Regulations and Guidelines For

REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR

EDUCATIONAL VISITS AND JOURNEYS

SEPTEMBER 2015

This document is essential for all those who have responsibility for the approval, planning and/or execution of any educational visit. All visits must be planned and organised in accordance with this document. The status of this document is, therefore, mandatory for all Shropshire LA community and voluntary controlled schools. Any foundation or voluntary aided schools choosing not to follow the Shropshire LA guidelines must (as employers) have other guidelines in place for educational visits and journeys, which the LA will expect to be at least as comprehensive as its own guidelines.

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Regulations and Guidelines for Educational visits and journeys /

CONTENTS

Section / Title / Page
0.1 / Procedure for approval of High Risk Visits and notification of Educational Visits and Journeys abroad / 3 - 4
0.2 / EVC Training Requirements / 5 - 6
1 / Introduction and scope / 7-8
2 / Roles, responsibilities and legal framework / 9-17
3 / Planning and organisation / 18-26
4 / Supervision / 27-35
5 / Preparing pupils / 36-40
6 / Communicating with parents / 41-43
7 / Transport / 41-48
8 / Insurance / 52-54
9 / Adventurous activities / 55-64
10 / Open water / 65- 69
11 / Swimming / 70-80
12 / Farms / 81-82
13 / Forest Schools / 83-84
14 / Visits Abroad / 85- 97
15 / Emergency Procedures / 98-102
16 / Forms
16A / Application for approval and notification of an Educational Visit / 103-107
16B / Planning checklist / 108
16C / Risk assessment / 109-111
16D / Staff qualification declaration / 112-116
16E / Parental consent form / 117-118
16F / Emergency contact information / 119
16G / Formal agreement for the provision of pastoral support during Educational Visits / 120
16H / Evaluation of Visit / 121-122
17 / Record Keeping / 123
Appendix 1 / Other guidance / 124

Procedure for approval of High Risk Visits and notification of Educational Visits and Journeys abroad

1) All schools must have a trained Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC)

2) Schools proposing to organise a High Risk Visit or a visit outside of England and Wales should follow the guidance contained in the annually updated Regulations and Guidance for Educational Visits and Journeys.

3) If the visit involves a provider/company which is new to the school or the visit is complex, involving more than one provider or is an overseas expedition please consult with the Outdoor Education and DofE Adviser – Dave Thorley.

4) Party Leaders must complete and submit form ‘16a: Application for the approval and notification of an educational visit’, which involves off site forest schools activities or the use of an external provider, outdoor and adventure activities (OAA) – other than visits to Arthog Wales and Arthog Outreach, or field studies in ‘high risk’ environments must submit this to the Outdoor Education and DofE Adviser – no later than six working weeks before departure date.

5) On receipt of form 16a from the Party Leader the EVC must check that this is completed fully, signed off and make sure that the Headteacher/Manager has also signed off, then submit to the Outdoor Education and DofE Adviser Dave Thorley at

Key Points to look for are;

- Staff must have enhanced DBS checks for residential visits

- Supervision ratios must not go below the minimum acceptable 1:8 pupils for Primary age and 1:10 for secondary age.

- Are the first aid provisions adequate

- If the school proposes to go swimming whilst abroad, enquire about lifeguarding arrangements and check with Outdoor Education Adviser about appropriate qualifications

- Visits to areas of political unrest or other significant danger – check whether party leader is aware of the danger, visit Foreign and Commonwealth website for guidance and check with Outdoor Education Adviser for confirmation.

- Look closely at risk assessment completed by party leader for management of children and young people, when not being led by other providers to check that controls are sufficient and appropriate. Make sure Party Leader and all supervisory adults on visit sign the risk assessment to confirm they have read the document.

- Retain a copy of form 16a, risk assessment and other associated documents, hard copy or electronically, where they can easily be found. After completion of the visit, complete evaluation form 16h and record whether there was an incident, accident or non that were notified to Party Leader. Keep a record of this. A year after the return of the trip, records of those trips, where there is no record of incidents can be removed, however make sure you keep a record of all visits, basic details and the final evaluation including accidents/incident or none reported. Visits where accidents/incidents recorded, paperwork must be kept until the young person reaches 25 years of age.

EVC Training Requirements

All schools / settings are required to appoint an Educational Visits and Journeys Coordinator (EVC) who should attend the Initial EVC Training. All trained EVC’s should attend revalidation training every 3 years and this training is available via Shropshire Council. EVC network meetings are also available on a termly basis, to update EVC’s.
Contacts

1) Dave Thorley, Outdoor Education and DofE Adviser
Email:
Telephone: 01743 254485

2) Continuing Professional Development Team (CPD)
Email:
Telephone: 01743 254570
Address: Shropshire Council
The Shirehall
Abbey Foregate
Shrewsbury
Shropshire, SY2 6ND

3) Training takes place at:
The Shrewsbury Training and Development Centre
Racecourse Crescent
Monkmoor
Shrewsbury
SY2 5BP
Telephone: 01743 232761
Fax: 01743 356251

4) Training and Network dates for 2015 – 2016 are as follows:
Autumn 2015
- Initial EVC training – Full Day
15/10/20159.30-16.00
- Revalidation EVC training – Half Day
22/10/201513.30-16.00
- EVC Network meeting – Half Day
19/11/201513.30-16.00
Spring 2015
- Initial EVC training – Full Day
15/01/20169.30-16.00
- Revalidation EVC training – Half Day
02/02/201613.30-16.00
- EVC Network meeting – Half Day
10/03/201613.30-16.00

SECTION 1:

Guidelines for Educational Visits and Journeys

INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE

1.1Introduction

1.1.1Learning outside the classroom has become an integral part of the curriculum. A broad spectrum of activity is found in Primary, Secondary, and Youth work including environmental studies and outdoor pursuits, each of which may be residential and involve travel at home or abroad.

1.1.2Pupils can derive a good deal of educational benefit from taking part in visits with their school and teachers are encouraged to provide these opportunities. Visits can help to develop a pupil’s investigative skills. Longer visits, in particular, can encourage greater independence.

1.1.3The visit must be organised and managed to ensure the safety of pupils as far as is reasonably practicable. Assessing the risks for both day and residential visits before the visit takes place, is not only a legal requirement, but a useful tool in identifying the control measures needed for a safe and successful visit. All risk assessments must be recorded. These should be retained in accordance with the school’s document retention policy as they may be required as evidence to defend any subsequent claim or investigation following an incident. Retaining risk assessments for future reference may also speed up the risk assessment process for future visits.

1.1.4The degree and type of risk and danger will vary dependant on the activity, the environment, the conditions and the competence of those providing the activity.

1.1.5The guidance contained in this manual will help you identify suitable and sufficient control measures. Implementing these controls lessens the chance of an incident occurring or the severity of the outcome should an incident occur. Good planning and attention to safety measures is good practice, demonstrates compliance with the law and gives peace of mind.

1.1.6Whilst the majority of references in this document are to school educational visits and journeys the Guidelines are equally applicable to all other Council led visits and journeys for children and young people.

1.1.7For some elements of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award activities, different requirements will apply for which separate guidance exists and should be sought through the local Duke of Edinburgh’s LA Adviser – Dave Thorley.

1.2The Scope of School Visits and Journeys

1.2.1School visits and journeys include a wide range of activities.

The range can extend from pupils walking to the local library, swimming pool, museum, or river through to pupils undertaking adventurous activities and/or extended visits abroad. This guidance does not however, cover work experience in the last year of compulsory schooling.

1.2.2Between these two extremes come a whole variety of activities:-

Visits entirely contained in a timetabled school day to places of educational interest in the locality;

Visits to other schools for sporting events and fixtures and other activities;

Visits extending beyond a timetabled day to, for example, the theatre, concerts, sporting events, factories, and other venues further afield;

Charity walks and other sponsored activities off the premises organised by the school;

Visits to residential centres, field study courses and other visits involving absence for one night or more, often up to a week;

A range of visits and journeys involving outdoor and adventurous activities.

1.2.3 The visit or journey must be educational and contribute to the curriculum in its

broadest sense. It could be used to make the curriculum activity more meaningful. Visits may help extend experiences outside those that are normally provided by, and in, the school itself.

1.2.4Once it has been decided that a visit would be appropriate, it will be necessary to choose a suitable location that serves the curriculum need effectively and does not involve unnecessary travel. Sites chosen for day visits should not be so far away that the majority of time is spent on the journey. Look out for venues that have the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge.

Section 2:

ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK

2.1Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Under this Act employers are responsible for the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees. Employers are also under a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of anyone else on the premises or anyone who may be affected by their work activities. This includes participants in off-site visits.

For Community, Voluntary Controlled and Community Special Schools: the Local Authority (LA) is the employer.

For Academies, Foundation, Voluntary Aided and Free Schools: the Governing Body is the employer.

2.2The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

These Regulations, made under the 1974 Act, require employers to:-

assess the risks of activities;

introduce measures to control those risks;

tell their employees about these measures.

Also under the Health and Safety legislation employees must:-

take reasonable care of their own and others’ health and safety;

co-operate with their employers over safety matters;

carry out activities in accordance with training and instructions;

inform the employer of any serious risks.

These duties apply to all school visits. Teachers and other staff in charge of pupils also have a common law duty to act as any reasonably prudent parent would do in the same circumstances. Some staff have an even higher duty of care in certain areas because of their specialist expertise e.g. Head Teachers or geography or science teachers on field work.

2.3Equality Act 2010

LAs and schools have a duty not to discriminate against pupils for reasons relating to their disabilities.

Party Leaders should make all reasonably practicable adjustments to enable pupils with disabilities to participate in educational visits.

This should involve discussion with the pupil, parents and other supervisors as to what adjustments may be required. Discussion may also be needed with any manager of venue(s) to be visited, tour operators etc as to how these needs can be met.

2.4Scheme of Delegation

Schools are responsible for determining their own range of educational visits.

All visits must be planned and organised in accordance with the guidance and requirements of the LA’s ‘Guidelines for Educational Visits and Journeys’.

Apart from trips abroad, and those involving high risk activities, all other visits will be approved in-school and there is no requirement to notify the LA of these.

2.5 Legal Responsibilities of Schools

The organisation of educational visits and journeys and learning outside the classroom gives rise to the same duty of care as any other school activity. Proper and reasonable arrangements for the care and safety of the pupils must be made. This responsibility rests with Educational Visits Co-ordinators (EVCs), party leaders and ultimately the Headteacher.

This responsibility includes the reporting and recording of any accidents, incidents and/or near misses and the meeting of any other relevant reporting requirements that may apply.

Only a Court of Law can decide whether arrangements in particular circumstances were reasonable or not. Advice given by the LA, either generally or specifically, must be followed at all times.

The status of these guidelines is, therefore, mandatory for all Shropshire Council maintained, community and voluntary controlled schools. The guidelines should be followed by all Council staff organising visits and journeys for children and young people including those working in the Youth Service. The guidelines include the requirement to notify the LA well in advance, giving at least six week’s notice, of visits abroad and/or involving high risk activities.

These guidelines are commended to academies, foundation and voluntary aided schools, as employers, to adopt in full for the planning and organisation of their educational visits and journeys. Any academy, foundation, voluntary aided or free school choosing not to follow these guidelines must have other guidelines in place for educational visits and journeys which should be at least as comprehensive as these.

2.6Parents’ Consent

Schools are advised to obtain general consent from parents, on a pupil’s admission to the school, in relation to those educational visits and journeys that are considered to be an integral part of the daily / weekly routine of the school.

It is recommended that specific parental consent is obtained for non-routine visits and activities, as and when they arise, so that informed consent is given based on the risks posed and controls proposed and gives an opportunity for the parent to update the school on health or disability issues that need to be taken into account. A model form is provided in Section 16.

2.7 LA’s Responsibilities

The LA has the following main roles:

provide written guidelines for governors, headteachers, teachers and youth workers, including advice on risk assessment;

assess proposals for certain types of visit;

provide emergency telephone contact for the duration of the visit where necessary;

ensure training needs have been addressed;

provide access to named staff for advice;

maintain appropriate insurance cover;

have in place procedures to monitor and review the safe management of off- site visits and activities, this is carried out as part of the health and safety audit process.

In addition the LA provides support and guidance to Headteachers and Educational Visits Co-ordinators, through the Outdoor Education Adviser who:

provides initial and refresher training for EVCs;

gives advice and guidance to the EVC;

assists the EVC to provide specific training for staff leading or otherwise supervising educational visits;

2.8 Governing Body Responsibilities

Where the Governing Body is the employer (Academies, Foundation, Voluntary Aided and Free Schools) the Governors’ role will be the same as that for a LA (See above). They should satisfy themselves that adequate and satisfactory risk assessment has been carried out, that appropriate safety measures are in place and that training needs have been addressed.

2.9Governing Bodies of LA schools should:

ensure that LA Guidelines for Educational Visits and Journeys are followed and plans show compliance with these;

ensure that the Headteacher and the EVC are supported in matters relating to educational visits and that they have the appropriate time and expertise to fulfill their responsibilities;

ascertain what Governor training is available and relevant;

be informed about all visits and be informed about less routine visits well in advance;

receive reports about completed visits and ensure that evaluation of these informs future visits;

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? The Governors should challenge the nature of the venture when the educational objectives are not clear or where the means to meet them do not appear to be realistic;

It is not expected that Governors should become directly involved in risk assessment and related matters unless they have an appropriate competence. Governors offering professional advice to schools, should be aware that their professional indemnity insurance is unlikely to cover them for unpaid advice.

2.10 Headteacher / Principal/ Head of Youth Service/ Managers Responsibilities

Headteachers/ Principal/Head of Youth Service/ Manager should ensure that visits comply with regulations, guidelines provided by the LA and / or Governing Body and the school’s own health and safety policy. They should ensure that the party leader is competent to monitor and manage the risks throughout the visit.

2.11Headteachers/ Head of Youth Service/Managers should be clear about their own role if taking part in the visit as a group member/leader/supervisor. They should follow the instructions of the party leader who will have sole charge of the visit.

2.12 Headteachers/ Head of Youth Service/Managers should ensure that: