Mount Sion CBS SecondarySchool Tour Policy

IntroductionMount Sion CBSSecondary School has a duty of care to all its pupils and to school personnel. We seek tosafeguard the welfare of pupils while on foreign school tours and also to support schoolpersonnel who accompany pupils.

The Tour Leader must ensure that:

1. Every reasonable step will be taken to ensure the safety of all tour members. Pupils mustnot be placed in situations which expose them to an unacceptable level of risk. Pupilsshould have EHIC cards well before departure.

2. There is appropriate and adequate supervision for each activity undertaken on the tour.

3. Once the tour details have been approved, ask for a non-returnable deposit. Make it clearthat the deposit is non-returnable and that pupils will not be taken if their behaviour isunacceptable or unsafe in the interval before the tour takes place.

4. The ratio of adults to pupilswill be appropriate; a ratio of not more than 10:1, and if ahigher ratio is proposed then this must be authorised by the Principal. If the Tour

Leader brings a group without an Assistant, he/she must have back–up support available.

5. Child protection procedures are in place in line with the DES guidelines and the relevantchild protection procedures put in place by MountSionCBSSchool. Please refer toPrudence Code attached in Appendix 4.

6. Parental consent forms set out in Appendix 1 have been issued and returnedsigned; the onus is on parents to return all completed documentation andfailure to do so may mean that a student may not be permitted to travel.

7. Suitable arrangements have been made for the medical needs of all pupils.

8. He/she is in possession of the following information:

  • Details of medical conditions
  • The student’s GP’s name, address and telephone number
  • Written details of any medication required (including instructions on dosage/times)and parental permission to administer same

(Appendix 2Medical Consent Form)

9. First aid provision is available. The medical kit should always include a thermometer andthe medical histories of all participants, the information being acquired from the Parents/Guardians.

10. Parents/Guardians are sent the following information:

  • Dates and times of departure and return – parents/guardians must have agreed to

meet their student on return

  • Details of accommodation such as hotel address andtelephone number
  • Names of Tour Leader, of other staff and of other accompanying adults
  • Standards of behaviour expected in respect of, for example, alcohol, smoking and

general group discipline

  • Details of insurance taken out for the group as a whole, and whether

parents/guardians need to arrange additional cover

  • Details on the cost of the visit including methods and deadlines for payments. Allpayments are to be considered non- refundable including the final payment

11. A school emergency contact person has been nominated and the Tour Leader has thesedetails. The Tour Leader should also ensure that the school Contact Person and all those accompanying the trip have a copy of the agreed emergency procedures, the names of all members of the group and emergency contact details of all Parents/Guardians.

The Principal must ensure that all staff and others accompanying the tour are appropriatelyselected and accept that the Tour Leader is in charge. It would also be expected that all haveappropriate experience of supervising pupils of the relevant age on the tour.

Information retained at the school

Full details of the visit should be retained at the school while the tour is in progress. This shouldinclude:

  • the itinerary and contact phone number/address for the group
  • a list of group members and their details
  • contact names, addresses and phone numbers of the parents/guardians
  • a copy of the contract with the tour company/hotel etc.

It is the Principal’s responsibility to ensure that this information is available at all times,particularly if the tour takes place when the school is closed.

Prohibition

The consumption of alcohol by all pupils is forbidden for all tours.

Up to the time of departure it shall remain the prerogative of the Tour Leader to refuse a pupil’sparticipation on the tour without a refund should the pupil’sbehaviour give cause for grave concern.

Parents/Guardians and pupils must agree to Rules and Regulations (Appendix 3)and return signed copies to the Tour Leader.

ReviewThis policy will be reviewed on an annual basis.

This policy has been adopted by the Board

Signed:______Date:______

Chairperson Board of Management

Appendix 1

Dear Parent/Guardian,

A school tour to ______is being planned for the ______break in ______.

The exact costing of the tour cannot be finalized until full flight and accommodation details are completed, but the approximate cost should be ______.

This will include full travel, accommodation with half-board (breakfast and dinner), tours, and other activities which will be outlined when the final itinerary becomes available.

An initial deposit payment of €______(NON-REFUNDABLE) per student, by ______is required.

The balance of the deposit (ALSO NON-REFUNDABLE,) must be paid in the following four weeks.

Remaining payments can be spread between then and ______.

All payments will be receipted.

In the past we have enjoyed many successful trips with our pupils and the success of any tour depends on the pupils’ full cooperation with their teachers while abroad. Therefore, to ensure an enjoyable and successful school tour, we reserve the right to cancel any pupils’s participation, if his behaviour in the school between now and ______becomes unacceptable.

Your appreciation and help is very welcome in this matter.

Please sign the declaration of consent below, and ask your son to return it to us with the initial deposit of €150 by Thurs 22 October.

Please understand that this deposit does not automatically guarantee your son’s place on the tour until his application is approved by the school authorities.

(Tour Leader)

I /we, the undersigned, consent to allow ______to travel to ______, in ______. I have read and accept the conditions outlined above.

Signed:______

Appendix 2

MEDICAL CONSENT FORM

Dear Parent/Guardian

Thank you for your continued cooperation with the Tour payments. Arrangements are well under way with regard to the Tour Itinerary, and in the meantime, we would appreciate it if you could provide the following information, in relation to travel insurance for the tour group.

1. The name, address, and phone number of your family doctor.

______

______

______

2. Details, if any, regarding possible allergies, or medicationswhich your son is taking.

______

______

______

Finally, could you please complete, and sign this Consent Form:

I,______the parent/guardian of ______hereby give authorisation to the Tour Leader, to obtain treatment on behalf of my son.

Signed______

Appendix 3

Dear Parent/Guardian,

The itinerary is now available, and it is advisable that your son reads it carefully, in order to familiarise himself with the programme of events for each day in ______.

The success of the tour depends on the full cooperation of all pupils with their tour leaders.We are confident that the boys whom we have trusted enough to take abroad, will behave responsibly and will respect the authority of the seven teachers, who are giving their free time and their good will to make this tour possible. Unfortunately, however, we are aware that the bad behaviour of one can spoil things for everybody else. Hopefully, this won’t happen. For our part, we will do our best to make this trip an enjoyable and successful experiencefor all who are travelling to ______.

I would like, now, to draw your attention to a few simple, but absolutely vital pointswhich we feel are essential to the success of the tour. After reading them, I would be grateful if you and your son, would please sign the agreement form printed below.

Rules and Regulations

  • Pupils are expected to BE PUNCTUAL at all times, especially for meals and for bus pickup times. As many items on the itinerary are pre-booked for a specific time, lateness and delays might, unfortunately, mean missing out on some events.
  • Pupils are expected to KEEP THEIR ROOMS CLEAN AND TIDY,and to show respect and courtesy to hotel staff, at all times.
  • The hotel may also be used by other holiday groups, so don’t be surprised if you have to queue for service occasionally.
  • BE PATIENTAnd please don’t complain too much if the food doesn’t suit you! European meals are different to our own, but they are good and healthy.
  • A coach will be at our disposal for the duration of the tour. It is important that everyone shows respect and courtesy to the driver and keeps the bus as litter free as possible.
  • SMOKING IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN, especially on the bus and in the hotel.
  • The boys will be given some free time each day, for shopping and for sightseeing. On these occasions, they will not be under the direct supervision of their teachers. However, it is vital that nobody strays too far, or becomes lost. Stay reasonably close to the meeting point for the bus pickup, and DO NOT WANDER OFF ON YOUR OWN.
  • DO NOT USE THE METRO(underground train). It is a complicated system to understand, especially in a foreign language, and many Metro stations are considered quite dangerous, particularly at night.
  • The purchase and/or consumption of ALCOHOLIC DRINK/DRUGS IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN on the tour. Anybody caught in possession of alcohol/drugs will be reported to his parents and to the school authorities. He may also lose some of his free time privileges on the tour, as we would be unable to trust him outside our supervision. He may also face a lengthy school suspension on his return to school.
  • We feel it is important to reserve the right to search pupils baggage and belongings, if we have reasonable cause to suspect them of having any illegal materials/substances in their possession.

Parents Form of Agreement

We______the parents of ______, have read the above guidelines/regulations. I agree that they are necessary to ensure the success of the school tour, and that my son should abide by them.

We also accept that the Tour leader may send our son home in the case of a serious disciplinary offence. We agree to accept full responsibility to arrange for any travel so required and for our son’s accompaniment on such travels as may be necessitated by our son’s behaviour.

Signed______

Pupils Form of Agreement

I,______have read and understand that the above guidelines/regulations are necessary to ensure the success of the school tour to Paris, and I intend to abide by them.

Signed______

Appendix 4 Prudence Code for Foreign Tours

Pupils on their own

  • A member of staff on his/her own should not be with an individual student on his own unless there is awindow to the corridor or to a public place, others enter the room often or if it is a public room (e.g. aclassroom or staff room) or they have told another member of staff that they need a private conversationthere.
  • If visiting pupils in rooms on their own, staff should leave the door open or tell another member of staffthat they need to have a private conversation there.
  • It is wise for members of staff on their own to avoid being in cars or on expeditions with pupils on theirown unless another member of staff has been informed about it (e.g. visits to hospital).

Groups of pupils

  • Staff should not feel that lavatories, changing rooms, dormitories and showers are off limits but they shouldavoid being there with an individual student and they should exercise caution and sensitivity in these areasparticularly.

Complaint to a member of staff other than the Designated Liaison Person.

  • A member of staff other than the DLP who is approached by an adult or a child who alleges neglect, emotionalphysical or sexual abuse by any person working in a voluntary or paid capacity in the school of whatever category shall

Where the complainant is an adult:

  • Listen carefully to that person
  • Explain the procedure put in place by the DES for dealing with complaints against school personnelincluding the policy of reporting to the civil authorities
  • Offer to accompany the person in bringing the complaint to the DLP
  • Make a careful written record of what the complainant has alleged

Where the complainant is a child:

  • Take what the child says seriously
  • Reassure the child
  • Listen carefully and attentively but under no circumstances ask leading questions
  • Check with the child to ensure that what has been heard and understood accords with what the child actually said
  • Make no promises which cannot be kept
  • Inform the DLP of what has occurred and provide the DLP with a precise written record of whatthe child has said.

In the event of an allegation being made the DDLP will report the allegation to the local police in the relevant countryand he will also report the matter immediately to the DLP. The DLP will co-ordinate the response of the schoolthereafter.

John Mc Ardle, Principal, is the DLP (Designated Liaison Person)

______, for the purposes of the school trip, is the acting DDLP (Deputy DLP)