Educational Days Out

A Handbook for Teachers Planning a School Trip

Christine Green, Green, Christine

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781138164291
• eBook ISBN: 9781136357237
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Detailing how to plan and prepare for a school trip, this text provides advice on the right and wrong way to approach trips that will both educate and entertain. A directory of places of interest grouped into subject-specific sections is included.

Part 1
Practicalities

1 Planning a visit

All children, whatever their age, gender or culture, have an insatiable appetite for knowledge and the more experiences and thought-provoking situations they find themselves having to deal with, the more knowledgeable they will become. And one way in which teachers can nurture this appetite for learning is to provide pupils with as many thought-provoking and stimulating situations as possible. To this end, out of school visits have proved successful over the years, so much so that now they are regarded as being an integral part of a child's education, increasing pupils' social and personal development and offering them opportunities to demonstrate their inherent qualities of self-reliance, initiative and the ability to get along with their peers. But the actual organization of such a visit is quite an onerous task for any teacher to undertake, being in sole control of 10 or 20 pupils outside the confines of the school grounds. The success of the visit depends wholly on meticulous planning and preparation.

The actual physical exercise of organizing a school visit, choosing where to go, when to go and how to get together with some in-class preparation can take weeks, even months of arranging, so it is important that some basic guidelines are drawn up at the beginning, without which the overall success of the visit could be in jeopardy.

There are thousands of places to visit, museums, farms, countryside parks, art galleries, etc, many of which can be linked directly to the National Curriculum, while others may bear only a fleeting relevance but may nevertheless prove potentially useful and so could well be worth a visit. Take, for example, a visit to the local museum, which provides numerous opportunities for study where knowledge is more than a merging of facts but explores the past and present. There are endless opportunities for combining a variety of topics: a particular period in History, likewise English, Mathematics, Art, Geography and even for older students Architecture or Ecology. It is therefore necessary to consider this when deciding on a venue and to see how one visit can cover several topics. Obviously the more subjects it encompasses, the more valid it will be. Once the actual venue has been decided upon, a letter of enquiry should be sent and in turn you will receive all the relevant documentation about the place.

The primary questions to be considered when deciding on a visit include:

1. Why are you making the visit? Does it tie in with some project students are currently studying; or is it something which well could?
2. What subjects on the National Curriculum will it cover? it is better if there are several in which case the visit will prove even more beneficial to the students.
3. Is it meant as an introduction to the subject, the main core of the topic or perhaps a combination? In many cases a visit can actually instigate further investigation into a specific area.
4. What are the aims of the visit? What do you hope the pupils will derive from it - perhaps a better understanding of the topic, hands-on experience or a better understanding of the chosen subject?
5. What is the staffing ratio of adult supervision to pupils? Some Local Education Authorities have their own specific levels of supervision for off-site visits which schools must closely follow, and some 'sites' also have their own recommendations, but as a general guide under normal circumstances there should be at least the following: 1) 1 adult for every 6 pupils in school years 1 to 3; 2) 1 adult for every 10 to 15 pupils in school years 4 to 6; and 3) 1 adult for every 15 to 20 pupils in school year 7 onwards.

Once these questions have been fully and confidently answered it is then time to approach the Headteacher, who will in turn have to report to the Board of Governors or LEA to make sure all of the criteria and safety rules have been fully covered. Naturally the main concern of the Governors is that the visit will prove beneficial to the pupils and that there are no risk factors involved which could put both staff and pupils in danger. However, all managers of teaching establishments and LEAs provide guidance notes on the formal points of arranging school journeys, something with which teachers should be fully conversant. These points also generally outline the legal and safety requirements and therefore include details of insurance, transport, staffing ratios and responsibilities of the teachers.

Ensure that the following has been done:

• All the necessary information has been received prior to the visit.
• Any risk elements have been covered and it has been deemed safe to take the pupils.
• If there is any pre-training required, then this has been carried out.
• There is adequate supervision on site to fully accommodate the numbers of students attending.
• The governing body has approved the visit.
• Parents have signed any consent forms.
• Suitable travel arrangements have been made, and if there are any students requiring medication and special needs, these have been catered for.
• There is adequate and relevant insurance cover for the party.
• The name and address of the visit's venue, together with a contact name, have been left at the school in case of an emergency.
• And, finally, that parents and pupils know the travel times out and back to school and that all the names of the pupils and adults in the travelling group and the contact details of parents, staff, volunteers and next of kin have been left at the school.

Informing parents/guardians

Once the visit has been decided upon and been given permission by the Headteacher the next step is to contact the parents by letter explaining the reason for the visit. Most schools have a standard letter that they use in such circumstances but basically it should include:

• Date and location of the proposed visit.
• Details of meals out, if necessary. Most visits which cover lunchtime require children to take their own packed lunch, which is ideal for those who may follow a special diet. On some occasions when young children take school lunches arrangements can be made for the kitchen staff to prepare packed lunches for those children, but this depends on the individual school.
• Expected time of departure and return home. The return home time is an important issue especially with parents out at work and who may well have a childminder picking their youngster up from school. Although secondary school children may well be allowed to return home directly (provided they have written consent from their parents), younger children should always be taken back to school and dismissed when their parent/guardian arrives for them,
• Many children suffer from travel sickness and for them a 30-minute bus trip can turn into a nightmare, so it is a good idea to inform parents of the mode of transport being used so that they can supply a piece of ginger to chew on or a barley sugar sweet to suck.
• If visiting an outdoor attraction, ie a farm or an archaeological site, it may be well worth mentioning that children should pack a waterproof nylon jacket or a pair of Wellingtons to be prepared for any sudden downpour.
• If money is allowed, then stipulate how much each child can take. This is far better than not stipulating a set sum of money as some children end up taking pounds while others cannot afford to buy anything.
• And, finally, the all-important tear-off strip which should be returned by a specific date.

in the case of students who are of ethnic origin there may perhaps be some need for sensitivity in the pre-planning stages. For whatever reasons, ie religious beliefs, diet, or just the social aspect, some pupils may not be able to attend, while other pupils may have special educational needs, and in some instances language may be a barrier. Although most ethnic children speak English fluently, often their parents may not be so knowledgeable and in these circumstances it would be advisable for someone from their own culture, ie a health worker, to go along to the child's home and explain the purpose of the visit.

Pre-visits

Generally most places offer free familiarization visits beforehand, enabling teachers to go along and see what is exactly available and whether it caters for all their requirements, particularly if they have any pupils with special needs. Familiarization visits also provide an ideal opportunity to assess whether pupils would gain as much benefit as it was hoped from the visit. Because staff are all fully qualified and experienced in dealing with large groups of pupils, years of working alongside teachers have given them a much deeper insight into what students require and they can therefore supply whatever materials are needed. Some offer worksheets to coincide with the visit and handling sessions and workshops which can offer inspiration and add excitement to a visit. Tours and talks are also an integral part of many visits, and on many occasions role play can be included.

On the initial visit make a note of any potential areas and levels of risk; ensure that the venue can cater for the needs of teachers and pupils within your group, in particular if a group member has a special need, or requires the use of a wheelchair; ask if there are any facilities for students whose hearing or sight is in some way impaired; are there indoor/outdoor eating areas?; are any activities under cover or outdoors?; is there a room where young children can leave their school bags etc? All of these points may appear irrelevant but they are as important as knowing that the venue can cater for your needs.

Some places may not actively advertise free pre-visits, but that is not to say they do not welcome teachers going along beforehand, and so if it is not clear then simply ask whoever is in charge whether they mind a staff member going along for a visit. More often it will simply have been a technical oversight in their advertisement and they will be only too happy to welcome a pre-visit. If this is the first time your school has ever been to the particular venue, and after your initial visit you still feel somewhat unsure, there would be no harm in seeking views from other schools who may well have visited the same venue in the past or even ask for further information from tourist boards.

Getting the most out of a site visit

So that students derive as much information as they can even from the briefest of visits it is important to do some preparation in class. Make sure that each pupil knows the object of the visit, what activities are organized, and what he or she is expected to do. If possible, get some information from the school library and set some homework to write out some questions they would like to put to members of staff. If the visit is to a historic venue spend time discussing how it may have looked, the lifestyle of the people at the time, their work, education, family life, etc. Provide pupils with enough information as to the reason for the visit and indicate the areas that they should try to develop themselves. The ideal visit should not only supply pupils with knowledge and experience but be an invaluable tool to learning. It should ultimately generate interest and stimulate their imagination to follow up studies, whether in class or separately as homework.

Furnishing each student with as much knowledge as possible will offer great rewards in that they will derive far more from the visit than merely the opportunity of spending time out of school, and so be able to utilize their knowledge further back in the class. Even with a half-day visit to a local museum every pupil ought to be made aware of the basic aim of the visit and the activities to be made available on site, otherwise it will be a total waste of time.

It is only by utilizing these off-site visits that lessons can be made more interesting and students' natural inherent learning capacity stretched and enhanced. But remember, prior to any student being taken on a visit they must be fully prepared and they must know the following:

• what is fully expected of them from the visit, ie how to record what they see. This could be with a map, photographic evidence, video recording, tape recording;
• if preparing a worksheet for use, then it should be designed in such a way that it can act as a useful support to their observations, ie are the questions challenging enough? From the evidence supplied, will they be able to make accurate deductions?
• they each should have the basic materials such as pencil, pen, paper, a packed lunch, camera, clipboard, measuring equipment and, depending on the visit, school uniform or casual clothes;
• finally, the things that can be touched and those that cannot; areas where they are allowed to go, etc.

Safety on site

Although most sites undergo regular safety checks to make sure that they maintain high standards, and doubtless the teacher will have already been on a pre-visit to look at the safety aspects, it is nevertheless an important issue and one which should be discussed with the children before the visit. Ensure they are made aware of the following:

• They should always remain together as a group and not stray away,
• If there are certain areas 'out of hounds' that is exactly what it means, and no one should be tempted to investigate.
• If going down a pit or exploring an archaeological site it is important that they listen closely to the instructions given.
• They should be warned not to touch things unless told it is all right to do so by a member of staff.
• When eating lunch they should always remember to take their litter home with them and be reminded that it is safer to take a plastic flask rather than a glass bottle which could fall and smash.
• Keep away if workers are busy at the site.
• Consideration of other people's property is of paramount importance and if visiting a church or museum they must be told beforehand not to touch anything unless permission is given. Similarly, when making a farm or countryside visit, make sure that they know the countryside code and abide by it. After all, they are the farmers and ramblers of tomorrow and if the land is not protected and taken care of there will be no land for them to harvest or walk.
• And, finally, manners. Hopefully there will be no need but remind students that they are visitors and should act like visitors, polite and courteous at all times.

First aid

Wherever you go there is a risk factor involved, even crossing the road, but when taking a group of students on a field visit it is doubly important that all risk factors are eliminated as much as possible, Acts of God notwithstanding. It is important to be prepared for any unforeseeable incident: a twisted ankle, a bleeding nose, even a headache can all put extra stress on a teacher and so it is sensible that at least one accompanying adult has some knowledge of first aid and that if going on a longer journey someone is designated responsible for taking along a first aid box. Most schools will have a fully equipped first aid box but it is important that you also have one for trips out. Further detailed information about first aid procedures and first aid courses is available from the British Red Cross and the St John Ambulance. However, the Health & Safety Executive have drawn up their own list of basic requisites that they feel teachers should have immediate access to:

• a leaflet providing general advice on first aid procedures;
• some wrapped sterile adhesive dressings;
• large sterile unmedicated wound dressing;
• two triangular bandages;
• two safety pins;
• individually wrapped moist cleaning wipes;
• pair of disposable gloves.

For further information on first aid in schools contact the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) for their leaflet Guidance on First Aid in Schools (DfEE, 1998) obtainable from DfEE Publications Centre, PO Box 5050, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 6ZQ (tel: [phone]; fax: [phone]).

Benefits of a visit

Teachers know the requirements of their students but staff know their displays and exhibitions and how they relate to certain subjects. Together a successful partnership between teacher and staff can be developed to ensure students get the full benefit from their visit. Although some aspects of the visit will be ironed out before the class attends, it is important prior to the visit that the teacher responsible has an idea of how they would like the visit to develop. An introductory talk by museum staff based on teaching from objects, guiding the students towards an investigative approach is helpful. This process will enable students to observe, discover and discuss the sharing of ideas.

Small group work or individual study is another option and towards the end of the visit there may be a question and answer session available, providing an invaluable opportunity to ask any further questions or address any issues.

Making sure your students get enough out of the visit

It is difficult to assess whether students have d...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Part 1 Practicalities
• Part 2 Directory of Resources
• Part 3 Subject-by-Subject Listing, by Region
• Appendix: Useful names and addresses
• Index
• Index of advertisers