Education Network Meeting Wednesday 21st November Karen Bennett

School Visits Ice-Breaker activity Discuss your favourite school trip you attended as a child. Write a brief overview of it on the thought cloud.

Memories of school educational trips are among the most prominent of the formative years, largely because they are a welcome break in the routine for both students and teachers. While their purpose is essentially to educate, they can also be a fun bonding experience for everyone involved. Educational Organisation

Promoting a visit to a station/CRP etc How could you or do you generate interest with schools?

Usually when you ask a child their favourite part of the day…

Some Suggestions

List the 5 most important reasons Why have school trips? Discuss in your groups List the 5 most important reasons

Reinforcement The trip can reinforce what a teacher has been instructing in class about a subject and help students understand the topic better.

Engagement Teachers turn trips into mobile classrooms, instructing students to collect data, then quizzing them or assigning a project based on what they learned during the outing.

Socialisation Taking students into a new environment gives them the experience of traveling in a group and teaches them to be respectful of the locations they visit.

Exposure Kids get to visit a place to which they have never been before. This can be particularly advantageous to students who are less fortunate and don't have the opportunity to travel.

Curiosity Students who go on Educational trips find that they want to learn more about the subjects on which the trip focused.

Retention The type of memories that Educational trips create, called “episodic memories,” helps children retain information for longer periods.

School Trip Planning – the process

Schools might book a trip - linking to the curriculum and long-term plan - because they have been contacted and it seems a good opportunity -usually at least half a term in advance – some book for the year

Ensure school calendar is clear Book transport (look around for cheapest deals – now up to £500 per day) Consideration for staffing If school is 2 or 3 form entry – do they go in one week or consecutive weeks Need to get dates set in both diaries

Risk Assessments Sometimes places of interests generate their own for teachers to use Sometimes teachers need to go and conduct their own Programmes such as evolve that combine both together At CRL – we do not do Risk Assessments – it’s up to the schools. (Great to do a pre-visit to do this and ask any questions)

Costs -Transport -Entrance -Extra staffing costs -Workshops -Risk assessment trips Cost per child Will school subsidise any of it?

Permission form for Parents To collect payment (Schools cannot legally ask for payment – they can only ask for a donation and that the trip will be cancelled if not enough funds are gathered) To gain permission (some schools have a blanket letter at the beginning of the year) To explain the details of the day

Planning the Day Activities – before, during and after the trip Will there be a guide or booked sessions or will the teacher lead the trip? Which staff members will attend? Do they have other duties that need covering? Is there a First Aider present? Which children will go in each group? What ratios need to be adhered to? Will the class stay together or go off in smaller groups? Timing – what time will the class leave school? Return? What time will lunch be scheduled? Will there be a place to have lunch? Store the bags? Is there a shop? Will children bring money? Will there be a plan for activities?

Ratios – for groups Pupil to staff ratios for school trips are not prescribed in law. Those planning trips, on the basis of risk assessment, should decide the ratios, taking into account the activity to be undertaken and the age and maturity of the pupils. Here is a guide Foundation Stage: 1:1 or 1:2 Years 1 to 3: 1:6 Years 4 to 6: 1:10 or 1:15 Years 7 upwards: 1:15 or 1:20

On the Day Risk Assessments and plans handed out to staff (information about vulnerable children) Children placed into groups and easily identified First Aid kits, sick buckets, medication etc packed Contact numbers for staff on the trip and for parents/carers Information about medication/allergies Lists of children – lots of headcounts (easier to count in twos

School might use social media to promote the trip ( different schools have different levels of permission – safeguarding issues) Letter sent to place of visit Writing – recounts, stories, newspaper reports, leaflets Art Work Presentation/Assembly Older children might host a workshop to teach others what they learnt Display in school After the trip

Curriculum planning Choose an age group – KS1, 2 or 3 Choose a subject Highlight the relevant objectives you think could be met and achieved at a station/line/through community rail Choose one or two of these objectives –design an activity around these.

Discussion

Dates for the Diary Education Network Meeting: February Secondary Education Focus