we were all rather amused to be issued with plastic bags to wear!”

FACT FILE

* Godolphin amp; Latymer School booked their trip through Skiers World. One week half-board in Killington costs from pound;675, including flights, tranfers, five days’ skiboot hire and lift pass, five two-hour lessons (additional two-hour lesson on five days, pound;55). Skiers’ World Tel: 0870 333 3620; www.skiersworld.com

One free staff place per 10 pupils.