Heronsgate School – Educational Visit Policy
Off-Site Educational Visits Policy
Introduction
Off-site educational visits are activities arranged by or on behalf ofthe school, and which take place outside the school grounds. Thegovernors and teaching staff believe that off-site activities cansupplement and enrich the curriculum of the school by providingexperiences which would otherwise be impossible. All off-site activities must serve an educational purpose, enhancing and
enriching our childrenʼs learning experiences.
In this policy we seek to establish a clear and coherent structure forthe planning and evaluation of our off-site visits, and to ensure thatany risks are managed and kept to a minimum, for the safety andhealth of all pupils at all times. Within these limits we seek to makeour visits available to all pupils, and wherever possible to makethem accessible to those with disabilities.
Aims
The aims of our off-site visits are to:
- enhance curricular and recreational opportunities for ourpupils;
•provide a richer range of experiences for our pupils than couldbe provided on the school site alone
- promote the independence of our children as learners, andenable them to grow and develop in new learningenvironments.
These visits begin with short excursions into the local area in the younger years, and progress to a residential experience.
Curriculum links
Work will range from local visits that will not require any contribution from the pupils such as visits to the local church to those that are an enrichment opportunity that will be optional and only run if viable. The school has a charges and remissions policy to support those who are unable to provide any contribution towards the cost. No pupil is refused a place on a visit due to willingness to pay but certain visits have restricted numbers – often for reasons beyond the reasonable control of the school or due to cost implications – and so operate on a first come, first served basis.
Some visits will be fully funded by the school and the Local Governing Body has decided on those it wishes to provide at no cost. For all visits the work will be mirrored in school so that a pupil has not been placed at a disadvantage by not taking part and the visit is just a different experience to that able to be offered at school. In no way should it be seen as being a better educational experience than school based study.
Residential activities
These are always an enrichment activity and again the charges and remissions policy should be consulted. There are usually two opportunities – one during Year 4 and one in Year 6- for a pupil to take part in whilst at Heronsgate. In both cases an alternative is run at school so that pupils who chose not to go still have the same opportunities for development. For these reasons we feel that we are fulfilling our duty under the equalities legislation.
Children in Years 4 and 6 have the opportunity to take part in a residentialvisit. The residential visits enables children to take part in outdoor andadventure activities so developing both personal independence and team work. We undertake these visits only with the agreement of the Local Governing Body and Milton Keynes Educational Trust (MKET). We userecognised Activity Centres/Providers who only use qualified instructorsfor all specialist activities that we undertake.
The school reserves the right not to take a pupil away on aresidential visit if we feel that his/her behaviour could compromisethe safety and welfare of themselves or other pupils. This would
only happen in extreme cases and the Chair of Governors would be informed of the final decision.
How visits may be authorised
The Headteacher will appoint a party leader to be responsible forrunning the activity. This will always be a teacher employed at theschool or at another MKET establishment
.
The schoolʼs educational visits coordinator willbe involved in the planning and management of off-site visits. They will:
•ensure that risk assessments are completed;
•support the governing body in their decisions on approval;
•check the assignment of competent staff to lead and help with trips;
•organise related staff training;
•verify that all accompanying adults on residential trips , including private cardrivers, have had a full Enhanced Criminal Records check;
•make sure that all necessary permissions and medical formsare obtained;
•keep records of visits, and ensure there are regular genericassessments of the risks (for example road-crossing);
•ensure that any relevant MKET procedures are followed.
Staff arranging or otherwise involved in off-site activities mustfamiliarise themselves with the regulations, advice andprocedures published by MKET (and available from them). All off-site activities must take place inaccordance with MKET instructions.
Where staff are proposing to arrange an off-site activity, they mustseek and obtain the approval of the Headteacher before anycommitment is made on behalf of the school. A comprehensive visit
plan should be provided by the member of staff to allow for aninformed decision to be made.
Where the activity involves a period of more than 24 hours, anovernight stay, or a journey by sea or air, the Head Teacher willseek the approval of the LocalGoverning Body and , if required, MKET before permitting the activity to take place.
It is our policy that all children should be able to participate in educational visits. Where a child with a disability iseligible for a trip, we will make every effort to ensure that s/he isincluded. We may seek guidance from parents to help us adapt ourprogramme, and we will make any reasonable adjustments to ouritinerary to include a child with disabilities. Any such adjustmentswill be included in the risk assessment.
Risk assessment
A comprehensive risk assessment is carried out by the groupleader before the proposed visit. It will assess the risks which mightbe encountered on the visit, and will indicate measures to manage, preventor reduce them. The risk assessment should be based on thefollowing considerations:
•What are the hazards?
•Who might be affected by them?
•What safety measures are needed to reduce risks to anacceptable level?
•Can the group leader put the safety measures in place?
•What steps will be taken in an emergency?
Staff planning an off-site activity should, if at all possible, make a preliminary visit tothe venue, in order to carry out an on-site risk assessment. It isimportant to take into account the probable weather conditions atthe time of year proposed for the trip, and the party leader shouldtake careful account of the facilities available, with due regard tothe proposed size of the group. They should also assess the siteʼssuitability with regard to the age and any particular needs of thechildren. They will also consider the venueʼs own approach tosecurity and to health and safety. Venues providing instructor-ledactivities will have their own risk assessments for particularsessions, and these assessments may be adopted if it isimpractical for the group leader to experience the activity
beforehand, or if s/he lacks the skills required to make informedjudgements about the risks it may involve. The Local Governing Body / MKET will not havegiven its approval for the visit unless it is satisfied with the venue,its instructors and their risk assessment procedures.
It is important to assess and record any health, safety or securityissues that are identified during the preliminary visit. Any suchissues will be taken into account when the final decision is taken on
whether the visit should proceed. The cost of these preliminaryvisits will be borne by the school, and should be built into theoverall financial arrangements for the visit itself.
An activity should normally have sufficient adults taking part to provide the minimum ratio of one adult to between 10 and 15 pupils. Any trip will require a minimum of two adults.Should the visit be linked with another primary school then – for information – the ratios are:
Early Years 1:3
Key Stage One 1:8
Key Stage Two 1:15
Secondary 1:20
A risk assessment must also cover transport to and from thevenue. We ensure that the coach companies we use on a regularbasis have appropriate health and safety measures in place,including:
•the provision and required use of seat belts;
•proper vetting of the driver by the police;
•proper insurance for the driver;
•details of first aid and emergency equipment;
•breakdown procedures.
A copy of the completed risk assessment will be stored at school.
Transport
The costing of off-site activities should include any of the followingthat apply:
•transport;
•entrance fees;
•insurance;
•provision of any special resources or equipment;
•costs related to adult helpers;
Transport arrangements will allow a seat for each member of theparty. It is our policy only to use coaches fitted with seat or lapbelts, and to insist that they be worn by all those participating in the
visit.
Communication with parents
The parents of children taking part in an off-site activity should beprovided with all appropriate information about the intended visit.Parents will give their permission at the time of admission to the school for their child to beinvolved in any off-site activities. Parents will always be told of any visit and will need to indicate that they wish their son/daughter to take part in any that we ask for a contribution towards the cost or are on a first come, first served basis.
Funding for off-site activities is provided mainly by parentalcontributions. This must be
made clear to parents in all correspondence about an educationalvisit at the planning stage.No child may be excluded from an activity because of theunwillingness or inability of the parent to make a contribution.
Parents will be informed of this principle through the school websites and this is signposted on letters sent home about intended visits.The timetable for the payment of contributions should allow for theHeadteacher to make a decision about the financial viability of theactivity in reasonable time.
Further health and safety considerations
All adults accompanying a party must be made aware, by the partyleader, of the emergency procedures which will apply. Each adultshould be provided with an emergency telephone number. This willnormally be the school number, but where an activity extendsbeyond the normal school day the telephone number of adesignated emergency contact should be provided. (The school has a mobile that can be used for this purpose.)
Before a party leaves school the school office should be providedwith a list of everyone, children and adults, travelling with the party,together with a programme and timetable for the activity.
The safety of the party, and especially the children, is of paramountimportance. During the activity the party leader must take whateversteps are necessary to ensure that safety. This involves taking noteof any information provided by medical questionnaire returns, andensuring that children are both safe and well looked after at alltimes.
Prior to an activity, if it is felt that the behaviour of an individualchild is likely to compromise the safety of others or the good nameof the school, the party leader should discuss with the Head
Teacher the possibility of excluding that child from the activity.
More detailed guidance on procedures and requirements can beobtained from relevant colleague identified by MKET.
Group leaders’ planning
Group leaders must read thoroughly the appropriate guidance foroff-site activities:
- Departmental advice on health and safety for schools: Role of the Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC)
- Handbook for Group Leaders – Supplement to health and safety of pupils on educational visits.
- Health and safety of pupils on educational visits - Group Safety at Water Margins
These can be found by going onto the DfE site ( and searching “Educational Visits”.
They must consult MKET documentation detailing procedures andrequirements, including guidance on organisation, and must complete the required form and Risk Assessments.
Monitoring and review
This policy is monitored by the Local Governing Body as well as MKETand will be reviewed
every two years or before if needed.
Summer 2013
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