School trips - what to expect

We learn best when we can see, hear, touch and feel - in other words, when we can experience things at first hand.  Multi-sensory learning is an important part of school life, and school trips answer the requirements of all five senses.

 It’s because of this that the school arranges visits to help your child learn more about the subjects that they are studying by taking the children on school visits.  History, geography and science are the most popular subjects for visits, but educational trips can be used to support all kinds of subjects.

Educational trips take many different forms. When your child visits a museum to find out more about a history topic, walks into the local town to do some geography fieldwork, or goes to an art gallery or theatre, he is taking part in an educational visit.

Whatever the subject, you can be sure that these visits are planned to help your child enrich their learning experience.  And the best bit is that they are having fun while they’re learning!

The school has a legal obligation to inform the governors if it plans to take children out of school. That’s because it’s the responsibility of the governing body to make sure that the visit is appropriate and that all measures have been taken to ensure the safety of the children. Your child’s school will provide you with information about safety arrangements. Schools are required to carry out a risk assessment for each school trip. The DfES good practice guide “Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits” (HASPEV) and supplements provide the main source of guidance on risk assessment in connection with adventure activities and for educational visits.

The school will go to great lengths to look after your child properly, but if for any reason you are not happy about safety arrangements, you have the right to withdraw your child from a planned trip.

The first that you will usually know about a school visit is when your child brings a letter from school informing you of the intended visit.

This letter should give you the following information:

·         Date and times of visit

·         Destination

·         Purpose of the visit

·         Cost of the trip (which is usually voluntary, for example to accommodate families on low incomes)

·         Travel arrangements.

You will usually be asked to return a slip either giving or withholding your permission for your child to go on the visit, along with any payment for the trip. The letter may also ask you if you are able to help on the day, and if you have not already had a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check, you will need to have one before your are allowed to accompany children. Most schools will pay for CRB checks on parents.

If you are unsure of any of the arrangements for the school trip, do not hesitate to speak to the class teacher or head teacher and ask for further details.

Few schools can afford to meet the total cost of trips that involve transport and entry fees. You may therefore be asked to make a voluntary contribution towards the cost. The school can’t force you to pay and it can’t bar your child from a trip because you have refused to pay.

If you are unable or unwilling to make a contribution, talk to the head teacher to find out what can be done. However, the school may have to cancel a planned visit if the total parental contributions don’t cover most of the costs. 

Your child’s teacher will most likely have drafted in extra helpers and the class may be divided into small groups with an adult helper in charge of each group. This is partly for safety and partly to make sure that your child has plenty of help and supervision.

The class will have been briefed beforehand about what they are learning and what to look out for. Some teachers, particularly of older children, feel that a worksheet encourages children to look carefully and make a note of what they see. Others prefer children to concentrate on the experiences of the day, without the distraction of recording information. Either way, the day after a school visit is usually spent on discussion and follow-up work.

A school trip is a time for best behaviour. Your child’s teacher will have overall control of the group, but you can expect helpers to keep an eye out for problems which, if need be, they will refer to him or her. Fortunately the vast majority of children are too busy enjoying themselves to misbehave. 

Remember that it is essential that your child’s school has up to date contact numbers for you and for anyone else who can be contacted if an emergency concerning your child should occur. So remember to ensure that you let the school have a written record of your contact numbers, and let them know immediately of any changes.

Your child’s school will often give some advice about what the children should wear. Your child may be asked to wear school uniform, so that they can be identified in a crowd. But if your child is going to the farm or the beach, old but tidy clothes are more sensible. 

 

Think carefully about footwear. Your child will need a pair of comfortable shoes, and if they are going to the beach they will need well-fitting beach shoes for the inevitable rockpooling and paddling that will occur!  A light-weight shower-proof coat is essential even in summer. Kagoules (especially the sort that roll up into their own bag) are very good as they will take up very little space in your child’s backpack. Other essentials  are  sunscreen, a packed lunch, and a drink. A change of clothes may also be needed. A small rucksack is ideal for carrying things around all day. It leaves your child’s hands free for other things.

Lunch, for the children, is often the most important time of the day. Take care that it will travel well. Many a picnic lunch has been spoiled by careless packing. Spilled drinks result in soggy sandwiches, and chocolate biscuits and bars can melt. Avoid glass bottles or cans of fizzy drinks. A plastic bottle with a screw top allows your child to drink a little and often. Remind your child not to leave any litter behind, and if there is not a bin available, to bring their rubbish home with them.

Schools cannot be held responsible for valuables such as cameras, computer games and personal stereos. If your child wants to take something like that with him and the school rules allow it, make sure it is carefully named and that he knows how to work it – but it is probably best to discourage your child from taking personal belongings such as this with them, as if they lose it they will find it very distressing. The school cannot be responsible for any lost items. Think about putting in a favourite book for the journey home (though they’ll probably be too tired to read it!), and don’t let your child take anything that will distract his attention from his work and enjoyment of the trip.

If your child needs to take spending money, find a secure purse for it and try to give it to them in change, rather than in a large note.

Do try to be at school on time to collect your child at the end of the trip. It can be most upsetting for some children if there is no one back at school to collect them. Schools will try to estimate the time of their return to school as accurately as possible, but delays can of course sometimes occur.

There’s much more to an educational trip than just a day out and no lessons for the day. Safety considerations come first with everybody. Careful planning helps to make a school trip a memorable learning experience for your child.