Introduction

1.1 Purpose of this Policy

Educational visits, trips and off-site activities are a valued and enriching part of learning at Providence English Private School (PEPS), extending the curriculum, building independence, and creating memorable shared experiences. This policy sets out how PEPS plans, approves, risk-assesses and supervises all off-site visits, so that every trip is educationally worthwhile and every student returns home safely.

1.2 Scope

This policy applies to all off-site activities organised by or on behalf of PEPS, from local, curriculum-linked outings within Sharjah to residential and international trips, and to all staff, volunteers and third-party providers involved in planning or leading them.

1.3 Our Approach

Legal and Regulatory Framework

This policy operates alongside the school's Health & Safety Policy and Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy, and is written with reference to:

• The general duty of care owed by the school to its students while they are off-site, consistent with the school's obligations under UAE law and its licensing conditions with the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA).
• SPEA's oversight of student health, safety and welfare as part of its ongoing performance review of private schools in Sharjah, which extends to off-site activities.
• UAE traffic and transport regulations applicable to school transport providers, including driver licensing and vehicle safety standards.
• The school's public liability and travel insurance arrangements, which are confirmed as adequate for the nature of each visit before it is approved.

This policy is informed by internationally recognised good practice for the planning and supervision of school visits, commonly referred to in British-curriculum schools as the Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC) model.

Categories of Visit

The level of planning, approval and risk assessment required under this policy increases with the category of visit.

Roles and Responsibilities

4.1 Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC)

• Acts as the school's central point of oversight for all off-site visits, ensuring this policy is followed consistently.
• Reviews and approves the risk assessment and planning for every visit before it proceeds, escalating residential, international or adventurous visits to the Principal for final approval.
• Maintains a central record of all planned and completed visits, including risk assessments, consent forms and emergency contact information.
• Ensures Visit Leaders and accompanying staff have the training, experience and, where relevant, specialist qualifications appropriate to the visit.

4.2 Principal

• Gives final approval for residential, international and adventurous visits, and for any visit involving a significant or unusual risk.
• Ensures adequate insurance, staffing and budget are in place to support the school's visits programme.

4.3 Visit Leader

• Plans the visit in detail, in consultation with the EVC, and completes the written risk assessment (Appendix A).
• Briefs accompanying staff and students on the itinerary, expectations, and emergency procedures before departure.
• Takes overall responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of the group throughout the visit, and is the first point of contact in an emergency.
• Carries a Trip Information Sheet (Appendix D) with emergency contacts, medical information and the itinerary at all times during the visit.

4.4 Accompanying Staff and Volunteers

• Follow the direction of the Visit Leader and carry out their supervisory responsibilities as briefed.
• Remain alert to the safety, conduct and wellbeing of students throughout the visit, in line with the school's Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy and Staff Code of Conduct.
• Any parent volunteer accompanying a visit is subject to the same safer recruitment checks, appropriate to their role, as school staff.

4.5 Parents and Carers

• Provide accurate, up-to-date medical, dietary and emergency contact information for their child ahead of any visit.
• Give written consent for their child to participate, and settle any related costs by the deadline given.
• Ensure their child understands and agrees to follow the behaviour expectations set for the visit.

Planning and Approval Process

Every off-site visit follows a proportionate planning and approval process before it is confirmed to students and parents:

Indicative lead time: routine curriculum visits are typically approved at least 1 week in advance; day trips at least 2 weeks in advance; residential, international and adventurous visits at least 6 weeks in advance, to allow time for full risk assessment, insurance confirmation and parental consent.

Risk Assessment

A written risk assessment is completed for every off-site visit, however routine, using the template in Appendix A. The risk assessment considers:

• The nature of the venue, activity and journey, and any hazards specific to them.
• The age, maturity, behaviour and any medical or additional support needs of the students taking part.
• The competence and experience of accompanying staff, including any specialist qualifications required for a particular activity.
• Weather, seasonal or environmental conditions relevant to the visit.
• Emergency arrangements, including access to first aid and communication with the school.

For visits that recur regularly with little change (such as a weekly sports fixture at a familiar venue), a generic risk assessment may be reviewed and reconfirmed rather than rewritten each time, provided it is checked before each occasion for any change in circumstances.

Supervision Ratios

There is no single fixed ratio that suits every visit. Government and international guidance on school visits is consistent in requiring that supervision be ‘effective’ — that is, appropriate to the specific visit — rather than fixed to one number for every context. The EVC and Visit Leader determine the appropriate ratio for each visit as part of the risk assessment, taking into account the type of activity, the age and needs of the group, the venue, and the experience of accompanying staff.

As a general guide:

A minimum of two members of staff accompany any visit, regardless of group size, so that one can respond to an individual emergency while the other continues to supervise the group. At least one accompanying adult on every visit holds a valid first aid qualification.

Parental Consent and Information

• Written parental consent (Appendix B) is obtained before a student takes part in any visit beyond routine, curriculum-linked activity within the school day.
• Parents are given full details of the visit in advance, including the itinerary, transport arrangements, what to bring, and the cost.
• For residential and international visits, parents receive information about accompanying staff, accommodation arrangements and emergency contact procedures.
• Where a parent does not wish their child to take part in a curriculum-linked visit, the school provides alternative arrangements for that student, consistent with the Student & Parent Handbook's expectation that all students normally take part in school trips.

Medical, Welfare and Additional Needs

• The Visit Leader reviews the medical and additional needs information held for every student taking part, in consultation with the School Nurse and, where relevant, the Inclusion Support Team, before the visit.
• Any student-specific arrangements identified through the Inclusion Policy (such as access arrangements, additional supervision, or specific equipment) are carried through to the visit's risk assessment and staffing plan.
• Prescribed medication required during the visit is carried and administered in accordance with the arrangements agreed with the School Nurse and the student's parents.
• A basic first aid kit, appropriate to the nature and location of the visit, accompanies every group.

Transport Arrangements

• Transport providers used for school visits meet the same safety and licensing standards as the school's regular bus service, described in the Student & Parent Handbook.
• Drivers are appropriately licensed and briefed on the itinerary and any stops.
• Seatbelts are used at all times where fitted, and students remain seated while the vehicle is moving.
• A headcount is taken by accompanying staff at every departure point, and whenever the group re-boards transport after a stop.

Financial Arrangements

• The cost of a visit is communicated to parents in advance, and covers transport, entry fees, accommodation (where applicable) and any other directly related costs.
• Where a visit is cancelled by the school, or a student is unable to attend for a reason accepted under this policy, parents are informed of the school's refund arrangements, which reflect any non-recoverable costs already committed to venues, or transport.

Emergency and Critical Incident Procedures

• The Visit Leader carries the Trip Information Sheet (Appendix D) with emergency contacts for the school, local emergency services, and every student's parents.
• A nominated senior member of staff remains contactable at school for the duration of any visit, acting as the point of contact for the Visit Leader in an emergency.
• Following any incident, the Visit Leader submits a written report to the EVC and Principal as soon as practicable, and the school's Health & Safety Policy incident-reporting procedure is followed.
• Where an incident involves a safeguarding concern, the Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy is followed in parallel, and the Designated Safeguarding Lead is informed without delay.

Monitoring and Review

The EVC reports periodically to the Principal on the school's visits programme, including any incidents and lessons learned. This policy is reviewed annually by the EVC and Principal, and sooner if required by a change in SPEA guidance, an incident review, or a significant change in the school's visits programme.

Links to Other Policies

• Health & Safety Policy — general risk assessment and incident-reporting requirements.
• Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy — safeguarding arrangements while off-site, and safer recruitment of accompanying volunteers.
• Inclusion Policy — additional support and access arrangements carried through to visits.
• Behaviour & Discipline Policy — expectations of student conduct during a visit.
• Attendance & Punctuality Policy — recording attendance for students taking part in an off-site visit.

Risk Assessment Template

Parental Consent Form

I give consent for my child to take part in the visit described above, and confirm that the information provided is accurate and complete.

Supervision Ratio Guide — Summary

Trip Information / Emergency Contact Card

Student List and Emergency Contacts

Glossary of Terms