1. Education Network Meeting Wednesday 21st November Karen Bennett

2. 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.

3. 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

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

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

6. Some Suggestions

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

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

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

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

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

14. School Trip Planning – the process

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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)

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

19. 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

20. 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?

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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.

25. Discussion

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