Overview if the policy for the management of educational visits and learning outside the classroom
The Local Authority require all maintained and voluntary controlled schools and other children’s services establishments to have the following in place. Whilst this is not mandatory for academies, schools within academy trusts are strongly advised to have this in place.
- A policy for learning outside the classroom that adopts and follows Outdoor Education Advisers Panel (OEAP) national guidance.
- Ensure that they have a member of staff employed as an Educational Visits Co-ordinator (EVC), who has completed an accredited Outdoor Education Advisers Panel (OEAP) EVC training course.
- Ensure that their EVC attends revalidation courses at least every 3 years.
- Have access to a named OEAP adviser (listed as a registered or accredited member on the OEAP website) for advice, support and further training. In the case of Barking and Dagenham, please email educationcoreteam@lbbd.gov.uk in the first instance.
- Have systems in place that require the Local Authority to scrutinise and approve higher risk visits that are either adventurous, international, residential or involve the planned use of water outdoors.
N.B. For the purposes of OEAP National Guidance, an adventurous activity is defined as an activity which is exciting and challenging and which involves significant inherent risk of harm, without which the activity would lose much of its value, and/or which takes place in a remote or hazardous location.
Evidencing School’s Arrangements
For those schools that are maintained schools or have an SLA in place, the Local Authority’s Health and Safety Team conduct an audit (usually every 3-4 years) which supports schools to consider whether they have suitable arrangements in place with regards to managing educational visits.
Training courses
All Educational Visits Co-ordinators (EVCs) in maintained schools are required to undertake an approved training course. The course remains valid for 3 years.
The Local Authority will commit to delivering this course annually, with virtual and face to face options available. Other training providers are also available. Visit the OEAP website to find out more.
Plan an off-site visit
Planning a visit may appear to be a daunting process. This guidance aims to ensure that staff have access to practical advice, support and guidance. The initial contact for advice about learning outside of school should be the Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC) in your establishment.
The Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel National Guidance website provides advice for planning visits, checklists and up-to-date information for your role as a:
- Visit Leader
- Assistant Leader
- EVC
- Headteacher
- Governing Body
Emergencies
In the event of an emergency, as well as emergency services, visit staff should contact their school alerting their senior management team. Schools and establishments should ensure that emergencies are included in their risk assessments. A list of contact details for wider emergency services is given on Barking and Dagenham’s website.
Details of how to contact the Local Authority are given here. Maintained schools must inform the LA as soon as possible if there is a serious incident. Should you need to contact the LA out of hours by phone, the out of hours contact number is 020 8215 3000, where the on duty Silver Command will be notified if necessary.
Specific activities
Schols are encouraged to use the Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel National Guidance website as a starting point for all detailed advice and guidance. A range of advice is available for specific activities.
Choosing a provider – quality badges
The Outdoor Education Advisers Panel accepts the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality badge as evidence of robust safety and quality management systems. Check to see whether the provider has a quality badge.
If your provider doesn’t hold the LOtC Quality badge you should use the 8.1q provider statement form to ensure they adhere to national standards. You can download this from the OEAP website.
Choosing a provider – Licenses
The Adventurous Activities Licensing Service (AALS) licence or Adventure Mark badge are required for providers that offer adventurous activities that are in scope. It is important that schools only use providers that hold such licenses for adventurous outdoor activities, and that they are in date.
Check to see if your provider holds a licence
Risk Assessments
Assessing and managing risks is part of the process of good planning and delivery of any educational visit. Where schools are using outside providers, activity specific risk assessments should be provided. However, it is important that the Visit Leaders and EVC read them carefully to assure themselves appropriate steps are being taken and to better understand the risk assessment process, and how they can best support the activity in staying safe.
Where the school is leading an activity, the school has responsibility to ensure a thorough and up to date risk assessment is in place, that has been signed off by the EVC as a minimum. Risk assessments must include travel to and from the provider or setting, and these should be led by the school.
Risk assessment must also account for the specific needs for all the group. This may include, but not be limited to, medical needs, physical needs, emotional needs, as well as personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEP) where applicable.
N.B. Reviewing risk assessments for activities at Trewern Outdoor Education Centre is not required, as it is Local Authority managed provision.
Risk Assessing overseas trips
For overseas trips that are provider-led e.g. ski trips, the Local Authority would expect a school to choose a provider that holds the Larning Outside the Classroom (LOTC) Quality Badge awarded by the School Travel Forum.
Where this is not the case, then the school should request a provider statement. In addition, the school should conduct a detailed scrutiny of insurance, instructor qualifications, ratios, risk assessments, and the itinerary.
For schools planning trips overseas, please note that Governments from the Schengen area are introducing the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). Effectively, this requires all travellers to register biometrically on arrival, with passport stamps being phased out. All countries in the Schengen area are expected to have introduced this by April 2026.
You can read more about ETIAS and which countries this applies to here – EU Entry/Exit System – GOV.UK
A helpful FAQ can also be found here – EU Travel Rules FAQ | EES & ETIAS Explained – Voyager School Travel
At this point, it will no longer be possible for schools to apply for group passports for pupils (Collective (group) passports: Overview – GOV.UK).
Counterterrorism
ProtectUK | Home is a national Police website and app that provides businessesm, institutions and the public with counter terrorism support and guidance to effectively protect and prepare for possible terror attack. It hosts a number of resources, including videos and advice around steps to take in the event of a terrorist attack, for example this film aimed at secondary aged students – protectuk.police.uk/sites/default/files/2021-08/10 – ACT For Youth – Education Film %5BPresentations%5D.mp4. For some trips you may wish to include watching this film and/ or other reosurces as part of your risk assessment.
EVOLVE – Educational Visit management system
The Local Authority continues to fund EVOLVE as the educational visit management system. Licenses are in place for all schools and Local Authority establishments, including academies. It is an expectation that all maintained schools use EVOLVE to manage educational visits, as it provides an audit and authorisation trail.
Training on the EVOLVE system will be offered annually for those that need it. Should your school require staff specific training, then please contact educationcoreteam@lbbd.gov.uk as bespoke training can be provided. Guidance on how to use the system, including creating and amending staff accounts can be found on EVOLVE’s help pages (log in required).
The Local Authority only funds the core EVOLVE system for schools. Schools may opt to purchase EVOLVE+ which allows them to sync EVOLVE with their school MIS system, send messages to parents and pupils, and more.
For general enquires regarding EVOLVE, please contact educationcoreteam@lbbd.gov.uk.
