Archived decisions

REVIEW OF POLICY, ARRANGEMENTS AND GUIDANCE CONCERNING EDUCATIONAL VISITS, OFF-SITE ACTIVITIES AND HAZARDOUS PURSUITS

1. The Executive Member was pleased to endorse the adoption of policies and an implementation plan for the County Council's requirements for the health and safety of young people on educational visits, off-site activities and adventurous activities.

2. Full consultations are being carried out with the Chief Executive, schools, the Youth Service and other agencies and considerable technical expertise within the region has been drawn on.

3. The legal framework for the policies is established under the Health and Safety at Work Act and its associated regulations. It is the policy of the Council, as far as is reasonably practical, to ensure:

· the health, safety and welfare of teachers, youth workers and other educational staff;


· the health and safety of children and young people, both in their establishments and when undertaking off-site visits and activities;


· the health and safety of visitors to the educational establishments and volunteers involved in approved activity.


In formulating its policies and procedures, the Council has been able to show how it will meet the main roles set out in the DfES document Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits (1998) by:

· providing written guidelines for governors, headteachers and teachers, including advice on risk assessment;


· assessing proposals for certain types of visits;


· providing emergency telephone contact for the duration of the visit where necessary;


· ensuring training needs have been addressed;


· providing access to named staff for advice;


· maintaining appropriate insurance cover;


· having in place procedures to monitor and review safety during off-site visits and activities.


In addition the Outdoor Education Unit:

· provides a lead agency role in the promotion and development of quality outdoor education;


· monitors the quality of leading, learning and management of outdoor education in schools, youth groups and voluntary organisations.


The recently issued DfES 2002 document has set clear targets in the area of monitoring schools' and groups' compliance with these policies and procedures. This has been taken into account when both redrafting the documents and adapting procedures.

4. The implementation plan for the policy is:

· Completion of the policy documents and final consultation
with key agencies and partners (Chief Executive, Portsmouth Sept into Oct 2002
and Southampton)


· CEO final approval, printing and distribution End Oct 2002


· Update training offered to all schools/Youth Service and
volunteer groups
Nov and Dec 2002
Specific headteacher/governor update conferences/Youth
Service conference


· Specific educational visits coordinator training (DfES-
funded) - one-day courses for all schools, youth groups Jan to July 2003

Also related activities coordinated:

· Complete the review, policy and arrangements for serious
incident management/emergencies in the Education Department Sept 2002


· Continue to develop and enhance the partnership working with
the Recreation and Heritage Department concerning the Ongoing
`Outdoor Service'


· Appoint a manager for the Trailblazer Project, an inter-
departmental outdoor curriculum project Oct 2002

8FR35902