Woodlands School

Educational Visits Policy

Date for review: Spring 2014

Woodlands School is a Special School for children with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties. We ensure that we safeguard children and provide a secure and positive environment where both pupils and staff are given the opportunities to achieve their true potential. The school adopts the guidance and procedures issued in the Blackpool Policy for the Management of Supported and Offsite Visits (including Learning Outside the Classroom)and, where relevant, Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel (OEAP) Employer Guidance (EG) This is to ensure consideration for the health and safety of all those involved and to maintain the educational quality of visits and value for money.

The legal responsibility for the Health and Safety and welfare of the pupils and staff is held by the LA.

The Educational Visits Adviser employed by the LA must authorise any visits that involve additional or high risk activities. (For definitions refer to LA Policy and Guidelines).

Educational visits will be arranged for a variety of purposes:

  • To enhance and support the curriculum
  • Develop the child’s knowledge, skills and understanding of the wider world outside school and home
  • To develop the child’ s confidence in encountering unfamiliar situations
  • To broaden pupils’ experiences
  • To provide opportunities for personal and social development
  • To provide opportunities for Basic Skills Independence

In some cases parents may be asked to make a voluntary contribution towards the cost. (See charging policy).

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Management

Teaching Staff are responsible for preliminary planning of trips and any plans must be discussed with the Deputy/Headteacher at an early stage. The EVC checks the planning, giving guidance and support; the Headteacher has overall responsibility for the safety of the pupils and staff therefore giving overall approval for every visit.

Headteacher

The Headteacher must oversee and maintain the policy for educational visits on behalf of the Governing Body. This policy requires all educational visits have a clear and appropriate purpose, and are properly organised. It must also specify those categories of visit which may need to be reported at the planning stage to the Governing Body and/or the LA. The Headteacher must review operating arrangements, at least annually, with staff who directly implement this policy or undertake visits. This review must provide the basis for a report to the Governing Body.

The Headteacher will ensure that:

  • they have appointed a suitable visit leader
  • all necessary actions have been completed before the visit begins
  • the risk assessment is complete and that it is safe to make the visit
  • training needs have been met
  • the visit leader has experience in supervising and controlling the age groups going on the visit and will organise the group effectively
  • the visit leader has relevant skills, qualifications and experience if acting as an instructor, and knows the location of the activity
  • all supervisors on the visit are appropriate people to supervise children and have appropriate clearance
  • the governing body has approved the visit if necessary
  • there is adequate and relevant insurance cover – Woodlands School uses subscribes to Ace Annual Offsite/Onsite Activities Insurance

Educational Visits Co-ordinator – Toni Fairholm

The Educational Visits Co-ordinator will ensure that:

  • educational visits meet the employers’ and school’s requirements
  • they support the Headteacher and Governors with approval and other decisions
  • they assess competence of prospective leaders and staff – challenge and question the value and purpose of the visit and provide support and guidance to staff
  • risk assessments meet requirements
  • keep record of visits, accident or incident reports
  • review systems and monitor them
  • arrangements have been made for all the medical needs and special educational needs of all the children
  • they have the address and phone number of the visit’s venue and have a contact name
  • they have the names of all the adults and pupils in the travelling group, and the contact details of parents and the staff’s and volunteers’ next of kin.

Visit Leader

The visit leader has overall responsibility for supervision and conduct of the visit or activity including direct responsibility for pupils’ health, safety and welfare and must be approved by the Headteacher.

The visit leader will:

  • be able to control and lead pupils of the relevant age range;
  • undertake and complete the planning and preparation of the visit including the briefing of group members and parents;
  • be aware and take into account the implications for non-returnable deposits;
  • ensure all consent slips have been collected and know all the pupils proposed for the visit to assess their suitability;
  • undertake and complete a risk assessment proportionate to the nature of the visit or read and understand the risk assessment form provided by the establishment to be visited;
  • have regard to the health and safety of the group at all times;
  • observe the guidance set out for teachers and other adults below;
  • ensure that pupils understand their responsibilities.
  • follow the photography and video guidance and all parents have consented to their children having photographs/videos taken
  • complete visit evaluation

Other teachers and adults involved in a visit

Teachers on school-led visits will act in the course of their normal employment during their normal hours. They will be acting under an agreement with the Headteacher if some of their time on the visit falls outside normal hours. Non-teachers should generally not have sole charge of groups of children except where risks to health and safety are minimal. All adults must have an up to date enhanced CRB check.

Teacher and other adults on the visit must:

  • do their best to ensure the health and safety of everyone in the group;
  • care for each individual pupil as any reasonable parent would;
  • follow the instructions of the leader and help with control and discipline
  • consider stopping the visit or the activity if they think the risk to the health or safety of the pupils in their charge is unacceptable.

PLANNING

Planning a Visit

Whether the visit is to a local park, museum, swimming pool, or includes a residential stay, it is essential that careful planning takes place. This involves considering the dangers and difficulties which may arise and making plans to avoid them. The Headteacher is responsible for overseeing the planning all off-site visits. In practice, the detailed planning is delegated to the visit leader, but the Headteacher must be satisfied that the person planning the visit is qualified to do so and has the necessary experience. The visit leader must agree all plans with the Headteacher.

All educational visits are recorded on the EVOLVE web-based recording, reporting and monitoring system. This system has been designed to help streamline the educational visits planning process.

Time can be allocated for pre-visits if a potential establishment has not been visited by the school before. A pre visit is advisable, but it is acceptable to gather the necessary information by other means if necessary. For example through: personal recommendation; LA Educational Visits Adviser; direct contact with visit destination or Internet research. The purpose of this exploratory visit or research is to:

  • ensure that the venue is suitable to meet the aims and objectives of the school visit
  • assess potential areas and levels of risk
  • ensure that the venue can cater for the needs of the staff and pupils in the group
  • ensure that the Visit Leader is familiar with the area before taking a party of young people.

All educational visits must be authorised by the Headteacher at least 2 weeks in advance of the trip.

Letters to parents should be sent from school a minimum of 10 days in advance of the trip to ensure parental consent is given on time.

Staff must use the guidance laid out on the Woodlands Educational Visit Proforma (Appendix 1)

Outline permission will be granted when all the requirements identified in the proforma have been considered, the visit can be accommodated within the school timetable and the ethos of the visit is one with which the school wishes to be associated.

When the visit involves additional or high risk activities, foreign travel or is a residential visit then details of the visit will also be sent via Evolve to the LA Educational Visits Adviser by the EVC for approval that all the procedures have been satisfactorily completed.

Once outline permission, and any necessary LA approval, has been received the visit leader can complete the planning organisation and bookings for the visit. When all details are complete they must be submitted for final approval. This should be a minimum of 14 days before the visit.

Regularly repeated visits may receive block annual approval subject to parents being made aware of every visit, especially any involving a return time outside the normal school day.

Following each visit the leader will undertake an evaluation of the visit. Any incidents or accidents will be reported in accordance with the reporting requirements. Leaders of visits that have involved considerable time or financial resources, such as residential visits, will produce a short report evaluating the travel and transport, facilities, quality of any providers and the success and value of the visit

and submit this to the head- teacher.

All school staff will be made aware of the requirements of this policy and any changes that are made when the policy is reviewed.

Risk Assessment

The risk assessment for each visit will identify the relevant emergency procedures during the visit. For visits extending beyond the school day this includes designating a home contact from the school who may be needed as a link between the party, the parents, the school and the LA in the event of an emergency.

As part of the visit planning, completing the risk assessment process for any activity that will be led by school staff is the responsibility of the visit leader and the staff team. Where an activity is led by staff from the establishment to be visited, it is their responsibility to assess any risks. It is the visit leaders responsibility to ensure that the risk management process has taken place by the establishment and it is reasonable to request copies of the risk management plan.

The risk assessment will determine the adult:child ratio for each visit considering the needs of each child.. The risk assessment should include the following considerations:

  • the activities and associated risks
  • the level of risk
  • the control measures that need to be in place to reduce risks to an acceptable level

The visit leader and other supervisors should continually reassess the risks throughout the visit and take appropriate action if pupils are in danger.

The visit leader should take the following factors into consideration when assessing the risks:

  • the type of activity and the level at which it is being undertaken
  • the location
  • the competence, experience and qualifications of supervisory staff
  • the group members’ age, competence, fitness and temperament
  • pupils with special educational needs
  • the quality and suitability of available equipment
  • seasonal conditions, weather and timing.

Supervision

It is important to have a sufficient ratio of adult supervisors to pupils for any off-site visit. The factors to take into consideration include:

  • sex, age and ability of group;
  • special needs pupils;
  • nature of activities;
  • experience of adults in off site supervision;
  • duration and nature of the journey;
  • type of any accommodation;
  • Competence of staff, both general and on specific activities.

There should always be enough supervisors to cope effectively with an emergency. When visits are to remote areas or involved hazardous activities, the risks may be greater and supervision levels should be set accordingly.

All adult supervisors, including school staff and parent helpers must understand their roles and responsibilities at all times. Teachers retain responsibility for the group at all times.

If the school is leading an adventure activity, such as canoeing, the LA or Governing Body must ensure that the visit leader and other supervisors are suitably qualified to lead and instruct the activity before they agree that the visit can take place. Qualifications can be checked with the National Governing Body of each sporting activity.

Whatever the length and nature of the visit, regular head counting of pupils should take place. The visit leader should establish rendezvous points and tell pupils what to do if they become separated from the party.

First Aid

Visit leaders are in charge of pupils during a visit have a duty of care to make sure that the pupils are safe and healthy. It is common law duty to act as reasonably prudent parent would.

First Aid provision should be considered when assessing the risks of the visit. For

adventurous activities, visits which involve overnight stays, or visits abroad it is sensible to have at least one trained first-aider in the group. The visit leader should have a working knowledge of first aid and all adults in the group should know how to contact emergency services.

The minimum first-aid provision is:

  • a suitably stocked first-aid bag
  • a person appointed to be in charge of first-aid arrangements.

First-aid should be available and accessible at all times. The contents of a first-aid kit will depend on what activities are planned.

Communication with Parents / Guardians

Parents need to be aware that the teachers on the visit will be acting in their place – ‘in loco parentis’ – and will be exercising the same care that a prudent parent would.

The visit leader should ensure that parents are given information about the purpose and details of the visit and are invited to any briefing sessions for longer / residential visits. Special arrangements may be necessary for parents for whom English is a second language.

The following information on matters that might affect pupil’s health and safety is useful to parents, and will be included in a letter to parents / guardians prior to a visit:

  • dates of the visit
  • times of departure and return
  • mode(s) of travel including the name of any travel company
  • details of accommodation with security and supervisory arrangements on site
  • names of leader, or other staff and of other accompanying adults
  • visit’s objectives
  • details of the activities planned and of how the assessed risks will be managed
  • voluntary contribution details
  • insurance taken out for the group as a whole in respect of luggage, accident,
  • cancellation and medical cover. Any cover to be arranged by the parents, if appropriate, will be requested
  • clothing and equipment to be taken
  • money to be taken
  • the informative reply slip to be given by parents and what they will be asked to consent to.

Where monies are required, it must clearly be stated on the letter. If it supports the National Curriculum a voluntary contribution must be asked for. It can, however, state that if insufficient funds are collected than the trip cannot go ahead.

Parental Consent

N.B: It is NOT a legal requirement to gain parental consent for any educational visit occurring wholly within the school day, however, it is good practice to gain consent.

If parents withhold consent absolutely the pupil should not be taken on the visit, but the curricular aims of the visit should be delivered to the pupil in some other way, wherever possible. If the parents give a conditional consent the Headteacher will need to consider whether the child may be taken on the visit or not. A parental consent form should be completed for each pupil in the group.

Parents must be informed to:

  • provide emergency contact number(s)
  • sign the consent form
  • give the visit leader relevant information about their child’s health whichmight be relevant to the visit

Legal Position with Parents

The law is quite clear and states that a child should not be prevented from taking part in an activity or visit because the parents are unable or unwilling to pay. We can only request contributions towards the costs, and are not allowed to charge for the cost of those children who do not pay or for those adults who are going.

Letters home should make clear that we are requesting contributions towards the cost but that the trip cannot take place unless there are sufficient contributions. It should be made clear that we have no wish to place unacceptable burden on parents who have financial difficulties but that we hope they will make some contribution, however small, and that this will be appreciated and accepted.