Educational Visits  Policy

Approved by: AGC  from 12.07.23 Last reviewed on: 14.07.25

Next review due by: 1.07.27

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1. General Statement of Policy  

This policy should be read in conjunction with Co-op Academies Trust Educational  Visits Statement.

Co-op Academy Broadhurst recognises the value of off-site visits to pupils as an enrichment to  their studies, and to their personal and social development. Such visits can improve the  individual’s affiliation to the school and help generate positive relationships with their teachers.  

Types of visits include:  

routine visits, such as use of local library, sports fixtures with local schools, other visits to  local schools, theatre trips, museum visits - approved by the Headteacher  

non-routine visits involving adventurous activities and/or overnight stays, and/or foreign  travel, for example outward bound centres, theme parks, water sports, residential stays - approved by the Headteacher, the Chair of the local governing body and the Director of the  Trust through the regional Education Director.

2. Organisation  

Responsibility for educational visits rests with the Governing Body and Headteacher. The  respective roles of each are outlined within the Manchester Policy Handbook for Educational  Visits.

2.1.1 The approval of educational visits will be undertaken by Chris Wright Chair of AGC

2.1.2 The person named above will be the nominated CCM for Educational Visits, as outlined  in the OEAP National Guidance for Managing Educational Visits at www.oeapng.info.  

2.1.2 An evaluation of non-routine visits will be available to view on EVOLVE. This should be  completed within a 28-day window following the visit. After 28 days this option is not  available on Evolve.

2.2 Headteacher (HT)

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2.2.1 The HT will be responsible for ensuring that Educational Visits are planned in accordance  with The Co-operative Academies Trusts policies and procedures, that the supervisors are  competent, physically and mentally fit and that governor approval has been given if required.  

2.2.2 The HT will authorise all visits via EVOLVE.  

2.2.3 The HT will report visits including any incidents or near misses to the Governing Body  annually.  

2.3 Educational Visits Co-ordinator (EVC)  

2.3.1 The school’s Educational Visits Co-ordinator is: Elizabeth Payne 

2.3.2 The EVC will undertake duties as agreed between them and the Headteacher.

2.3.3 The EVC will be fully conversant with the OEAP National Guidance web site; and have  access to the afPE Safe practice in Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity.  

2.4 Visit Leader (VL)  

2.4.1 The VL will comply with the requirements outlined on the OEAP National Guidance web site.  

2.4.2 The VL will ensure that the notification is completed on EVOLVE and that any activities or  events that may place staff or pupils at significant risk are assessed and that safety measures are  in place prior to the trip taking place.  

2.4.3 The VL will ensure that all parents of children on their trip are provided with all information  required and that any questions raised are answered prior to the trip taking place.  

2.4.4 The VL will ensure, for non-routine visits, that all accompanying adults have read and  understood all the planning and risk assessments for the visit and that they have signed a list of  such documentation.  

2.4.5 The VL named for each visit will have overall responsibility for the visit whilst it is underway.  2.4.6 The VL will liaise with the EVC throughout the planning and preparation of their trip.  2.4.7 The VL will evaluate their trip on EVOLVE.  

2.5 Supervisory staff  

2.5.1 All staff assisting with supervision on any trip will be conversant with their responsibilities.  They should feel confident to challenge any unsafe practice observed. They will be briefed by the  trip leader before the visit and, for residential visits, will be required to sign to say they have read  and understood the risk assessments.  

2.5.2 All staff will ensure that the requirements of any risk assessments, risk control procedures  and safe systems are followed.  

2.5.3 All staff will ensure that once the trip has started, where any previously unforeseen hazards  or risks are identified they are brought to the attention of the Visit Leader.

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2.5.4 Staff will feedback information to the Visit Leader to enable a full evaluation of the trip to be  completed.  

2.5.5 Male and female staff, wherever possible and practical, should accompany a visit. This is  essential for residential visits  

2.5.6 All adults accompanying pupils on a residential visit should be CRB/DBS checked at  enhanced level and their details recorded on the academy’s single central record  

2.5.7 The following staff-pupil ratios will be adhered to:  

Nursery/Reception: 1 adult to 4 children  

Years 1 – 3: 1 adult to 6 children  

Years 4 – 6: 1 adult to 10 children  

Years 7 - 13: 1 adult to 10 children (residential)/ 15 other activity.  

3. Arrangements  

3.1 Proposals  

3.1.1 The Visit Leader will submit a proposal to the Head and EVC before starting an Evolve  notification. The Evolve notification must be submitted within the following timescale for each  category of visit to the EVC. Exceptions are possible but MUST be cleared.

3.1.2 An EVOLVE notification must be completed for all visits.  

3.1.3 EVOLVE will be used to provide assurance that each visit is methodically and suitably  planned.  

3.1.4 Risk assessments and procedures for managing risks will be in place for all risks that are  reasonably foreseeable. These include individual pupil risk assessments (IPRA) for pupils with  individual complex needs that require personalisation.  

3.1.6 Consent must be obtained for any category 3 visits or visits outside of school hours. With  appropriate security measures, electronic consent can be used eg text, email, apps  

3.1.7 Parents should be given sufficient information to enable them to make an informed decision  as to whether their child should participate in the visit. They must sign the relevant consent form  (s), and provide emergency contact number(s) and all relevant medical details.  

3.1.8 Local curriculum activities taking place within the school day do not always require individual  consent. Annual consent forms are signed at the beginning of each academic year.

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3.2 Notification

3.2.1 Notification will be made using EVOLVE for category all visits

3.2.2 The Visit Leader is responsible for planning the visit and completing the Evolve notification. 3.2.3 The Headteacher and EVC will ensure that the Visit Leader carries out this task.

3.3 Undertaking the visit

3.3.1 Once the notification has received approval the visit will commence in accordance with the  itinerary and activities planned. Any deviation from the itinerary or planned activities must be  considered by the Visit Leader and a dynamic risk assessment made prior to the alteration taking  place.

3.3.2 A record must be kept of all such instances for evaluation and review purposes.

3.3.3 Any accidents or near misses that occur during a visit will be reported to the insurance  company through completing of SG10 form upon the return of the group to school.

3.3.4 Any accidents that result in a pupil or member of staff having to go to hospital must be  telephoned to the school contact immediately. Upon receipt of any such calls the school contact  will immediately inform the Health and Safety.

3.4 Medical and First Aid

3.4.1 Parents/carers must complete a medical form prior to any non-routine visits sharing  information about any medical or emotional needs their child has.

3.4.2 For routine visits, there will be a trained first aider either from the academy or the host venue  available

3.4.3 For non-routine type visits, at least one academy member of staff present is first aid trained,  unless the visit is organised by a company that provides first aiders

3.4.4 First aid may be administered during a routine or non-routine visit

3.5 Additional Support

We want all our pupils to benefit from a wide range of experiences and therefore ensure  arrangements and risk assessments are put in place to ensure no pupil is prevented from a visit  because of special or additional needs.

3.6 Meal arrangements

Pupils entitled to free school meals will have a packed lunch provided

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3.7 Transport arrangements

3.7.1 When arranging coach hire, only companies listed on Manchester EVOLVE will be engaged.

3.7.2 For smaller, local visits children may be transported with an adult in a taxi. Only registered  taxi firms will be used.

3.7.3 If pupils are to be transported in staff members own vehicles they must comply with Co-op  Academies Trust Driving at Work policy.

3.7.4 Pupils with complex needs will be required to have an individual pupil risk assessment  (IPRA) in place with regards to transport and other needs.

3.8 Amendments to plans

3.8.1 Under normal circumstances there will be no deviation from plans arranged without full risk  assessments taking place and without the authority of the Headteacher. Where such changes are  proposed for non-routine visits, these should be discussed with the Director of the Trust via the  regional Education Directors as soon as possible

3.8.2 Visit leaders will conduct ongoing risk assessments throughout the visit to take account of,  for example, changes in weather conditions or other unforeseen occurrences. Such occurrences  should be reported to the Headteacher in all circumstances and to the Director of the Trust via the  Headteacher for non-routine visits.

3.9 Emergency response

In the event of serious illness, injury or incident, parents will be contacted either by the academy or  the visit leader as soon as it is safe or practical to do so.

For less serious incidents, visit leader will telephone parent either on return if a day visit, or at the  end of the day on a residential visit to make them aware.

3.10 Monitoring

3.10.1 The school will monitor the implementation of this policy by ensuring that the  documentation required has been produced to a satisfactory standard.

3.10.2 On occasions the EVC, Headteacher, Senior Manager or member of the Governing Body  will accompany a group.

3.10.3 A visit cannot take unless:

• the correct procedure has been followed as outlined in the academy’s policy

• the correct risk assessments are in place and have been shared by those leading the visit

 • the details of the visit have been logged accordingly

• the Headteacher has given express permission for the visit to take place

• and the leader takes the appropriate paperwork with them on the visit

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3.11 Evaluation and Review

2.1.4 An evaluation of non-routine visits will be available to view on EVOLVE. This should be  completed within a 28-day window following the visit. After 28 days this option is not available on  Evolve.

3.11.1 The Visit Leader will report any significant issues with the visit to the Health, Safety and  Wellbeing Team.

3.11.2 Every visit will be reviewed by the Visit Leader.

3.11.3 The results of the evaluation and review process will be available to the Headteacher via  EVOLVE.

3.11.4 The Headteacher’s report to the Governing Body will include details of the evaluations and reviews for visits undertaken.

3.11.5 All visit information should be kept for a minimum of six years; however, information relating  to incidents that take place on a visit, accidents involving staff and/or pupils for example, should be  kept ad infinitum. Where such incidents occur, these must be recorded and reported to the  academy’s local governing body and the academy’s Regional Director via the Headteacher as  soon as practicable and certainly within 24 hours as a health and safety requirement.

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Appendix 1  

The following activities are regarded as involving adventurous activities. However, this list is not  exhaustive:  

Water  

❏ Swimming  

❏ Canoeing / kayaking; sailing / windsurfing / kite-surfing; rafting or improvised rafting; use of  powered safety/rescue craft.  

❏ Water skiing  

❏ Snorkel and aqualung activities  

Outdoor  

❏ Hill walking and Mountaineering  

❏ Rock climbing (including indoor climbing walls)  

❏ Abseiling  

❏ River/gorge walking or scrambling  

❏ Coastal scrambling/sea level traversing  

❏ Underground exploration  

Other  

❏ Shooting / archery / paintballing  

❏ Snowsports (skiing, snowboarding, and related activities), including dry slope  ❏ Horse riding  

❏ Motor sport – all forms  

❏ High level ropes courses  

❏ Off road cycling  

❏ Other activities, for example ‘initiative’ exercises, involving skills inherent in any of the above  Appendix 2 Educational Visits Request Form

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Educational Visits/visitors Trip Request form

This form MUST be completed at least two weeks prior to the proposed visit/visitor and before any  arrangements have been confirmed. Before submitting please check with Sharon Smith (EVC co ordinator) that no other events are taking place on the proposed day and that she is in agreement  with educational rationale for the visit.  

Once completed please pass to Joan Philip-Bayliss (Office Manager)

Please attach a copy of any relevant information to this sheet. eg leaflet, brochure  Proposed amount to charge pupils £________

For OFFICE use only

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