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
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
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
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
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
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
10.01 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
11.01 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
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
13.01 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
14.01 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
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Forms
Activity sheets
- Abseiling
- Adventure parks
- Archery
- Boating – canal and river
- Boating – coastal and offshore
- Camping – level 1
- Camping – level 2 expedition and wild camp
- Canoe surfing and whitewater canoeing
- Canoeing and kayaking – inland/sheltered water
- Canoeing and kayaking – sea
- Caving, potholing and mine exploration
- Climbing – indoor and artificial walls
- Climbing – rock
- Coasteering
- Cycling – BMX
- Cycling – mountain biking
- Cycling – recreational
- Cycling – road and track racing
- Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – Bronze
- Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – Silver
- Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – Gold
- Farm visits
- Fishing – coarse and fly
- Fishing – from a boat
- Fishing – sea
- Foot paddling – sea
- Go-Karting
- Horse riding and trekking
- Ice-skating
- Orienteering
- Pond dipping
- Rowing competitive
- Rowing – recreational
- Sailing – coastal and offshore
- Sailing – inland sheltered water
- Skiing
- Snorkelling
- Snowboarding
- Sub aqua
- Swimming – body surfing
- Swimming – recreational
- Swimming – sea
- Swimming – under instruction
- Ten-pin bowling
- Walking (hill) – other European countries
- Walking (hill) – summer conditions
- Walking (hill) – winter conditions
- Walking – night
- Walking – stream and gorge
- Whitewater rafting and raft building
- Windsurfing
Newsletters
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter – Spring 2019
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter – Autumn 2018
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter – Summer 2018
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter – Spring 2018
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter – Autumn 2017
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter- Summer 2017
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter – Spring 2017
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter – Autumn 2016
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter – Summer 2016
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter – Spring 2016
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter – Autumn 2015
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter – Dec 2014
- Offisite and adventurous activities newsletter – Jan 2014
- Offsite and adventurous activities newsletter – Sept 2013
Additional guidance
In this section
Contact info
- People Directorate
- Tel:01344 352000
- Email:cypl@bracknell-forest.gov.ukOpens in your application