Educational Visits Policy
As a Rights Respecting School, we are committed to embedding the principles and values of the United Nation Conventions for the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This policy enables our pupils to access and enjoy the following articles of the convention.
Article 1 – Every child under the Age of 18 has all the rights in the Convention.
Article 28 – Every child has the right to an education.
Article 29 – Education must develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full.
Article 42 – Every child has the right to know their rights.
Date adopted …9/7/13……………………
Review date…………………………………..
Policy for Education Visits
Ysgol Pen-y-Bryn have adopted the following guidance as policy and practice for education visits. This policy is derived from information provided by the local authority. All day visits are covered by the schools own education visit form and the authorities educational visits procedures . Staff contemplating a visit should discuss with a member of the SLT the viability of the visit in the first instance . Visits involving:
· adventurous activities ,
· overnight stays
· Duke of Edinburgh activities
· Overseas Visits
All need the agreement of the EVC at the LA, contact Deputy Headteacher Upper School in these circumstances
Introduction
The rationale behind this policy is to ensure that we take every possible measure to ensure the safety of pupils and staff on all school visits. Should there be an incident on such a visit, the group leader would first contact the school for support and speak to a senior member of staff. Depending on the severity of the incident, the first priority will be to ensure the continued safety of all those attending the visit. Secondly the school should immediately contact The Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC) and the authority will provide all necessary support, including informing the Press Office.
No Visit will take place without the correct paperwork being completed on-line or without the agreement of the Headteacher or their delegated representative. In the circumstances described above the Educational Vists Co-ordinator must also give their consent. Visits should not deviate from that described in the completed form
Trips returning soon after the school day ends
If a trip is scheduled to return soon after the normal end to the school day, transport arrangements will be made and the leader of the visit will ensure that all staff and students are safely returned home. Any difficulties will be reported to Headteacher or their delegated representative
Hazardous activities
Some activities are potentially more hazardous than others and, therefore, pose greater risks. Specific advice for these visits should be sought from the EVC at the LA
Visits which involve the whole school
Occasionally, all pupils and staff of the school will be out on a trip e.g. Christmas theatre visit, or there may be several different trips on the same day. In these circumstances, because there is no senior member of staff at the school who can be contacted in an emergency, mobile phone numbers will be made available at all times
Press enquiries
In the event of the Press contacting the school in connection with an incident, you should make no comment, but refer them to the Press Office. If we are contacted first by the Press, we will seek information from the school.
Risk assessments
Schools must still complete risk assessments for these visits and for all other educational visits. We have combined these with the EVA(educational visit form ) In these, you identify significant hazards and record the measures you are taking to reduce the risk of an incident (e.g. adequate supervision, appropriate clothing and instruction). In addition, while recognising that risks cannot be eliminated, you need to identify what you can do to reduce the severity of the outcome of an incident (e.g. wearing seatbelts, first aid kit, a mobile phone with numbers programmed into it).
The Educational visits form and the associated risk assessment form are on the available on the schools computer system.
School’s emergency contacts for out-of-hours visits
When such visits are arranged we ask you to name, on the educational visits form, an emergency contact who is not on the visit. It is essential that this person can be contacted at all times on the telephone number given, until the trip returns to school. (S)he should also have the names and contact details of all of those on the trip with them or near them at all times. In the event of an incident (s)he will need to be contacted either by the group leader or by local authority officers and will need to supply and use this information.
Emergency Contact Numbers
At all times the group leader should have on them a mobile phone, turned on whenever possible, and the number should be known to the school contact.
· Out-of-hours emergency number: 01792 636000 (County Hall)
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