Whole School Trip Policy (Day and Residential)
This policy document replaces all previous trip policies, and attention must be given to its content when planning any activity off the school premises. It is reviewed annually.
Tower College provides a broad range of activities to give all the pupils experiences beyond the scope of the classroom. Our local heritage in the North West provides excellent venues for educational visits to further the curricula in history, geography, science, art and music. Our links with local Cathedrals, churches and the Liverpool Synagogue enrich our architectural as well as cultural experiences. Our regular venues include the Science Museums of Manchester and Widnes, the glass museum of St Helens, Wigan Pier, Ellesmere Port Boat Museum, The Rainhill Trials Locomotives Exhibition, the Art galleries and experiences of the Walker, the Tate and Anthony Gormley’s local installations, the Liverpool Empire, the Opera House at Llandudno and the Theatre Clwyd at Mold. The many National Trust properties nearby at Tatton Park, Dunham Massey Hall and Deer Park, Styal Mill, Speke Hall, Rufford Old Hall and Formby Squirrel Reserve provide many opportunities for accessing history and nature. The beauty and challenges of the Lake District and North Wales provide excellent venues for physical activities.
When planning any trip the trip leader must:
• Decide on a venue/activity that is suitable to the age of the children participating.
• Be aware of your pupils’ allergies ( e.g. nuts at the squirrel reserve)
• Visit the venue in advance if possible.
• Complete a Coach Booking Form
• Complete Risk Assessments; regarding all aspects of the trip, including travel.
• Ensure that the appropriate number of adults is available. The staff/pupil ratio varies according to age and activity, and should be agreed with the Principal.
• Complete Activity Forms at least a week before the trip. Packed lunches can be ordered on the Activity Form and it is helpful if pupils on special diets can be included in the numbers.
• Inform the Office of the dates, times and costs of each trip, in order to advise parents.
• Take a First Aid kit.
• Take a school mobile phone, or give your own mobile number to the Office Staff so that two-way contact is assured.
• Sports Staff taking teams to after school matches in one of the minibuses should book a driver, and not take a team out alone. Teaching staff should not drive the pupils after a full day’s teaching and match supervision when tiredness may affect them. Staff should not drive and supervise children alone.
If the party is not a class or year group, but pupils of several classes eg a GCSE group or Sports team, then the names of the pupils must be included in the Activity Form.
Dress on school trips should be full school uniform, unless tracksuits are appropriate for sporting or “messy” activities (eg minibeast hunts) or period dress is required for Anglo-Saxon/Tudor/Victorian Days. Certain trips are non-uniform e.g. end of term theme parks, evening theatres.
Pupils’ behaviour on all trips must be exemplary for their safety and for the reputation of the school. Pupils do not take mobile phones on trips.
If photographing or recording an event, please check if any of the party is amongst those families who have requested that their children should not be photographed.
Residential Trips
Our residential trips are considered to be an important part of the experience of a Tower College education whether participating in the popular skiing trip for Juniors and Seniors together, which builds up whole school relationships and teamwork or whether the GCSE History group are visiting the moving sites of the battlefields and memorials of Northern France on which pupils support their peers who find the graves of relatives and remember the sacrifices made for our country.
The procedures for day visits apply, but obviously greater notice is required and arrangements for payments (deposits, instalments, pocket money etc.) must be clearly detailed. Arrangements for information meetings with parents should be made with Miss Oxley.
Thorough planning is vital when taking children on residential trips, whether in Britain or abroad, and only reputable companies must be used, for accommodation, travel and activities.
Parents must be well informed about all aspects of the trip, and given 24-hour contact numbers. Parents must complete contact/medical forms and sign their agreement to the pupils’ holiday rules.
If reasonably practical, venues should be visited prior to the trip.
A record should be kept of any accidents, health issues, inappropriate behaviour or problems. If these are of a serious nature the Principal should be informed immediately. Discretion should be used in major incidents if dealing with the media. The pupils’ well-being is always the first priority. The reaction and possible distress to parents is the next consideration, so staff should be aware of the media’s appetite for sensationalism should a major incident occur.
Return to school
Parents should be given collection times that are as accurate as possible. Staff should not give an earlier time to ensure that all parents are not waiting, as any delays will make a very long wait for them. If parents are delayed when collecting pupils after a trip, the pupils must be supervised until collection, and no pupil should be allowed to go off with another family unless a prior arrangement has been made.
Pupils returning from a foreign holiday will telephone their parents from a service station about an hour before arrival to confirm time of arrival.
The Principal and Governors appreciate the time given by staff members for these activities and appreciate any feedback that can help in future planning.
Signed for and on behalf of the Governors,
R J Oxley(Miss)
Principal.
January 2010
