Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent

Educational Visits Policy

Policy details

• Date created - July 2022
• Date reviewed - October 2025
• Date approved - 14/10/2025
• Next review date - October 2026
• Policy owner - Chief Operating Officer

1. Overview
2. Context
3. Application
4. Types of visit and approval
5. Roles and Responsibilities
6. Evaluation
7. Staff competence
8. Emergency procedures
9. Educational visits checklist
10. Parental consent
11. Inclusion
12. Charging / funding for visits
13.  Transport
14. Insurance

Overview

Intent

Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent acknowledges the immense value of educational visits to young people and fully supports and encourages those that are well planned and managed. Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) has a vital part to play in meeting the demands of the National Curriculum, and in achieving the goal of preparing young people for life beyond school.

Implementation

Learning outside the classroom activities and educational visits are used as teaching and learning tools for the delivery of elements of Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent ’s curriculum.

Impact

Learning outside the classroom activities and educational visits have clear and measurable aims which link to Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent’s curriculum. The impact contributes to students’ attainment and progress. Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent’s approach to the evaluation of activities and visits is set out in this policy.

Context

We believe that educational visits are an integral part of the entitlement of every student to an effective and balanced curriculum. Appropriately planned visits enhance learning and improve attainment, and so form a key part of what makes Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent  a supportive and effective learning environment. The benefits to pupils of taking part in visits and learning outside the classroom include, but are not limited to: 

• Improvements in their ability to cope with change.
• Increased critical curiosity and resilience.
• Opportunities for meaning making, creativity, developing learning relationships and practicing strategic awareness.
• Increased levels of trust and opportunities to examine the concept of trust (us in them, them in us, them in themselves, them in each other).
• Improved achievement and attainment across a range of curricular subjects. Students are active participants not passive consumers, and a wide range of learning styles can flourish.
• Enhanced opportunities for ‘real world’ ‘learning in context’ and the development of the social and emotional aspects of intelligence.
• Increased risk management skills through opportunities for involvement in practical risk-benefit decisions in a range of contexts, i.e. encouraging students to become more risk aware as opposed to risk averse.
• Greater sense of personal responsibility.
• Possibilities for genuine team working including enhanced communication skills.
• Improved environmental appreciation, knowledge, awareness and understanding of a variety of environments.
• Improved awareness and knowledge of the importance and practices of sustainability.
• Physical skill acquisition and the development of a fit and healthy lifestyle.

Application

Any visit that leaves the academy grounds is covered by this policy, whether during academy time or outside the normal academy day.

This Educational Visits Policy should be read in conjunction with:

1. The Co-op Academies Trust ‘Educational visits statement’ (available to all staff via Evolve and on the central Trust website).
2. The Co-op Academy Trust ‘Driving Policy’.
3. The Co-op Academy Trust 'Safeguarding and Child Protection’ Policy.
4. National Guidance www.oeapng.info

Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent uses EVOLVE for all educational visits.

All staff are required to plan and execute visits in line with this policy, the Co-op Academies Trust policies and National Guidelines. Staff are particularly directed to be familiar with the roles and responsibilities outlined within the guidance.

Types of Visit & Approval

There are three ‘types’ of visit:

1. Visits/activities within the ‘Academy Learning Area’ that are part of the normal curriculum and take place during the normal school day.

These follow the ‘Academy Learning Area’ Operating Procedure. (

2. Other non-residential visits within the UK that do not involve an adventurous activity.

These are entered on EVOLVE by the visit leader and submitted to the EVC for checking. The EVC then submits to the Headteacher for approval.

3. Visits that are overseas, residential, or involve an adventurous activity.

As above, but the Headteacher authorises and then submits to the Trust for approval.

Timescales

Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent uses the Evolve system to plan, manage and record educational visits.

Visit Leaders should plan and prepare visits allowing time for internal and external vetting and approval as required. Normally this will mean that visit plans should be submitted to the EVC by the following deadlines:

• 3 to 6 months before departure for Overseas Visits
• 5 weeks before departure for Residentials
• 5 weeks before departure for Adventure Activities
• 2 weeks before departure for other types of visit

If for any reason these deadlines cannot be met, clarification and approval should be sought from the EVC.

Roles and responsibilities

Visit leaders are responsible for the planning of their visits, and for entering these on EVOLVE (where required). They should obtain outline permission for a visit from the Headteacher or EVC prior to planning, and certainly before making any financial commitments. Visit leaders have responsibility for ensuring that their visits will comply with all relevant guidance and requirements.

The Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC) is Olivia Williamson who will support and challenge colleagues over visits and learning outside the classroom (LOtC) activities. The EVC is the first point of contact for advice on visit related matters, and will check final visit plans on EVOLVE before submitting them to the Headteacher. The EVC sets up and manages the staff accounts on EVOLVE, and uploads generic school documents, etc.

The Headteacher has responsibility for authorising all visits, and for submitting all overseas, residential or adventurous activity visits to the Trust for approval, via EVOLVE.

The Regional Director has responsibility for authorising overseas, residential or adventurous activity visits on behalf of the Trust, ensuring that the academy is compliant with the requirements of the ‘National Guidance’, and reviewing the range of visits provided by the academy

The Trust Board’s role is to review and approve relevant Trust-level policy statements and ensure that suitable and compliant safeguarding and staffing provision is in place throughout all academies.

Evaluation

At Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent, we evaluate all visits following their return. We use the evaluation tool on Evolve, our visits management system, as our primary data collection method.

In addition to these evaluation tools, we use photographs and videos and pupil voice as evaluation methods. We also develop questionnaires and use the Edurio pupil survey.

Following visits, we review risk assessments and value for money and log this evaluatory information for future reference.

Staff Competence

Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent recognises that staff competence is the single most important factor in the safe management of visits, and so we support staff in developing their competence in the following ways:

• An apprenticeship system, where staff new to visits assist and work alongside experienced visit leaders before taking on a leadership role.
• Supervision by senior staff on some educational visits.
• Support for staff to attend training courses relevant to their role, where necessary.

In deciding whether a member of staff is competent to be a visit leader, the Headteacher will take into account the following factors:

• Relevant experience.
• Previous relevant training.
• The prospective leader’s ability to make dynamic risk management judgements, and take charge in the event of an emergency.
• Knowledge of the students, the venue, and the activities to be undertaken.

Emergency procedures

A critical incident is any incident where events go beyond the normal coping mechanisms and experience of the visit leadership team.

The academy has an emergency plan in place to deal with a critical incident during a visit as part of the wider Academy Emergency Plan / Critical Incident Plan. All staff on visits are familiar with this plan and it is tested at least bi-annually and following any major staffing changes.

When an incident overwhelms the establishment’s emergency response capability, or where it involves serious injury or fatality, or where it is likely to attract media attention then assistance will be sought from the Co-op Academies Trust.

Educational Visits Checklist

Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent Educational Visits Checklist forms part of the risk management process for visits and off-site activities. This has been adapted from the National Guidance generic checklist. A visit should usually only go ahead if the answer to all relevant questions is ‘YES’. Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent Educational Visits Checklist may be downloaded from EVOLVE Resources.  

Parental Consent 

Specific, (ie. one-off), parental consent must be obtained for all visits. For these visits, sufficient information must be made available to parents (via letters, meetings, etc), so that consent is given on a ‘fully informed’ basis.

Inclusion

Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent is committed to inclusion and will include all pupils/students in our offsite activities wherever this is reasonably practicable. All visits are in accordance with the legal framework set out by the Equality Act (2010) as a minimum, and involvement and inclusion in visits is tracked by the EVC to ensure we have an equitable offer.

Charging / funding for visits

Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent aims to fund all visits for all students wherever practicable. Where this is not possible, for example with residential visits abroad, we will ask for voluntary contributions and will go ahead with visits if we receive sufficient voluntary contributions.

Transport

We have one minibus which belongs to the Academy. This is only driven by MIDAS trained drivers.

We follow Co-op Academies Trust Guidance and Driving Policy. We do not use staff cars to transport pupils, unless required for an emergency reason or due to an emerging safeguarding concern. The Headteacher always gives explicit approval before any staff cards are used for transport.

Insurance

Visits are covered under policies arranged through the Co-op Academies Trust.