Planning a Visit

1. Planning a Visit

2. Task – 5 minutes Think of the next few or three visits that are coming up at your establishment – or recent trips from last term Use a ‘post it’ for each visit and briefly describe the visit Put them in the middle of the table for use later 77 Year 7 Alton Towers Day trip July 2009 7 staff 4 pupils special needs .. .

3. Task - Key stages in Educational Visits Your visit leader is running a residential visit to the Capital City. Detail the key issues they should cover at each stage of the visit: • Before the visit • During the visit • After the visit

4. Pre Trip Planning • Aims & objectives • EVC / Head / Governors approval • LA notification or approval • Informing parents (full details of activities) • Parental consent and information from parents: Medical / Special needs; Allergies; Diets and appropriate support in place • Make sure all who are involved in leading the visit are aware of additional needs – of young people and staff • Competence of visit leaders • Kit list . . . behaviour expectations (red card offences). • Itinerary /programme • Value for money and accounting • charging policy • funding available • voluntary contributions • deposits & collection details…timing important • Check out the provider

5. Challenge could be cognitive, physical, social, emotional or personal. Panic Zone Stretch Zone Comfort Zone The area where the most powerful learning takes place

7. Value for Money considerations Can we deliver this using our own staff? If not, which providers offer quality at a reasonable price? Could we train our staff to deliver this themselves in future? Do we need to travel a long distance if aims can be achieved locally without sacrificing impact and quality?

8. Outdoor Learning Cards One option is to empower staff to deliver activities themselves, further details: http://www.oeaptraining.info/courses/oeap/olc.

9. Competent leaders • What qualities/competencies does a visit leader need in your school/centre? • How can you support the development of these competencies in your staff?

11. Leader Competence Previous Trips Knowledge of Venue/s Knowledge of Pupils Knowledge of Activity Apprenticeship Recent & Relevant CPD Experience OEAP Leader Training Driving First Aid if relevant NGB Award if relevant Training e.g. Group Leader OCR Off Site Safety Mgt Qualifications Training Common Sense Trust Confidence Intuition ‘My Child’ Test Ongoing Risk Assessment

12. OEAP Leader Training • Ongoing risk management • Group management on Educational Visits • A practical course • Courses for individuals or whole staff teams • We’ll contact you to let you know course dates

14. Who Said This? “When anyone asks me how I can describe my experience of nearly forty years at sea, I merely say uneventful. Of course, there have been winter gales and storms and fog and the like, but in all my experience, I have never been in an accident of any sort worth speaking about. I have seen but one vessel in distress in all my years at sea . . . I never saw a wreck and have never been wrecked, nor was I ever in any predicament that threatened to end in disaster of any sort” E. J. Smith, Captain of the Titanic d.14th April 1912

15. Competence of the EVC Be realistic about your knowledge and competence and seek advice for visits you aren’t sure about

16. Working with independent providers

20. CHOOSING AN INDEPENDENT PROVIDER • Leaders should look for the following: • appropriate activities and services to meet the aims of your visit • reliability – ask others • acceptable booking conditions – scrutinise any limitation of liability, the cancellation terms and the insurance package on offer • suitable safety procedures – independent accreditation? • the right price, reflecting value for money in comparison with other offerings • an interesting and relevant programme • appropriate supporting literature and liaison Badges! Independent Provider Questionnaire: use this to carry out basic checks and keep record on file

21. CHOOSING AN INDEPENDENT PROVIDER • For any provider check the following: • appropriate activities and services to meet the aims of your visit • value for money • personal experience of venue best, failing that – recommendation by others • This level of check is suitable for visitor attractions and public access venues – examples? • zoo, museum, sports stadium, theatre, ice rink, lifeguarded swimming pool, historical/cultural sites, theme parks, hotels, bowling alleys etc. In addition to the above, you need to carry out a more detailed check for specialist venues or activity providers – examples? an outdoor activity provider, farm visit or similar: • Provider must complete Form 5 (independent provider questionnaire) BEFORE you book with them • Don’t ask for a copy of the provider’s risk assessments

24. Pre-trip planning Preliminary visit required? Local knowledge – other users? Staff : pupil ratio. Mixed trip . . . Gender issues? Communications between group & back to base. What if(s) rehearsed? Critical incident plan? Alternative plan? Insurance arrangements (EHIC if abroad) Risk assessed - significant hazards . . . beware the ‘frolic’ Adult helpers CRB checked if required ‘adults with substantial access’ (unsupervised) Transport available? Minibus? Seat belts? Spare driver /supervisor if required? First aid cover?

25. First aid cover – what is needed?

27. THE RADAR

28. Activities that require detailed planning that reflects challenging environments, locations, higher perceived risk activities Complex Enhanced Planning required Activities that require detailed planning that reflects more complex student needs, leader competencies Simpler visits/activities, covered by ‘blanket parental consent’ and standard operating procedures Simple Distant On Site Off Site

29. e.g Local Park Complex Activities that require detailed planning Enhanced Planning required Simpler visits and activities Simple On Site Off Site Distant

30. e.g P.E. Fixtures, Weekly Swimming, Forest Schools Complex Activities that require detailed planning Enhanced Planning required Simpler visits and activities Simple On Site Off Site Distant

31. Complex e.g Residential Drama weekend Activities that require detailed planning Enhanced Planning required Simpler visits and activities Simple On Site Off Site Distant

32. Complex e.g Abseiling off the school building Activities that require detailed planning Enhanced Planning required Simpler visits and activities Simple On Site Off Site Distant

33. Image: Learning through Landscapes

34. e.g Bolivia Trek Complex Activities that require detailed planning Enhanced Planning required Simpler visits and activities Simple On Site Off Site Distant

35. The Radar Complex Activities that require detailed planning Leader Competence Group Ability / Behaviour / Needs Enhanced Planning required Environmental Conditions Activity Simpler visits and activities Simple Distant On Site Off Site

36. The Radar Complex Zone Three Zone Two Zone One Simple Distant On Site Off Site

37. Exercise Draw a rough ‘Radar’ Graph on a piece of flip chart paper Take it in turns to read out the details on the yellow stickers prepared earlier Group decides where each sticker should be placed on the graph

38. Complex Activities that require detailed planning Enhanced Planning required Simpler visits and activities Simple Distant On Site Off Site

39. During the trip • Ongoing risk management . . . weather • Medical forms, home contact details • First aid kit • Base / school contact details • Looking after money . . . tutor groups • Staff duty rota for residentials • Downtime • Rendezvous / meeting points • Buddy systems, head counts, frequency? • Group leaders, cards with names • What if I get lost? • Security of accommodation. . . Fire safety?

47. After the trip • Aims met? • EVC / Head / Governors / LA feedback • Evaluation / Review • Visit details retained on file • Accident/incident forms – follow LA procedures • Near misses? • Financial records - auditors • Thanks to colleagues • Ignore the staff that ask “Did you have a nice holiday?” • Go home & reacquaint with family • Plan the next one

48. Evaluation/review Were learning objectives met? Did staff and pupils enjoy and benefit from the visits? Was the visit value for money? Would you use the provider again?

49. The plan ‘…A plan is a position from which to adjust...’ Neil MacLaine

50. ‘...planning is an unnatural process – it is much more fun to do something else. And the nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise; rather than being preceded by a period of worry and depression...’ Sir John Harvey-Jones