Page 34

Ask the Union

Q  I’ve heard the Department for Education has withdrawn its school trips guidance in England, with nothing practical to replace it. Where should schools go for advice in this area?

A  The first port of call for organising any school visit should be the relevant policy and guidance documents produced by your employer. In the past, these were often supplemented and enhanced with references to the then DfEE’s document Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits (Haspev).

In July 2011 the Government replaced Haspev with an eight-page summary of health and safety law relating both to schools generally and to school visits specifically. Health and Safety: Department for Education Advice on Legal Duties and Powers for Local Authorities, Head Teachers, Staff and Governing Bodies is, however, a far cry from the detailed good practice guidance on school visits in Haspev.

So the arrival of comprehensive, web- based advice on school trips from the Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel (OEAP) is timely. It is designed to be adopted by employers as their own.

At http://oeapeg.info you can search for your role – for example, group leader – which will take you to guidance grouped into two categories: ‘essential reading’ and ‘additional guidance’. For different types of school trip, you can go to specialist activity folders to download more detailed information.

The NUT recommends that, where employers have not already taken steps to counter the withdrawal of Haspev, they seriously consider adopting the OEAP’s authoritative guidance as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, you can refer to the NUT’s own detailed School Visits briefing at www.teachers.org.uk/node/12569

Continued on page 35