Offsite & adventurous activities guidance

01 Learning outside the classroom

1.01 Introduction

1.02 The Purpose of Visits and Activities

1.03 Personal Development

1.04 Recreational Ventures

1.05 Appropriate Activities

02 Legal context and duty of care

2.01 Introduction

2.02 The Duty of Care

2.03 Implementing the Duty of Care

2.04 Health and Safety

03 Roles and responsibilities

3.01 The Role of the Employer

3.02 The Role of the Offsite Visits Coordinator (OVC)

3.03 The Role of the Headteacher/Service Head

3.04 The Role of the School Governing Body

3.05 Responsibilities of the Group Leader 

3.06 Responsibility of Accompanying Teachers, Youth Workers and Other Staff

3.07 Responsibilities of Adult Volunteers and Voluntary Activity Instructors

3.08 Responsibilities of the Children and Young People

3.09 Responsibilities of Parents/Guardians

3.10 Young People Aged Eighteen and Over

04 Planning and management

4.01 Management of Group Leaders

4.02 Management of Offsite Visits Co-ordinators (OVCs)

4.03 Management of Risk

4.04 Preparation and Planning

4.05 Preparing Children and Young People

4.06 Online Management System

05 – Approvals

5.01 Submission of Information

5.02 Approvals Process

5.03 Approval by Offsite Visits Co-ordinators (OVCs)

5.04 Approval by Headteacher/Service Head

5.05 Approval by Offsite Visits Advisor (OVA)

5.06  Adventurous Activities

5.07  Non Approved Activities

5.08  Approval by School Governors

5.09  Approval of Recurring Activities

5.10 Lead in Times for Approvals

5.11 How Much Detail is Required

5.12 Evaluation Form

06 Risk assessment

6.01 1999 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations

6.02 Risk Assessment Process

6.03 Generic Risk Assessment

6.04  On Going Risk Assessment

6.05  Categories of Risk

6.06  Repeated Activities

6.07  Heightened security

6.08  Alcohol

6.09 Foreign Visits

6.10 Complex Visits

6.11 Exchange Visits

6.12 Vetting Non UK Host Families

6.13 Vetting UK Host Families

6.14 Coastal Visits and Beach Activities

6.15 Part of a group’s time on a beach may be recreational

07 Staff qualifications and experience

7.01 Group Leader

7.02 Other members of Staff

7.03 Activities Involving More Than One establishment

7.04 Provider Staff Qualifications and Experience

7.05 Good Practice in Supervision and the Standard of Care

08 Supervision and staffing ratios

8.01 Factors to be Considered

8.02 Day Visits Within the Locality

8.03 Residential Visits Within the UK

8.04 Residential and Day Visits Abroad

8.05 Minimum Number of Staff

8.06  Activities Where Children and Young People are Not Under Direct Supervision

8.07 Children and/or Relatives of Staff Accompanying the Group

8.08 Preparing Participants for Remote Supervision

8.09 Remote Supervision During Adventurous Activities

8.10 Staffing of Mixed and Single Sex Groups

8.11 Adult Volunteers and Volunteer Instructors

8.12 Staff Ratio for Adventurous Activities

8.13 Children and Young People with Special and Additional Needs

8.14 Mental Capacity Act and Offsite Activities For Learners Over 18 in Supported Independent Living

8.15 Day Visits Within Locality

8.16 Day Visits and Adventurous Activities requiring OVA Approval

8.17 Residential and High Risk Visits

8.18 Repeat Visits

8.19 Head Counts

8.20 Delegation

09 Finance and charging

9.01 Terminology

9.02 Subsidising Activities

9.03 Charges or Voluntary Contributions

9.04 What can be Charged by Schools

9.05 Voluntary Contributions by Parents/Guardians

9.06 Outside Agencies

9.07 Financial Planning

9.08 Value Added Tax (VAT)

9.09 VAT on Residential Visits

9.10 Procedure for Reclaiming VAT on Residential Visits

10 – Parental consent

10.01 When is Consent Necessary?

10.02 Who Can Sign a Medical and Consent Form?

10.03  Why is consent required?

10.04  Consent Process

10.05  Provision of Information Prior to Consent

10.06 Information Evenings

10.07 Pressure on Parents/Guardians

10.08 Medical and Consent Form

10.09 Alterations to the Medical and Consent Form

10.10 Medical Consent

10.11 Consent for Photographs/Vidoes

10.12 Storage of Medical and Consent Forms

10.13 Retenion of Medical and Consent Forms

11 – Insurance

11.01 Travel Insurance

11.02  Who Pays for Travel Insurance?

11.03  What Travel Insurance Covers

11.04  The Arrangement for Travel Insurance

11.05  What is Covered Under the Council’s Travel Insurance Policy

11.06  Arranging and Paying for the Council’s Travel Insurance Cover

11.07  Recovering the Cost of the Council’s Travel Insurance Scheme

11.08  Online Approvals System

11.09  Third Party Liability Insurance

11.10  Employer’s Liability Insurance

11.11  Vehicle Insurance

11.12  Further Details on Bracknell Forest Council’s Insurance Policies

11.13  Information to Parents/Carers about Insurance

11.14  Academies

11.15  Children’s Centres

12 – Transport

Travel by Air

12.01 Travelling Through Airports – Departure

12.02 On the Aircraft

12.03  Travelling Through Airports – Arrival

Travel by Rail (under and over ground)

12.04 Train

12.05 At The Station

12.06 Boarding the train

12.07 The Journey

12.08 Disembarkation

12.09  Emergencies

Travel by Road

12.10 The Obligations of the Driver

12.11  Vehicle Log Books

12.12  Medical/Consent Form

12.13  Drivers

12.14  Driver’s Hours

12.15  Alcohol

12.16  Drugs

12.17 Seat Belts

12.18  Mobile Phones

12.19 Private Vehicles

12.20 Child Car Seat Restraints

12.21 Coaches

12.22 Minibuses

12.23 Instructions in the Event of a Road Accident

12.24 London Low Emission Zone (LEZ)

Travel by Water

12.25 Ferries

12.26 Loading and Embarkation

12.27 Dismounting from a Coach

12.28 Passenger Lounge

12.29 Behaviour

12.30 Muster Stations

12.31 Outside Decks

12.32 Cabins

12.33 Returning to the vehicle deck

13 Emergency procedures

13.01  Introduction and How to Use this Section

13.02  Bracknell Forest Council Emergency Duty Officer

13.03  Accident/Incident Reporting

13.04  In the Case of a Fatality

14 External providers

14.01 Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations

14.02 The Activities Requiring a Licence

14.03 Persons Who are Required to Hold a Licence

14.04 Facilities and Services Provided by a Voluntary Association

14.05 Learning Outside the Classroom