Educational Visits Policy July 2017 Introduction Waverley School views educational visits as an extremely valuable aspect of the education offered and endeavours to provide all students with opportunities to learn outside of the classroom. This policy adheres to the Birmingham City Council Policy and Guidance for Educational Visits and Learning Outside the Classroom 2015 and adopts the Outdoor Education Advisers National Guidance for the Management of Outdoor Learning, Off-site Visits and Learning Outside the Classroom. This guidance can be found on: www.oeapng.info This policy applies to all phases of Waverley School: Primary, Secondary, Cognition and Learning and Sixth Form. All educational visits must adhere to the following procedures. Further guidance can be obtained from the Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC), June Moore and Deputy EVC (D/EVC) Maksooda Mughal. Thorough planning is an essential ingredient of a safe and successful trip and is the responsibility of the Visit Leader. These requirements have been drawn up in order to Support staff in the efficient organisation of educational visits Comply with LA and national legislation regarding educational visits Meet financial regulations Create a consistent approach to all educational visits Improve the levels of communication during the organisation of educational visits. Approval process Visit Forms (Proposal and Planning) and a Risk Assessment must be completed for all trips leaving the school site except those considered to be a routine and integral part of school life (e.g. away sports fixtures). All visits must be authorised in advance by the Principal.
Step 1: (8 weeks before trip) Proposal Form (YELLOW) to be completed by the Visit Lead and passed to the relevant Head of School (HOS) for consideration HOS to consider the benefits of the trip and check the school calendar to identify whether the proposed date is feasible, bearing in mind other trips/ in school activities taking place and staffing commitments If agreed the proposal form is to be signed by the HOS and passed to the EVC to check and enter on the school calendar as a TRIP: TBC Visit Lead to liaise with Finance regarding the provisional booking of transport Step 2: (6 weeks before trip) Planning form (GREEN) and Risk Assessment (WHITE or e-copy) to be forwarded to EVC EVC to check visit details e.g. staffing, ratios etc. and pass to the Principal EVC informs Visit Lead of approval (or liaises if further queries) EVC confirms on school calendar Visit Lead to liaise with Finance to confirm transport Visit Lead to ensure all staff LOAs are completed Visit Lead to ensure all parental consent and medical information is in place The proposal and planning forms are available from the staff room. Risk Assessment A Risk Assessment must be undertaken identifying significant risks and the precautions that will be implemented to reduce these risks to an acceptable level. The Risk Assessment should be regarded as an important routine procedure in the planning of a trip out of school. A risk assessment has three objectives: Potential safety problems are identified and understood Checking that existing control measures (i.e. the school s standard procedures) are adequate If they are not, to identify what additional measures would reduce the risks The degree of detail and complexity in a risk assessment will depend on the nature of the group/venue/activity. For many trips, following the school s standard procedures will be sufficient to ensure a well-planned and safe trip. For more complex trips, residential trips, and any involving adventurous or potentially hazardous activities, a risk assessment must show that the broader risks have been understood and measures have been implemented to reduce them. The assessment of risk should continue throughout the trip as the group leader and staff respond to situations and incidents during the course of the visit.
Parental consent and communication A generic visit consent and medical information form is completed by parents during data checking prior to a student starting at the school. This consent covers students for local trips which involve walking. Parents must always be notified of outside school visits beyond the immediate vicinity that require transport to ensure that medical information and emergency contact details are up to date. One parental consent form may cover a programme of similar activities over a maximum of one year (e.g. sporting fixtures) A letter to parents will outline: Purpose of the visit Venue/itinerary Type of activity, including explanation of any risk activity Date(s) Time of departure and return, including arrangements for pick-up Transport Basic requirements: dress, kit, equipment, food/drink, pocket money, extra clothing and footwear, etc. Any documentation, passports, finances needed Costs and method of payment Staffing and supervision Code of conduct expected (Behaviour for Learning) Contact telephone numbers (if other than school) For residential trips it will also be necessary to add information on: - Accommodation (including information about security and supervisory arrangements) Insurance cover provided or needing to be purchased by parents A statement to the effect that in case of thoroughly unacceptable behaviour the Visit Leader reserves the right to return a pupil home at parental expense. In the case of a major trip e.g. a tour abroad or an adventure trip; parents should be invited to a meeting at which arrangements can be discussed in detail. Financial contribution All trip proposals should clearly outline costs and any anticipated parental contribution. In line with DfE guidance (November 2014) the school can request a voluntary contribution towards the cost of school trips. No student will be disallowed from going on an activity taking place during school hours if a contribution is not received. However the school can reserve the right to cancel the activity should insufficient school funds be forthcoming. Staff: Student ratios Activity and Visit Leaders must ensure that young people are effectively supervised to take account of: The nature of the activity (including its duration). The location and environment in which the activity is to take place. The age and gender (including developmental age) of the young people to be supervised. The ability of the young people (including their behavioural, medical, emotional and educational needs). Staff competence.
There is no legal requirement for staff: student ratios and the school determines ratios based on the needs of the individual trip. For straightforward trips the school follows the following guidelines: Year Ratio (starting point) Reception 1:3 Years 1 3 1: 6 Years 4-6 1: 10 Years 7 11 1: 15/20 Years 12 13 1:20 A minimum of 2 staff are required to accompany all visits to allow for any unforeseen circumstances. Visits involving longer journeys or a more demanding/ complex itinerary should have sufficient staff numbers to ensure a higher level of supervision. As good practice that there school aims to ensure that there is a gender mix of staff. Staffing and supervision There must be a designated Visit Leader. A deputy should also be nominated. The Visit Leader is responsible for: Planning and preparation Briefing of parents, pupils and staff Risk assessment Supervision and conduct of the visit/trip Welfare and safety of pupils and staff Operating emergency procedures where necessary. Preparing pupils Pupils should be carefully briefed before a visit, especially in matters of behaviour and safety. Pupils should understand: Aims and objectives of the visit/activity Background information about the place to be visited Relevant foreign culture/customs How to avoid specific dangers Safety precautions Standards of behaviour expected Rules about ringing home (how to avoid causing concern or confusion at home) Emergency procedures
Rendezvous procedures What to do if separated from the group Items banned from being brought on the trip and from being purchased during the trip Staff roles First aid A member of staff with a good knowledge of first aid should accompany the visit and a fully stocked first aid box taken. It is an expectation that a qualified first aider attends residential trips, outdoor activities without nearby support and visits with longer travelling times. Transport It is important that all transport (school minibus and coaches) is booked well in advance via the Finance Team using the Transport Booking Form. This allows the booking to be secured and, in the case of external transport, supports negotiation of the best price. This is particularly important for visits taking place during popular times of year e.g. summer term. Emergency planning Group leaders must have a means of making emergency contact with the Visit Leader at all times. Visit leaders must have a means of making contact with the emergency services if required, plus access to first aid equipment and a nominated person with first aid knowledge. If the visit extends beyond school opening hours, two emergency home contacts must be identified. This will normally be the Principal and a member of the Senior Leadership Team. The emergency home contacts must have means of contacting Birmingham City Council officers in the event of a serious incident that requires additional support. A list of pupils with parental contact and medical information must be held by the Visit Leader. A copy must also be left at school. Outside school opening hours, the emergency home contacts must have access to this list.
Educational Visit Checklist (To aid planning on day of departure - following approval by Head Teacher) Date: Venue: Lead Teacher: ACTIONED (Tick) Ensure that Green Planning form has been signed and approved by the Head Teacher Arrange the student meeting venue and time When registering the students, outline the expectations for the day and remind students that Behaviour for Learning applies throughout the trip List of students and staff attending the trip is to be supplied to main reception including the travel arrangements A copy of the register to be handed to Student Reception and the school attendance officer must be notified Ensure that you have the main school telephone number and a contact number for a member of SLT if the trip is to continue out of school hours Main Reception should have mobile telephone numbers of at least two members of staff on the trip Student consent and medical forms should be taken on the trip. A copy should be provided for main reception A First Aid box should be collected from School First Aid Lead Where appropriate, bin bags should be collected from the Site Team School mobile phone to be collected from the Educational Visits Co-ordinator (in PA office) Packed lunches should be collected from the canteen these will need to be pre-booked via the Catering Manager (minimum of 7 days notice required) If the trip is expected to return to school after school closure inform the Site Manager 5 days prior to the visit If there are any problems on the trip then the school must be contacted immediately. If it is out of school hours then a member of SLT must be contacted immediately
Waverley Educational Visits Policy Ratified by the Board of Waverley Education Foundation: July 2017 Signed: Executive Principal / Principal Signed: Chair of Waverley Education Foundation