FOREWORD
This edition of the Educational Visits Procedures and Guidance aims to help staff to organise educational visits while minimising risks to all involved. The intention of this document is to continue to contribute to the provision of high quality educational experiences for young people in Hartlepool, through the challenging, memorable and stimulating opportunities provided by outdoor learning through educational visits.
This document is an integral and important part of the Authority’s Learning Outside the Classroom programme which enables every young person to experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances. Chapter 1 of the document gives more details of Learning Outside the Classroom and how it relates to educational visits.
Over many years there have been significant changes in legislation governing educational visits for example The Activity Centres (Young Person’s Safety) Act, 1995 and the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations, 1996. There have been significant developments in transport legislation and risk assessment is now an integral part of the management of health and safety. Guidance from external agencies is also available, some of which is detailed in Appendix 4 of this document.
This document replaces the previous editions of the Educational Visits Procedures and Guidance Document. It brings all recent changes together in a way that will support, not restrict educational visits, giving a clear framework for the successful planning and implementation of educational visits.
All of those involved in the provision and delivery of educational visits have a responsibility to ensure that they take all reasonable steps to ensure that the procedures and guidance outlined in this document are followed and that risks are minimised. By this means, we will help to sustain a wide range of worthwhile educational activities for young people in Hartlepool. Schools, early years settings and youth services can then plan their activities with confidence and which contribute to learning and achievement.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank those colleagues who have contributed to the production of this document. This needs to remain a document which can be updated when necessary, and any comments on the content or suggestions for improvement are welcomed.
Mark Patton September 2015
Assistant Director Education
CONTENTS: Page No.
INTRODUCTION
1 The latest edition 1
2. Educational visits – a definition 1
3. Work experience 1 4. The guidance and advice documents 2
CHAPTER 1 LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM 3
1. What is Learning Outside the Classroom? 3
2. What are the educational benefits? 3
3. How does it fit in with key educational priorities? 3
4. Additional Information 4
CHAPTER 2 RESPONSIBILITIES FOR VISITS 5
1. The legal framework 5
2. Written procedures – required and mandatory 5
3. Appointment of Educational Visits Co-ordinators 5
4. Categories of Educational Visits 5
4.1 Category 1 Educational visits which can be approved by
Headteachers without reference to the LA 6
4.2 Category 2 Educational Visits which must be approved by
Headteachers and the LA 6
4.3 Forms to be completed and submitted for Category 1 Visits 6
4.4 Forms to be completed and submitted for Category 2 visits 7
5. Membership and roles of the Educational Visits Steering Group 7
6. Meetings of the Educational Visits Steering Group 7
7. The need for early receipt of applications 8
8. Headteacher’ checks prior to visits 8
9. Monitoring and review procedures 8
10. Governing Bodies 8
11. All members of staff – in relation to unsafe practices 8
CHAPTER 3 PLANNING VISITS 9
1. Risk Assessments – a key element 9
2. The three types of risk assessment 9
3. No generics – but examples and good practice assessments 9
4. Visit/site specific and ongoing assessments 10
5. The importance of writing it down 10
6. The Plan B approach 10
7. Getting started on risk assessments 10
8. The educational visit risk assessment form 11
9. Are the controls adequate? 11
CONTENTS continued: Page No.
10. Does it need to be assessed? 11
11. What to assess 12
12. What to include on the risk assessment form 12
13. Suggested sequence for considering and recording risks and controls 13
14. Assessing travel arrangements 13
15. Assessing the activities 13
16. Assessing the accommodation 14
17. Exploratory visits 14
18. Exchange visits and arrangements 14
19. Assessment of possible unplanned events and emergencies 15
20. Charging for visits 16
21. First aid 16
CHAPTER 4 SUPERVISION 18
1. Supervision ratios 18
2. Supervision 24/7 18
3. Appointment of a Group Leader 18
4. Supervision by parents and other volunteers 18
5. Vetting volunteers and others 18
6. Staff who take their own children on an educational visit 19
7. Head counts and remote supervision 19
CHAPTER 5 PREPARING PUPILS 20
1. Behaviour and equality 20
2. Problems with pupil behaviour 20
3. Equal opportunities and inclusion 20
4. Selecting pupils for an educational visit 20
CHAPTER 6 COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS 21
1. Varying levels of communication 21
2. Letters to parents 21
3. Retention of educational visits documentation 21
CHAPTER 7 PLANNING TRANSPORT 22
1. Minibuses 22
2. Coach travel 25
2.1 UK coaches 25
2.2 Non UK coaches 27
3. Cars 27
4. Rail travel 27
5. Travel by Underground 28
6. Air travel 28
7. Ferries and shipping 29
8. Public transport 30
CONTENTS continued: Page No.
CHAPTER 8 INSURANCE 31
1. Public and employer’s liability Insurance 31
2. School journey travel policy 31
3. Failure or bankruptcy of a centre or travel company 31
4. Inclusion of cover for volunteers 31
5. Further Advice and Guidance on Insurance 31
CHAPTER 9 TYPES OF VISIT 32
1. Adventure and other visits 32
2. Licensable and non-licensable activities and providers 32
3. Licensed providers’ Safety Statements 32
4. Staff competence records – delegation to schools 32
CHAPTER 10 VISITS ABROAD 33
1. Checklist for overseas visits 33
2. Early submission for approval 34
CHAPTER 11 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES 35
1. Handling emergency situations 35
2. Incident response plan 35
3. Reporting of incidents 35
CHAPTER 12 MODEL FORMS 36
1. Customised forms for Hartlepool Schools, Early Years Settings
and Youth Services 36
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 36
APPENDICES:
Appendix 1 Local Authority Forms
Form 3A: Parental Consent for Educational Visits
Form 3B: Parental Consent for Educational Visits – Residential Trips
Form 4: Checklist for Pupils going on a Visit
Form 5A: Emergency Contact Information for an Educational Visit
Form 5B: Base Contact Form
Form 6: Risk Assessment Form
Appendix 2 Example Risk Assessments
Appendix 3 List of other Guidance from Child & Adult Services Department
Appendix 4 External and Hartlepool Borough Council’s Educational Visits Guidance Documents
Appendix 5 Adventurous Activities List
Appendix 6 Charging for School Activities Policy
INTRODUCTION
1. The Latest Edition
Throughout this document all references to school(s) also include the Integrated Youth Support Service (IYSS) and Early Years Settings.
This edition of the Educational Visits Procedures and Guidance has been produced by Hartlepool Borough Council. This edition draws on the revised guidance produced by the Department for Education (DfE) and feedback received from users of the system. This document should be read in conjunction with other supplementary guidance further details of which can be found in Appendix 4.
The Government have expressed their desire to encourage people to gain the benefit of opportunities of learning outside the classroom. The Government appreciates that learning outside the classroom increases risk but it should form part of the process of learning so learners better understand the risks they will face in everyday life. The Governments key messages on health and safety in educational visits are:
§ Children should be able to experience a wide range of activities. Health and safety measures should help them to do this safely, not stop them.
§ It is important that children learn to understand and manage the risks that are a normal part of life.
§ Common sense should be used in assessing and managing the risks of any activity. Health and Safety procedures should always be proportionate to the risks of an activity.
§ Staff should be given the training they need to keep themselves and children safe and manage risks effectively.
These Council procedures have been written in order to demonstrate that an educational visit has been properly planned to ensure reasonably foreseeable risks have been addressed. It also aims to ensure that participation in these visits is as inclusive as possible.
2. Educational Visits – a definition
The following definition has been adopted for use in Hartlepool:
Any venture taking place outside the physical boundaries of the establishment and including the entire time between departure and return to the establishment or other place as agreed with parents.
3. Work Experience
Even though it does take pupils outside the school gates, this document does not deal with work experience. Alternative guidance and procedures do apply to work experience however and the document is available from Christine Lowson on 01429 - 523754.
4. The Guidance and Advice Documents
This procedure and guidance document adds detailed local requirements to the DfE documents and advice documents from other organisations such as Learning Outside the Classroom (www.lotc.org.uk) and the Outdoor Education Advisers Panel (www.oeapng.info). Therefore Group Leaders and other members of staff who plan educational visits and write the risk assessments for them already should be, or should now make themselves, fully familiar with the DfE material and advice from other organisations
Procedure and guidance documents produced by the DfE and other organisations are available at https://www.hbc-sas.com/SitePages/Home.aspx
Health & Safety: Advice on Legal Duties and Powers
This document provides details around Health & Safety, tackles the myths around Health & Safety linked to school trips and provides further details and links to other sources of information that schools will find helpful.
Group Safety at Water Margins
This is an essential extra reference in the planning of visits where access to water is a factor to be considered.
Other documents also available on the Hartlepool web site are:
§ Copies of this guidance (HBC)
§ School Trips and Outdoor Learning Activities (HSE)
§ Outdoor Activities Instructors Handbook (HBC)
§ Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations (HSE)
CHAPTER ONE LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
1. What is Learning Outside the Classroom?
The Government’s vision is that every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances.
Young people of all ages benefit from real life ‘hands on’ experiences when they can see, hear, touch and explore the world around them and have opportunities to experience, challenge and for adventure. They need to find out how what they learn within school relates to their life outside it and to the world around them. The classroom environment does not always provide young people with enough of these experiences.
Learning Outside the Classroom aims to get children and young people out and about. These experiences can take place in the school grounds, in the local environment or further afield on day visits or residential stays.
Learning Outside the Classroom is about raising achievement through an organised powerful approach to learning in which direct experience is of prime importance. It is not only about what young people learn but importantly how and where they learn.
2. What are the Educational Benefits?
By helping young people to apply their knowledge across a range of challenges, learning outside the classroom builds bridges between theory and reality, schools and communities, young people and their future. Quality learning experiences in ‘real’ situations have the capacity to raise achievement across a range of subjects and to develop better personal and social skills.
When these experiences are well planned, safely managed and personalised to meet the needs of every child they can:
· Enrich the curriculum and learning environment
· Improve academic achievement. confidence and self esteem of children and young people, especially those who were disengaged from education.
· Enable children and young people to look at their environment and to learn lessons from the environment.
· Provide challenge and the opportunity to take acceptable levels of risk.
3. How Does it Fit with Key Educational Priorities?
Learning Outside the Classroom provides a powerful route to Every Child Matters outcomes, in particular enjoying and achieving, staying safe and being healthy. Much learning outside the classroom will take place as part of programmes that support personalised learning and complement the strategy for young people in ‘Youth Matters.’
4. Additional Information
(a) Learning Outside the Classroom website: www.lotc.org.uk which gives practical guidance and support to enable staff to develop Learning Outside the Classroom initiatives in their schools.
(b) Out and about Package which gives advice guidance, resources and training modules to support schools, colleges, early years’ providers and youth groups to provide learning outside the classroom opportunities. The package would aim to break down barriers to pupils accessing learning outside the classroom without compromising on the safety and wellbeing of young people. The package shows how to plan learning into the curriculum and the sources of advice and guidance. The package is available at www.lotc.org.uk .
(c) Quality Badge provides a national award combining the essential elements of provision; learning and safety.
(d) The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom represents key players from the school workforce, governors, parents, young people and local authorities and providers. The providers are grouped into sectors and include arts and creativity, built environment, heritage, natural environment, sacred spaces, adventurous activity, farming and countryside, school grounds, expeditions, forest education and sports and culture. Quality badges will be awarded by the Council.
(e) The Paul Hamlyn Foundation supports groups of schools developing long term residential learning programmes through existing centres and providers.
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CHAPTER TWO RESPONSIBILITIES FOR VISITS
1. The Legal Framework
Headteachers and all others involved with educational visits should note carefully the duties imposed on them by the laws on health and safety.
The following guidance sets out both the overall procedure to be followed in Hartlepool schools and the delegation to Headteachers of the approval of certain types of visits.
2. Written Procedures – required and mandatory
Details of the procedures that are specific to and mandatory for Hartlepool schools and guidance on them are provided in the following paragraphs.
The key points of these procedures are:
· Schools will appoint an Educational Visits Co-ordinator (EVC);
· All visits will be approved by the EVC and the Headteacher;
· Some types of visits will also require LA approval;
· Group Leaders will make timely applications for approval;
· Recommendations for LA approval will made by the Educational Visits Steering Group (EVSG);