Category A Visits
Visits undertaken within the normal school day, for which the elements of risk is similar to that encountered in daily life, such as frequent curriculum related activities that are a part of the normal timetable.
Approval Procedure: Headteacher/Manager approval who may or may not delegate to the school's Educational Visits Co-ordinator (EVC). Approval for such visits can be obtained from the Governing Body on an annual basis.
There is no need to inform the Council's Educational Visits Advisor (EVA) of category A visits.
Examples of category A visits: PSD programmes; local Independent travel, shopping, interviews, local library, sports or leisure centres, traffic census, factory visits, sites of historic, commercial or cultural interest, local walks, theatre, school swimming baths lessons, CYPS Lakeland Centres & Outdoor Education Team. School based sports activities and visits to other schools and approved education partners, community activities, e.g. church, OAP homes.
Visits with increased hazards, visits with increased insurance premiums.
Approval Procedure: Headteacher/Manager approval who may or may not delegate to the EVC. Governing Body approval can be obtained on an annual or an individual basis.
Notification to the Educational Visits Advisor (EVA): The Category B Notification Form can be used and sent via email.
Notification timescale: It is good practice for the EVA to receive notification at least 4 weeks prior to visit. The minimum is 10 working days.
Examples of Category B Visits: Cycling on quiet roads or non remote off-road terrain, day visits involving outdoor & adventurous activities that are in Adventurous Activity Licensing Authority (AALA) registered centres, low level initiative challenges such as self led walks, orienteering or ‘treasure hunts’ (offsite)within ‘zoned’ or enclosed areas, adventure courses, theme parks, trips to the circus, ‘open’ farms, recreational indoor water centres, zoned beach visits, supervised walk near ponds, small lakes or canal, commercial boat trips; ferry crossings, visits including long or complicated journeys using public transport and those not included in category A.
Risk Assessments (RA’s): RA’s must be carried out for all visits, for A & B visits it is no longer necessary to send them to the EVA.
Approval Procedure: Headteacher/Manager, School EVC & Governing Body.
Notification to the EVA: Submit for endorsement to the EVA. The visit cannot proceed without endorsement by the EVA.
Notification timescale: Notification must be at least 4 weeks prior to the visit taking place. For visits abroad, it is advisable to notify the EVA as soon as the Governing Body has approved the visit.
Notification must be made using a completed Category C Notification Form. The form must be accompanied with risk assessments and an outline programme covering all aspects of the visit including management of free time.
Examples of category C visits: Winter sports, activities in or close to large areas of open or fast moving water (eg, the sea, large deep water lochs or lakes and rivers not specified in category A or B), ‘higher-level’ personal challenges, e.g., Duke of Edinburgh’s Award ventures, any overnight camping & related activities especially in remote areas. Visits which involve an overnight stay, visits abroad. School led visits, which would normally be in scope of AALA. Activities involving or being carried out by armed services. Also includes the following activities; Ice Skating, go karting & high ropes courses.
For all visits: The Group Leader must be experienced, competent and have sound knowledge of all aspects of the visit and, be approved by the Headteacher/Manager/Governors. Accompanying staff and volunteers must also be adequately experienced, competent and be fully briefed regarding their role and responsibilities.
All staff & regular adult helpers must have CRB clearance. Other infrequent adult helpers must be checked against list 99 (Contact HR at Progress House).
The following administration must be undertaken. Every visit must be logged. Headteachers/Managers to have monitoring procedures in place to ensure staff have up-to date qualifications/certification and experience relevant to the planned activity are in place and kept on file. This also applies to voluntary adult helpers. Model forms located within the guidance can be used for this purpose.
It must be stressed, the personal information must be kept on file for use as evidence of competency in the event of an accident/insurance claim, for a time limit of 18 years.
