Educational Visits

Why do we go on Educational visits?

Research has shown that students embed learning and remember more fully, accurately and reliably when they have learned in contexts that closely reflect the real-world application of what they are learning about.

Educational visits can have an important role to play in helping young people to develop healthy lifestyles whilst also re-engaging them with their natural environment.

School communications will be sent home to parents via email and or on occasion via your child in letter form.

Parental Permission

When your child first joins the school, parents are asked to give blanket permission for educational visits which happen during the school day when they sign the admission form. 

For educational visits which depart before the school day and/or return after the end of the school day, parental permission is needed in order for the child to go. Where permission is not obtained the child cannot join an educational visit. Permission of this nature can usually be given online via ScoPay at the same time as making the voluntary contribution; alternatively permission can be given in writing or via email to the school office;  office@miltonroad.cambs.sch.uk

Lunches

All children in Early Years, KS1 and pupils entitled to Free School meals going on educational visits which return to school after 11.30am are provided packed lunches free of charge.

Parents of children in KS2 going on visits returning after lunch must either provide a packed lunch from home, or order one by contacting the school office before the deadline given on the visit letter.

Financing 

When invited, voluntary contributions should be made online via ScoPay.

All parents are required to register and make payments online; cash and cheques are no longer accepted, unless specified by the school.

Insurance

Local Authority insurance covers the majority of educational visits. 

Residential, oversees or adventurous activities require additional insurance which is either included in the price charged to the school by the venue, or taken out separately by the school. 

Parent/Carer Volunteers

Parent/Carer volunteers are an invaluable resource used to help staff educational visits, and are relied upon to provide the required number of adults. All adults must be DBS checked by the school or have a portable DBS in order to accompany school visits.  

DBS checks

• we encourage early DBS application to ensure educational visits are not cancelled because of inadequate number of adults
• a DBS application is made via the school office and requires the school to see the original copies of three forms of ID, such as a passport, driving license or original birth certificate, a recent bill (from within the last 3 months from date of making application) i.e. council tax or utility bill (but not insurance or mobile phone).
• Photocopies will be taken of the original documents and passed to our HR Administrator who will administer the DBS check.
• The result of your DBS will be communicated via email.
• To reduce the need to do this process every year when the DBS check expires we ask you to register your certificate with the update service online. You will have 19 days from the date your certificate was issued to do this and as you are a school volunteer it is free of charge. You can do this here: https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

If more DBS checked volunteers come forward than are needed, the visit leader decides who to take or instructs the educational visits administrator to select at random. Volunteers will be contacted approximately one week before the date of the trip confirming whether or not they are needed, along with approximate departure and return times. Volunteering for a visit is no guarantee of accompanying the visit.   

Further information

The visit leader (usually the class teacher) has overall responsibility for the visit.

The Educational visits Co-ordinator at the school works with teachers to arrange/book the venues, activities and transport, communicate with parents and recruiting volunteers.

Advice is sought, where necessary, from the Local Outdoor Education Adviser to ensure visits are properly and safely planned.

The Outdoor Education Adviser is currently Stephen Brown, at the Outdoor Education Adviser Service, Cambridgeshire County Council.

The Headteacher has final approval for all visits and activities.

In addition to the class teacher, a TA will also attend each visit to assist the teacher and ensure that a trained first aider is present on each visit.  

If you have any questions regarding an educational visit please email the school office; office@miltonroad.cambs.sch.uk