EVC Co-ordinator -Mrs. Julie Marshall – Head of School

We believe that visits and outings play an important in enriching children’s life experiences. Chatham Nursery School minibus offers the children unique opportunities to travel in small groups to local places of interest. Each visit is fully risk assessed and all minibus drivers have the MIDAS qualification. We also believe in the value of whole school community trips which are planned at the end of the autumn and summer terms. During such events, the safety of children remains paramount.

Information pertinent to whole school or large group offsite visits will be uploaded onto Liverpool School Improvement system Evolve

Why have school trips?
Pupils can derive considerable educational benefit from taking part in trips. They have the opportunity to undergo experiences not available in the classroom; visits help to develop a pupil’s investigative skills and also encourage greater independence. They also provide pupils with knowledge and awareness of the world around them and encourage personal and social development.

Planning Visits

It is essential that formal planning takes place before setting off. This involves considering the dangers and difficulties which may arise and making plans to reduce them. As part of Local Authority, we use the Evolve online system as part of our planning and risk management process.
The group leader and other supervisors should monitor the risks throughout the visit and take appropriate action as necessary

• The group leader/trip organiser should take the following factors into consideration:
• The type of visit/activity and the level at which it is being undertaken.
• The location, routes, and modes of transport.
• The competence, experience, and qualifications of supervisory staff.
• The ratios of teachers to pupils.
• The group members’ fitness, competence and temperament and the suitability of the activity.
• The special educational or medical needs of pupils.
• The quality and suitability of available equipment.
• Seasonal conditions.
• Emergency procedures.
• How to cope when a pupil becomes unable or unwilling to continue
• The need to monitor the risks throughout the visit

Other considerations which should form part of the planning stage include:
• Communication arrangements.
• Supervision ratios.
• Contingency measures for enforced change of plan or late return.
• Information to parents.
• Preparing pupils.
• Emergency arrangements.
• Arrangements for sending pupils home early.

Risk Assessments
The procedures outlined in this policy and the specific details of the proposed trip should be summarised in a risk assessment, using Liverpool Local Authority’s agreed format. This should be shared with all members of staff who are going on the trip, who must sign to say they have read it
and agree to follow the guidelines.

Financial Planning
The group leader should ensure that parents have early written information about the cost of the trip. Parents should be given enough time to prepare financially for the trip. The head teacher should ensure that banking arrangements are in place to separate the trip’s receipts from other school funds.

First Aid
On any trip there will be a number of First Aiders present as all our staff are trained and have a Paediatric First Aid Certificate. The minimum first-aid provision for a visit is:
• A suitably stocked first-aid box.
• A person appointed to be in charge of first-aid arrangements.

Other considerations when considering first-aid should include:
• The numbers in the group and the nature of the activity.

Supervision – Responsibilities
Teachers must understand their roles and responsibilities at all times. In particular, all teachers should be aware of any pupils who may require closer supervision.

Day Trips
Children with an EHC Plan, adult/child ratio 1:1
• Other SEN pupils, adult/child ratio 1:2
• One teacher/adult for every 6 pupils is the maximum allowed for Nursery age range.
• However, where possible 1:2 should be used, i.e. one on each hand.
• Regular head counting of pupils should take place, particularly before leaving any venue.
• The suitability of potential supervisors should be assessed by the group leader and head teacher at an early stage of the planning process.
• All adult helpers, including teachers and parent/volunteer helpers, must understand their roles and responsibilities at all times. Supervisors should be aware of any pupils who may require closer supervision.Teachers retain responsibility for the group at all times.
• All supervisors should carry a list of all pupils and adults involved in the visit at all times.
• The teacher in charge remains responsible for pupils even when not in direct contact with them. Pupils should not wear name badges
• Children will wear a badge with the school badge and contact details on.

Preparing Children
Children who are involved in a trip’s planning and organisation, and who are well prepared, will make more informed decisions and will be less at risk. Providing information and guidance to pupils is an important part of preparing for a school trip. Children should clearly understand what is
expected of them and what the trip will entail. Children must understand what standard of behaviour is expected of them and why rules must be followed.

Participation
The teacher in charge should ensure that the children are capable of undertaking the proposed activity. They should not be coerced into activities of which they have a genuine fear. Children whose behaviour is such that the teacher in charge is concerned for their safety, or for that of others, should be withdrawn from the activity

Information to children
The teacher in charge should decide how information is provided but ensure that children understand key safety information.

Children should understand:
• The aims and objectives of the visit/activity.
• Background information about the place to be visited.
• How to avoid specific dangers and why they should follow rules.
• Why safety precautions are in place
• What standard of behaviour is expected from children.
• Appropriate and inappropriate personal and social conduct.
• Who is responsible for the group.

Transport and Children
Children and adults using transport on a visit should be made aware of basic safety rules including:
• Arrive on time and wait for transport in a safe place.
• Wear your seatbelt and stay seated whilst travelling on transport.
• Never tamper with any of the vehicle’s equipment or driving controls.
• Never kneel or stand on seats
• Never disturb or distract the driver.
• If you feel unwell, tell a teacher or supervisor.

Children with Special Educational and Medical Needs
Every effort should be made to include pupils with special educational or medical needs. Special attention should be given to appropriate supervision ratios, and additional safety measures may need to be addressed at the planning stage.

The following factors should be taken into consideration:

• Is the pupil capable of taking part in and benefiting from the activity?
• Can the activity be adapted to enable the pupil to participate at a suitable level?
• Will additional/different resources be necessary?
• Will additional supervision be necessary?
The teacher in charge should discuss the visit with the parents of SEN pupils to ensure that suitable arrangements have been put in place to ensure their safety.

Children with Medical Needs
All teachers supervising visits should be aware of a pupil’s medical needs and any medical emergency procedures. If the pupil’s safety cannot be guaranteed, it may be appropriate to ask the parent to accompany a particular child.

Parents should be asked to supply:

• Details of medical conditions.
• Emergency contact numbers.
• The child’s GP’s name, address, and phone number.
• Written details of any medication required (including instructions on dosage/times) and parental permission to administer
• Information on any allergies/phobias.
• Information on any dietary requirements.
• Information on any toileting difficulties.
• Parental home and daytime phone numbers and address
• Special transport needs for pupils who require help with mobility.

Enquiries should be made at an early stage about access and facilities for securing wheelchairs on transport and at residential centres, etc. All teachers supervising the visit should be given the opportunity to talk through any concerns they may have about their ability to support the child.
Extra help should be requested if necessary. If teachers are concerned about whether they can provide for a pupil’s safety or the safety of other pupils on a trip because of a medical condition, they should seek general medical advice from the School Health Service or the child’s parents.

Communicating with Parents
The following information should be given to parents in advance of the trip:
• Date of the visit
• Visit’s objectives.
• Times of departure and return – parents must have agreed to meet their child on return.
• Modes of travel.
• Names of leader, of other staff and of other accompanying adults.
• Details of the activities planned.
• What pupils should/should not take on the visit
• Details on the cost of the visit and how the money is to be taken.

Parental Consent
Head teachers or group leaders should seek additional consent for:

• All visits out of school involving pupils, where transport is needed.

(On admission, parents sign a blanket consent form to allow weekly walking trips out of the Nursery to local shops Community Garden and St Hugh’s School)

A parental consent form should be completed for each child in the group. Some general issues to consider include:

• Allergies/phobias the pupil may have.
• Any contagious or infectious diseases suffered within the family during the preceding 4 weeks, and any recent illnesses suffered by the pupil.
• Whether the pupil suffers from travel sickness
• Any other information which the parent thinks should be known.
• Parental home and daytime phone numbers and addresses.

Medical Consent
This should form part of the parental consent form. Parents should be asked to agree to the pupil receiving emergency treatment, including anaesthetic or blood transfusion, as considered necessary by the medical authorities. If parents do not agree to this, head teachers may decide to withdraw the child from the visit – given the additional responsibility this would entail for the group leader.

Planning Transport
The group leader must give careful thought to planning transport. The main factors to consider include:
• Passenger safety.
• Type of journey – local or will it include long distance driving, i.e., motorways
• Traffic conditions.
• Weather.
• Journey time and distance.
• Stopping points on long journeys for toilet and refreshments.
• Supervision.

Seat Belts
All minibuses and coaches which carry groups of 3 or more children aged between 3 and 15 years inclusive, must be fitted with a seat belt for each child.

Supervision on Transport
The group leader is responsible for the party at all times, including maintaining good discipline. All group members should be made aware of the position of the emergency door and first aid and anti-fire equipment on transport. Factors that the group leader should consider when planning supervision on transport include:

• Safety when crossing roads – pupils need to know how to observe the safety rules set out in the Highway Code and the Green Cross Code.

• Drivers of buses and coaches must comply with legislation covering maximum periods of driving and minimum rest periods

• Head counts, by the group leader or another delegated teacher, should always be carried out when the group is getting off or onto transport.

• Responsibility for checking that seat belts are worn.

• Travel sickness tablets should only be administered to a pupil with previous authorisation from the parents.

Hiring Coaches and Buses
The group leader is responsible for ensuring that coaches and buses are hired from a reputable company. Operators must have the appropriate public service vehicle (PSV) operator’s licence. When booking transport, the group leader should ensure that seat belts are available for pupils. If
any of the group uses a wheelchair, the group leader should ensure that transport used has appropriate access and securing facilities.

Insurance
The group leader must ensure, well before the group departs, that adequate insurance agreements are in place.

Coastal Visits
Group leaders and other teachers should be aware that many of the incidents affecting pupils have occurred by or in the sea. Appropriate Risk Assessments should be made and followed.

Farm Visits
Farms can be dangerous so farm visits should be carefully planned. The merits of an exploratory visit should be considered. Appropriate Risk Assessments should be made and followed. Further advice is contained on the DFES website.

Emergency Procedures
Teachers in charge of pupils during a visit have a duty of care to make sure that the pupils are safe and healthy. They also have a common law duty to act as a reasonably prudent parent would. Teachers should not hesitate to act in an emergency and to take lifesaving action in an extreme situation. Emergency procedures are an essential part of planning a school visit. If an accident happens, the priorities are to:
• Assess the situation.
• Safeguard the uninjured members of the group.
• Attend to the casualty.
• Inform the emergency services and everyone who needs to know of the incident.

Who Will Take Charge in an Emergency?
The group leader would usually take charge and would need to ensure that emergency procedures are in place and that back up cover is arranged.

Pre-arranged School Home Contact The school contact’s main responsibility is to link the group with the school and the parents, and to help as necessary. All those involved in the school trip, including teachers, pupils, and parents, should be informed of who will take charge in an emergency and what they are expected to do in an emergency.

Emergency Procedures Framework during the Visit
If an emergency occurs on a school visit, the main factors to consider include:
• Establish the nature and extent of the emergency as quickly as possible.
• Ensure that all of the group are safe and looked after.
• Establish the names of any casualties and get immediate medical attention for them.
• Ensure that all group members who need to know, are aware of the incident and that all group members are following the emergency procedures.
• Ensure that a teacher accompanies casualties to hospital and that the rest of the group are adequately super and that the rest of the group are adequately super group are adequately supervised at all times and kept together.
• Notify the police if necessary.
• Inform the school contact and include details such as; nature, date and time of incident; location of incident; names of casualties and details of their injuries; names of others involved so that parents can be reassured; action taken so far; action yet to be taken (and by whom).
• Notify insurers, especially if medical assistance is required. This may be done by school contact
• Write down accurately and as soon as possible all relevant facts and witness details and preserve any vital evidence
• Complete an accident report form as soon as possible
• No one in the group should speak to the media. Names of those involved in the incident should not be given to the media as this could cause distress to their families. No one in the group should discuss legal liability with other parties.

The main factors for the school contact to consider include:

• Ensuring that the group leader is in control of the emergency and establishing if any assistance is required from the home base.
• Contacting parents. The school link is the contact between the group and parents. Parents should be kept as well informed as possible, at all stages of the emergency.
• The school contact should act as a link between the group and the chair of governors and arrange for the group to receive assistance, if necessary.
• Liaison with media contact. The reporting of the incident using appropriate forms, if necessary.

Media Contact
Education Authorities usually have a designated person to deal with media enquiries. The media contact should liaise with the school contact, the group leader and, where appropriate, the emergency services. In the event of an emergency all media enquiries should be referred to WELB via the Principal. The name of any casualty should not be given to the media.

After a Serious Incident
It is not always possible to assess whether uninjured group members have been traumatised or whether pupils or staff in school have been affected. Schools in this situation have sometimes found it helpful to contact local community support services and to seek professional advice

This policy was agreed and implemented on 7th July 2023 and is due for review July 2024

There will be ongoing monitoring of this policy as some aspects may require
amending/updating before the review date should there be any incidents which take place relating to it that give cause for concern.