Educational Visits Policy

Overview

Educational visits provide valuable opportunities that enrich the curriculum and support young people’s personal development. Experiences beyond the classroom can build confidence, deepen understanding and help bring learning to life.

To ensure these opportunities are safe, well organised and educationally meaningful, all staff involved must follow the setting’s Educational Visits Policy and associated procedures.

Purpose of the Policy

The Educational Visits Policy explains how visits should be planned, approved, delivered and reviewed. It provides a clear framework for managing risk, meeting legal requirements, the key arrangements and ensuring consistent practice across the setting. It affirms the setting's commitment to high-quality educational visits.

The policy should reflect DfE guidance and OEAP National Guidance (where relevant), which staff should use when planning and leading visits. Supporting procedures should signpost relevant guidance and outline the employer’s expectations for everyone involved.

Who the Policy Applies To

This guidance applies to all staff, volunteers and other adults involved in planning or supervising offsite activities.

It covers all types of visits, including:

• Local curriculum visits
• Day trips
• Residential visits
• Overseas Visits
• Visits involving adventurous activities

The policy should be developed with input from relevant staff and the governing or management body so that there is shared understanding and ownership.

What an Effective Policy Includes

A clear and effective Educational Visits Policy should:

• Explain the value of educational visits and outdoor learning
• Describe the school’s aims and expected learning outcomes
• Define key terms used within the policy
• Clarify which activities and people the policy applies to
• Identify any circumstances where the policy does not apply (for example, when pupils attend a different site)

The policy should also:

• Clarify roles and responsibilities, including those of the Head/Manager, Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC), Visit Leaders, staff and volunteers
• Outline how staff can access competent advice from the Educational Visits Adviser
• Outline the approval process for visits
• Provide guidance on communication with parents, consent and financial arrangements
• Set out emergency and incident management procedures
• Support monitoring and evaluation to improve future visits

Accessing the Policy

The Educational Visits Policy and supporting documents must be available to all staff involved in planning and leading visits. Staff are responsible for ensuring they use the most up-to-date version and are familiar with any changes.

Publishing the policy on the school website can also help reassure parents and carers by clearly setting out the school’s commitment to safe, well-managed and high-quality learning beyond the classroom.

Further Reading

OEAP National Guidance available at https://oeapng.info