School Visits Policy

Transcription

1 Trinity School School Visits Policy DOCUMENT REVIEW GOVERNOR APPROVAL DATE: 5 June 2015 COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE: Resources NEXT REVIEW DATE: 1 June 2018

2 School Visits Introduction Purpose: Outdoor Education gives depth to the curriculum and makes an important contribution to students physical, personal and social education. Aim(s): Ensure that Educational visits enrich pupils learning Ensure that all visits are conducted in a safe manner. Consultation: Governors All governors were provided with draft copies of the document for review and comment. Sources and references: In May 2012 the Government withdrew its advice Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits (HASPEV 1998) and has replaced with guidance: School Trips and Outdoor Learning Activites, HSE, Health and Safety, Legal Duties and Powers, DFE, Dec 2013 This guidance is in addition to and should be read in conjunction with these documents. Roles and responsibilities Role of the Governors: To ensure that the Head Teacher and the Educational Visits Co-Ordinator (EVC) have adhered to the all relevant legislation and guidance To agree to all residential visits, trips abroad and those involving outdoor and adventurous activities. To ensure that all aspects of risk management have been considered and that risk assessments for travel, accommodation and activities have been carried out prior to departure. It is not expected that Governors should become directly involved in risk assessment and related matters unless they have an appropriate competence. Ask questions about a visit s educational objectives and how they will be met. Are the objectives appropriate to the age and abilities of the pupil group? Why is a particular venue being used? Is the visit inclusive for all students? Is the visit value for money? Role of the Head Teacher: To ensure that visits have adhered to the all relevant legislation and guidance and the School s own Health and Safety Policy. To ensure that the Educational Visit Co-ordinator (EVC) is competent to oversee the coordination of all off-site education, and support the EVC in attending relevant training courses. 2

3 To ensure that the EVC keeps him or her informed of the progress of the visit and that this information is relayed to Governors (and to parents as necessary). To ensure that the activity leader is competent (experience and training) to undertake the activity. Role of the Educational Visit Co-ordinator: The EVC s role is to support the Head Teacher in ensuring that all visits follow regulations and guidance and all of the school s relevant policies and procedures and will act on behalf of the Head Teacher; To approve educational visits as agreed by the Head Teacher and Governing Board. To provide adequate documentation to support planning of all trips and visits. To ensure all off-site visits are thoroughly planned using standardised whole-school documentation. To assign competent people to lead or otherwise supervise a visit. To ensure visits have appropriate support ratios and adequate cover for health and safety, first aid, medication and behaviour management. To work with the visit leader to obtain the consent or refusal of parents and to provide full details of the visit beforehand so that parents can consent or refuse consent on a fully informed basis. To organise the emergency arrangements and ensure there is an emergency contact for each visit. To keep records of individual visits including reports of accidents and near-accidents (sometimes known as near misses ). To arrange for the recording of accidents and the reporting of serious injuries as required. Accident and incident records should be reviewed regularly, and this information used to inform future visits. To review systems and, on occasion, monitor practice. Role of the Visit Leader: The Visit Leader has full responsibility for the safe running of the activity including pre planning and following guidance and ensuring all participants are aware of their roles. To achieve this the Visit Leader will; Identify the clear purpose and objectives of the visit. Complete visit documentation and obtain EVC approval for any visit off-site, no matter how short its duration. Plan the itinerary in such a way as to account for all times on the visit including meal and down times particularly on residential trips. Have prior knowledge of the venue the visit leader should normally have made an exploratory pre visit. Inform parents and seek permission/consent, detailing the nature, purpose and related activities involved in the visit. Allocate supervisory responsibility to each adult for named pupils and ensure that each adult knows which pupils they are responsible for. To ensure that each pupil knows which adult is responsible for them and that all adults understand that they are responsible to the visit 3

4 leader for the supervision of the pupils assigned to them. To ensure that all adults involved in supervising the visit are aware of the risk assessments including Plan B and the expected standards of behaviour. To continuously monitor the appropriateness of the activity, the physical and mental condition and abilities of the group members and the suitability of the prevailing conditions. Role of the Pupil To be aware of the risk assessments including Plan B. To know who their supervisor is at any given time and how to contact him or her and to alert the supervisor if someone is missing or in difficulties. To understand the need to have a meeting place to return to, or an instruction to remain where they are, if separated. To understand and accept the expected standards of behaviour. 4

5 Parental Consent Parents will be asked to sign a general consent form when their child enters Trinity. This covers participation in: out of hours clubs, PE, academy teams and community service. Parents will be asked in advance to given written consent for other activities and trips. Parents will be fully informed of the activities and arrangements for each visit and for all residential visits they will be invited to a briefing meeting where they can ask for clarification of any aspect of the itinerary and organisation of the visit. Risk Assessment A common sense and proportionate approach should be taken to risk assessment with the focus being on significant risks. Generic assessments can be produced for lower risk, common activities (e. g. visit to a local museum) but the group leader must review and adapt these as necessary before undertaking the planned visit. For higher risk activities a full risk assessment must be undertaken before the visit. The risk assessment should identify the following: What are the hazards? Who might be affected? What measures can be put in place to reduce risk to an acceptable level? What is the plan B if something goes wrong? A guide to Risk assessment is in Appendix A Most Providers who offer adventurous activities require an Adventurous Activity Licence. The adventurous activities that fall within the scope of the Licencing Authority are; Caving, Climbing, Trekking and Watersports. Risk assessment is not a one off exercise The group leader and other supervisors should monitor the risks throughout the visit and take appropriate action as necessary. Insurance The visit leader must check the need for additional insurance depending upon the nature of the activity to be undertaken. When a tour operator is used the type and extent of the insurance cover being used should be ascertained. All Providers must hold 5 million Public Liability Insurance. Staffing Staffing ratios will vary according to the activity, age, group, location and resources. Ratios should not be finalised until the risk assessment is complete. Group leaders will also need to consider the needs of students with SEN and/or physical disabilities. Known behaviours, learning and physical needs should also be taken into account. 5

6 The DfE and Ofsted make the following recommendations: UK: One adult per 15 students, with a minimum of two adults. The group leader must be a qualified teacher or other approved person employed by the School. In mixed parties, one male and one female adult. This applies up to and including Year 11 students. For Year 11 students the ratio is the same for camps and journeys, but for day visits Year 12 and 13 may be accompanied by one adult for up to 20 students of one sex. Mixed sex groups still require one male and one female adult. Sixth Form: Day visits of a routine nature may be made unaccompanied if authorised by the Headteacher or Deputy and advised to parents. Abroad: The School Policy is that visits abroad should be accompanied by a minimum of one adult to 15 students. Foreign Language Assistants may accompany trips, but do not count as adults in this calculation. Volunteer Adults: At least half of the adults accompanying an educational visit should be staff based at the School (teachers or other members of staff). Organisers are encouraged to use other adults to meet (or exceed) the minimum staffing requirements. Sixth Formers (over 18) may also be used sparingly. Any volunteer helpers should be properly briefed on their responsibilities and especially on safety procedures and must be CRB checked if volunteering regularly or on a residential visit. Exchange Parties: Staff organising exchanges should send a list of host families to the Child Protection Co-coordinator for his/her information. This is to ensure that we do not place a visiting youngster in a home which is potentially unsuitable. Residential visits and adventure activities will require higher levels of supervision and all accompanying staff and volunteers must be CRB checked. Transport When hiring buses and coaches it is essential that the company is reputable. Local Authorities can provide an up to date Approved Bus and Coach Operators List to enable Academies to identify those operators who are able to provide vehicles and drivers to a minimum standard at all times. The vehicle should be provided with seatbelts on all seats with all seats forward facing. If parents or teachers private vehicles are used the vehicles must be roadworthy and adequately insured. Documentation must be checked by the Group Leader. All cars must be fitted with suitable child restraints. Parents must provide specific permission for their child to be transported in a private vehicle. If public transport is used it is advisable to make party bookings in advance and ensure that the risk assessment adequately covers all potential hazards. 6

7 Minibus Transport All Drivers of school minibuses above the specified weight limit must hold a D1 License (those who obtained a license before January 1997 will have one). All those who do not have a D1 license will be required to complete a D1 license test before being permitted to drive. Driver fatigue or distraction has been highlighted as a factor in recent minibus incidents nationally. For journeys not exceeding 1 hour, a single teacher/driver may be considered adequate, subject to the nature of the group and the driver s ability and confidence to manage that group. For journeys involving between 1 hour and 4 hours driving, a second responsible adult should be present to supervise the group. For journeys involving over 4 hours of driving, the second adult should be a suitably qualified minibus driver. For journeys involving over 4 hours, at least one of the drivers should have had a rest period of at least one hour prior to the start of the journey. Further regular rest periods must be taken a 15 minute break every 2 hours is recommended. Drivers must not drive if unwell or if on medication or receiving medical treatments which advise against driving. Seat Belts: Students and staff travelling in minibuses must wear seat belts by law. Overloading: The minibus is overloaded if the total weight (bus + fuel + passengers + luggage) exceeds the maximum laden weight for the vehicle. This weight is printed on the vehicle and in the handbook. For guidance, the vehicle should only carry passengers, driver and hand luggage. The use of a trailer greatly increases the maximum laden weight and is essential when transporting a full load of older students plus luggage. LIABILITY FOR DRIVING AN OVERLADEN VEHICLE RESTS WITH THE DRIVER Review Visit Leaders will need to evaluate the success of each trip with the EVC who can oversee the need for changes in arrangements for subsequent visits to the venue or with the particular group. Monitoring and evaluation: The Governing Board will review this policy at least every three years and assess its implementation and effectiveness. The policy will be promoted and implemented throughout the school. Appendix A H Procedures, Forms and Guidance 7