Systems and Practicalities

Making it all work

The EVC needs to know

Where to find the relevant guidance Appropriate policies and procedures Approval procedures Monitoring procedures Emergency procedures Accident and incident

reporting

Where to find the relevant guidance

Be aware of the sources of guidance

for educational visits

1. Employer guidance2. National guidance – name?

3. Professional Associations guidance

(Eg OEAP, NAHT)

Appropriate policies and procedures

• EVCs should be familiar with the Employer policy / procedures

• Each establishment/setting should have a Visits policy

• Establishment procedures should avoid excessive paper work – K.I.S.S.!

Forming an Establishment Policy

Your own policy should tie in to your employer guidance and set out any site-specific procedures e.g. approval procedures at establishment level.

To help you to minimise your own policy don’t re-write what is in your Employer’s policy - just direct employees to that!

Your staff should be made aware of the policy and be able to access and use it.

Your policy may be the focus of Establishment / setting inspection

Aspects to consider for your establishment Policy

• Roles &

Responsibilities

• Risk Assessments

• Pre visits

• Leader competence

• Ratios

• Volunteers

• Records

• Communications

• Transport

• Supervision • First Aid• Insurance• Emergency

procedures• National / LA Advice• Discipline• YP with Special

Medical andEducational Needs

• Visits abroad

HEALTH WARNING!

This list is not exhaustive

Don’t repeat or re-write if the aspect is well covered by your employer guidance

Start your own policy with ‘This school/establishment follows the LA procedures for visits. This policy sets out local variations/additions to the LA policy.’…or similar!

Be confident!

Avoid paranoia!

Less paperwork

Fewer barriers

More visits

visits

Robust policy with standard operating procedures for ‘simpler’ visits

Visit notification / approval procedures

Why have notification / approval?

• Requirement under H&S Law

• To check leader competence

• LA can support during & after incidents

Approval proceduresAll off site activities should take place with the knowledge and approval of the head/manager and EVC (according to Establishment policy)

Routine / simple visits may be approved on a ‘blanket’ basis with risk assessment covered by ‘Standard operating procedures’

Head/EVC approval should be based on their judgement of whether:• the visit is appropriate for their establishment • the visit is appropriate for the group• the leader(s) is/are competent for the planned activity• value for money• appropriate planning…etc!

The following types of visit require LA approval or notification………….

System for notifying the LA or seeking LA approval …………

Evolve – on line visit planning and approval system

Task: approval proceduresUsing the ‘post it notes’ visit details you prepared earlier for the ‘Radar’ task, work as a group to split them into the following categories:

• Visits that require LA approval

• Visits that require LA notification

• Visits that only require approval at Establishment level (by the Head or EVC)

Lead in time

• Establishments should have a lead in time proportionate to the complexity of the visit and level of approval required

• LA notification / approval is required at least …..days before the visit starts

Monitoring• Responsibility for monitoring visits sits

with the employer but it is largely delegated to establishments

• Establishments should have a system for sample monitoring quality, safety and good practice – set out in the Visits policy

• Monitoring should be evidenced to provide a clear audit trail – the visit approval system is an example of this!

Task Discuss in small groups……

• What monitoring currently takes place in your setting?– What is monitored?– How often does monitoring take place?– Who carries out monitoring?– What is missing at the moment in your establishment?

….please be prepared to feed back to the group.

Who should monitor?• Establishment level (internal)

– EVC?– Head/ Manager or other members of the SLT?– Governors?– Visit Leader?– Other staff (peer monitoring)?– Young people?

• Local Authority/employer level (external)– OEA/EVA– Any others to add???

What to monitor?• The planning and approval process – is it

working in your establishment?• Accidents/incidents – regularity/patterns?• Reports, reviews, evaluations of visits• Observation of visit leaders in action

– Reports and feedback to the leader– Supportive/celebrating good practice/leading

to targeted support if needed– Part of performance management/appraisal?

What visits to monitor?

On Site DistantSimple

Higher level of planning and approval required

Simpler visits/activities, covered by ‘blanket parental consent’ and generic risk management/standard operating procedures

Activities that require detailed planning that

reflects challenging environments, locations,

higher perceived risk activities

Activities that require detailed planning that reflects more complex student needs, leader

competencies

Off Site

Act

ivit

y

Lea

der

Co

mp

eten

ce

En

viro

nm

enta

l Co

nd

itio

ns

Gro

up

Ab

ility

/ B

ehav

iou

r / N

eed

s

Complex

On Site DistantSimpleOff Site

Activ

ity

Lead

er C

ompe

tenc

e

Envi

ronm

enta

l Con

ditio

ns

Gro

up A

bilit

y /

Beha

viou

r / N

eeds

Complex

Focus only on more complex visits?

On Site DistantSimpleOff Site

Activ

ity

Lead

er C

ompe

tenc

e

Envi

ronm

enta

l Con

ditio

ns

Gro

up A

bilit

y /

Beha

viou

r / N

eeds

Complex

Equal monitoring across full range of visits?

On Site DistantSimpleOff Site

Activ

ity

Lead

er C

ompe

tenc

e

Envi

ronm

enta

l Con

ditio

ns

Gro

up A

bilit

y /

Beha

viou

r / N

eeds

Complex

Sample full range but focus on more complex/distant visits

On Site DistantSimpleOff Site

Activ

ity

Lead

er C

ompe

tenc

e

Envi

ronm

enta

l Con

ditio

ns

Gro

up A

bilit

y /

Beha

viou

r / N

eeds

Complex

Sample full range but focus on simplest/nearest visits

OEA/EVA

EVC

OEA/EVC samples full range but focuses on more

complex/distant visits

Task• In small groups look

at the four visit forms and identify any issues that you may feel are a cause for concern

Spot the clangers!

Gordale Scar and Malham Cove near Malham

DofE training walk

Lyn Idwal

North Wales

Trafford Centre

Science and

Industry Museum

Top Tip

Requesting a detailed itinerary or programme is a good starting point if further clarification is needed regarding a visit

Monitoring – why bother?

• Helps to identify and focus on good practice

• Highlights areas to improve & CPD requirements

• Helps to ensure high quality learning experiences

• Helps to keep children and young people safe

Don’t forget to monitor quality!

• Have the intended learning outcomes for the visit been achieved?

• How is this evidenced?

• Can the children or young people identify / describe the learning outcomes?

• Should/would you repeat this visit?

Emergency Procedures

Visit LeaderdelegationAccompanying

Staff

Young People

Emergency School

Contact

Head teacher

Emergency

Services

Parents

LA Governors

Insurers & Contractors

MEDIA

Emergency Procedures• Your establishment emergency procedures

should complement LA/employer emergency procedures

• Staff should be aware of and trained/briefed in emergency procedures

• Key considerations:– There should be a 24/7 emergency contact for

each visit (including evenings, weekends and holidays)

– The emergency contact should be able to access all details of ongoing visits

Trial your system for Emergency Procedures!

Accident Reporting and Recording• Follow LA/ Employer procedures for reporting

accidents• Make sure you discuss and learn from accidents• Review your policy / procedures if necessary • Inform the OEA/EVA so that learning can be

passed on to other EVCs

• Accidents that happen to other establishments should be discussed to ensure similar incidents are avoided

Recording and reviewing near misses

• Near misses should be recordedand discussed

• Share relevant information with otherstaff and LA

• Encourage an open culture to ensure similar incidents are unlikely to occur on future visit

Task

• Think about a couple of important learning points for you that have come from problems/issues on off-site visits.

• Share with colleagues on your table

• Key learning points to share with the whole group?

Visits: Lessons Learned

• Say no

• Plan B

• Clear roles

• Active supervision

• Prepare well - involve pupils

• Take particular care with water

SAY NO

• Do not make promises

• Ensure pupils understand that plans may change

• Do not let your desire to please override your experience

• Site-specific risk assessment

• Plan B

PLAN B

• Prepare alternative activities

• Include indoor activities

• Risk assess all new plans– In advance

– And on the day

CLEAR ROLES

• Who does what?

• Awareness of responsibility of all parties: teachers, leaders, commercial providers, pupils, parents etc.

• Handovers between supervisors

ACTIVE SUPERVISION

• Ratios• Small groups vs. large group• ‘Down-time’ arrangements• Awareness levels• Head counts

PREPARE WELL

• Check the weather • Check suitable clothing and

provisions• Involve the pupils in planning• Have emergency procedures in place

BE H2O AWARE

• Take particular care with all water-based activities

• Note water changes

• Follow specific guidance

Systems and Practicalities

Making it all work