Yr 8 Camp

ResidentialTrips.

Whether you are taking children off premises to visit the local museum or taking young people away for a full five days, we need to ensure that every aspect of our planning incorporates safety and protection planning

For the Party LeaderDetailed risk assessments carried out prior to trip or residential.

Permission obtained from Principle

Staff choice selected through open invitation and then selected by the Principle. Selection based on availability, experience and development of skills.

Parents informed via letters home outlining dates and details of the proposed trip.

If an overnight residential, parents invited to attend a more detailed meeting outlining safeguarding procedures and trip details..

Risk AssessmentPrevention is always better than a cure.

•A Risk assessment form must be complete/ authorised before a trip can take place.• The risk assessment form will give you a check list which will help guide you.

•Information to parents about the trip.•Dates, Times Outcomes of the trip.•Medical and behavioural issues. •Loco Parentis form for residential (do cross check with SIMS sometimes they will forget information or add something new which we do not have records of).

•Contact details ,parents, school, school mobiles allocated to staff on the trip.•Lists of students. Must be left with the main office, SMT, pin a copy to the staff room wall.

•Ratios ?????? What’s the correct ratio??? Consider ratios in respect of the age of the children, whether any of the children have special needs, the nature of the trip and activities, the experience of those accompanying pupils and the duration of the trip. •What happens IF?? (emergency planning)

Risk Assessment

The Venue.Travel –Make sure that travel arrangements are also subjected to risk assessment. Road travel is considered the most serious hazard on any school trip.!! Environment – Have we been before? Do we have site maps, reference points. The more information we can supply to staff/students/parents the better.What activities are taking place?Centres providing activities for children should be asked to provide evidence that their staff have been checked. They will all have a H&S policy and should be produced on request.

Is it new to our students???

Students.Is the Venue/Environment/Experience new to our students??Talking to pupilsTalking to pupils about the proposed trip is essential. Pupils may have very individual concerns about the trip or specific aspects of the trip. Stress the importance of safety to all pupils (they often take a more mature attitude when they understand why). Explain why you are going to do things like head counts, checking equipment, asking them to be quiet while you give instructions, etc.

This could also mean students open up a bit more, they become a bit more relaxed, out side the classroom, away from home and they may want to talk to you about any issues they are having. We need to think about our actions from there! You know our students and you are still in Loco Parentis!!!!

Staff

Don’t leave yourself open to any allegation.

For some staff it may be a new experience and to have children under their care and control for 24 hours is hard work. Make sure all staff are well supported. It should be a good experience for them too.

We have a great support structure and a strong belief in the benefits from doing off site trips.Students will remember some trips for the rest of their lives and how they impact upon them.

PolicyThe Educational Visits Policy can be found on the Academy website.