School Trips Policy (Day and Boarding)

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1 Adams Grammar School School Trips Policy (Day and Boarding) Monitoring Frame of engagement Date Member of Staff Responsible GJH / RJT August 2017 Governor Accountability Consultation Parameters Pupil Welfare Committee,3 Link Governor for H and S Date of latest version August 2017 Date for next review (and cycle) August 2020(and every 3 years) Uploaded to Website 1

2 1. Introduction In organising any trip, planning and communication with pupils, parents, other teachers on the trip and the SLT are essential. The extent of the information and the formality of the preparation will depend upon the nature of the trip. In particular, the level of risk inherent in the trip. It will also depend on its regularity. For, example relatively little preparation is needed for regular sports fixtures, much more will be required on a new outward bound trip. School academic visits, or sporting and cultural events are an understood and relevant part of the education process. They must be considered through the strategic lens of the school year and beyond. In setting up a trip that cuts across curriculum time, it must never be assumed that pupils have a right to attend, and therefore miss a lesson. Once a trip is approved, this does not de facto, mean a particular pupil has permission to attend. Such approval to go on the trip rests with individual subject teachers. The approval process therefore has two steps:- the notification of the trip, the approval (implicit by silence) or disapproval of the subject teacher for the pupils to attend. 1.1 Checklist of steps before the trip a) Preliminary site visit, if necessary. b) Staff qualifications up to date c) If the trip is to be run by an outside agency, request staff qualifications and risk assessment documentation, at the outset. Where travel agents are included, obtain copy of ABTA membership and ATOL certificate. Are they known to School? If not consider references from other Schools. d) Where other suppliers are concerned, check whether using them may cause concern with regards to possible religious, cultural, diversity issues e.g. Using an Arab-based airline may cause difficulties for Jewish families. e) Staff pupil ratio f) School insurance is it appropriate? See accounts department for copy. Please note this will not cover pupil s personal effects this needs to be made clear to parents. g) Following verbal consent from the Headmaster / DH L&T complete the School Trip finance form and submit to the CFO together with the parent letter for finance sign off. Once agreed these will need to be submitted to the Headmaster for final approval. h) This leads to permission (or not) for the activity to go ahead, not permission for each individual student to leave school or lesson. 2

3 Log the trip on the school calendar database and then to all teachers at least seven days in advance of the activity. Where this is not possible, and an urgent decision is required, see HM or DH L&T in the first instance. a) It is at this stage that the subject teacher can approve or decline the absence. If it is decided that the student(s) will not be allowed to go, the teacher must approach the trip organiser directly (no please) to explain the reason why. The final permission is given by the classroom teacher, and in this respect the trip organiser is expected to be impartial and not "canvas" in any way to change the decision. b) Naturally this system relies totally on the pupils themselves keeping up-to- date with work (exactly as it should be). If they are organised and have all work up to date then there is no reason to ever stop them participating in an event. However, if they are behind with coursework or homework, or perhaps are not behaving in a particular lesson as they should, then it is equally appropriate that they should not necessarily be given the opportunity to represent the school, and this must be communicated to the trip organiser. c) Full outline letter to parents; including purpose of the trip, activities involved, location, dates, times, consent form, arrangements for transport, insurance, supervisory ratio, cost, contact and telephone numbers for further information. This should be agreed with HM before it is sent. All letters about school trips must be sent by the school office: teachers must not send such letters themselves. (This ensures that the office staff know what is happening, that the correct headed notepaper is used, and that the letters conform to the school style.) d) Book transport - coach, minibus, private vehicle. e) Arrange specialist equipment, if necessary. f) Any teacher taking parties abroad must obtain the E111 card and passport for members of the party (instructions are provided in the folder in the School Office) h) All details and parents letter to Accounts for upload to Parent Pay AT LEAST 6 weeks prior to trip. i) Final letter to parents with all details pertaining to the trip and consent form (see Appendix 1) j) Staff/pupil briefing or even staff/pupil and parents briefing to state purpose of the trip, its desired ends, expectations of pupil behaviour, penalties for misbehaviour, particular risks involved, emergency contacts etc. and to answer questions. k) Copies of the risk assessment form, letters to parents, names of the pupils on the trip (plus contact telephone numbers, if different from those in the School Office) should be placed in the file in the School Office throughout. The Office is called upon to 3

4 answer many questions from parents before and during trips. l) Whatever the trip a Parent Consent Form is necessary. 1. Checklist of steps after the trip: a) Present to the HM a post trip evaluation e.g. success of the trip, highpoints, low points, merit in repeating it or using that centre again, pupils worth commending, pupils who were a pain, any particular problems. HM may then invite you along to discuss; unless there was nothing significant to report, beyond the organiser s enjoyment, such an evaluation is only necessary if the trip is to be altered in future years. b) Arrange for the CFO to check and sign your accounts within 1 month of the return date. See Appendix 2 for checklist. Appendix 1: Details for letter to parents 1. The name and address of the destination and any other bases and contact telephone numbers at these locations. 2. The name and telephone number of a contact at school. 3. The time and place of departure and return and arrangements for dispersing and collecting pupils. 4. Methods of travel. 5. Details of the anticipated activities and arrangements for supervision general and during specific activities, including details of qualifications held by supervising staff. 6. The composition of the party (numbers, age ranges, sex) 7. Teacher in charge and other staff/adults accompanying the party. 8. The cost, what it covers and date of payment; together with details of deposit, stages of payment etc.all to be done via Parent Pay To be agreed by CFO on finance form. 9. All deposits are non-refundable the deposit for tours should be substantial to avoid withdrawal. 10. Details of pocket money recommended/required; staff responsible for money. 11. Insurance provided - what it does and does not cover- no personal possessions cover for pupils. 12. Details of any inoculations or other health precautions which are necessary. 13. Whether there are children in the group who have health problems or special needs. 14. A check list of clothing and other items to take. 15. Warnings as to expected behaviour; consequences of misbehaviour. The steps taken and information required varies, depending upon the length and type of trip, although certain areas should be covered no matter what sort of out of school visit is planned. 4

5 Appendix 2: Financial checklist 1) One person should act as lead for the trip; 2) Trips should be self-funding; All income must be collected before any invoices can be paid. It is always better to overestimate costs and give a refund than to chase payment after the visit. The party leader must have access to sufficient fund to meet any emergency, which can reasonably be foreseen. It should be noted that overseas trips might be affected by fluctuating exchange rates and flights prices. If an unbudgeted loss is made, the organiser must advise the Headmaster of the circumstances leading to the overspend. 3) All payments for trips should be received via Parent Pay. 4) Requests for cheques/money on any School account should reach the accounts office with full details, at least four working days before they are needed. Requests for foreign currency should be made at least two weeks in advance; 5) The lead staff member must keep a careful account of monies received and monies spent, including receipts for larger items. (see CFO or Accounts office for guidance if required) 6) As soon as possible, within 1 month after the end of a trip, these accounts should be checked and signed as accurate by the CFO. 7) If, when all expenses have been met, there is a surplus, the school is obliged to return anything above 25 per capita to pupils/parents in line with the Charging and Remissions policy. Any smaller surplus should be transferred to an under & over account within the PSF ledger and used to subsidise any trips that make a loss. At the end of each financial year the balance would be transferred into the General PSF Account and used to subsidise other School activities. 8) The Governor responsible for finance will check the income and expenditure account to the trip registers and invoices as required. 5

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