Properly prepped for School Trips: tips and safety advice for schools

The question we need to ask is how can school leaders ensure that trips are managed and delivered in the best and safest way possible?

Communication with parents

One of the first considerations should be communication with parents. This starts at the planning stage, from gaining their approval of the trip concept to informing them of a potential delay in the arrival time back at school. Increasingly schools are finding that traditional methods of contacting parents or guardians to alert them to their child’s achievements, progress or behavioural concerns are futile. Mobile calls and text messages are far more commonplace as a means of communication – they are indicative of the technology driven world we live in – therefore schools need to be able to provide these services. On a school trip it is even more crucial that communication happens in ‘real time’ as each stage unfolds.

Lawrence Royston, managing director, Groupcall, explains why communicating all the necessary information to parents is a key part of preparing for schools trips: “‘Investing in a parental communication system which takes advantage of technology to provide information is a must for any school. Today, there are a number of systems that allow schools to send a text, voice or email message in any language to a parent or guardian’s mobile phone or landline. Providers that integrate these systems with intuitive apps allow communication to be taken a step further by providing teachers with the capabilities of communicating with parents directly from the palm of their hand. These rich interfaces allow messages to be sent to any group or individuals at the touch of a button, at anytime, from anywhere.”

This means that parents can be informed of any important information, for example, from required lunch box content, to any experienced delays when returning home from a school trip, or any alternative arrangements that have been made. They also receive the most up to the minute, accurate information on any emergency situation that may have arisen. Lawrence added: “It is likely that as the news of the accident in France broke, scores of worried parents and guardians frantically tried to get as much information as possible. Effective parental communication systems can, at the very least, be used to help put their minds at rest at an otherwise extremely stressful time.”

Learning objectives and behaviour management
Before any decisions are made, it is important to consider the learning objectives of the trip; what the organisers hope it will achieve, what the benefits are for students, and how it can be incorporated into lesson plans.

Teachers can begin preparing for the trip in advance by assigning learning activities and research to be completed by each student. If the trip consists of travel abroad, students could be asked to research the destination, the customs and traditions of the local people, the language, historical attractions and their perceptions of the country before the trip. They could present this report after the trip, comparing it to their actual experiences and referencing any new information, quirky traditions or fun facts they learned along the way. Depending on the age of the students, this exercise could be tailored to become more or less detailed and extensive.

Ensuring that the students are fully aware of all boundaries before the trip is also important. They should be carefully briefed on all safety measures, understand exactly what is expected of them on the trip and realise that they will be representing the school at all times and so will need to behave accordingly. While schools will undoubtedly want students to enjoy their school trip to the fullest, not being in a routine and formal setting may cause some to act more boisterously than they normally would or misbehave; consequences for such behaviour should be outlined from the off to act as a firm deterrent.

Choosing providers
Once all parental communication systems are in place, schools should begin researching service providers. There are many impressive provider websites out there that promise the lowest rates, however, doing your research before you book is paramount. Be confident in asking for references, perhaps from other schools they have worked with; any reputable provider will be happy to provide this reassurance. Schools are also encouraged to ask around about a particular provider; word of mouth will often give you much more valuable information than a website ever would.

There are companies that act as a middle man and plan the entire tour for schools, organising transport, accommodation and activities. These will invariably be more expensive; however, schools can take comfort in knowing that they are very experienced and will adhere to strict safety standards.

Schools opting to travel with one of these companies should ensure that they have been awarded the new Learning Outside the Classroom Council’s (LOtC) Quality Badge. This national award combines learning and safety in one easily recognisable and trusted accreditation scheme for all types of learning outside the classroom. The benefits of the LOtC Quality Badge for schools is that it reduces the red tape associated with learning outside the classroom, making it safer and easier for teachers to incorporate this kind of learning into the curriculum. 

Schools should also ensure that these companies are fully compliant with the Department for Education’s advice on the selection of a school travel operator.

For schools opting to cut out the middle man and source individual providers, such as coach hire companies, independently, there is a very quick checklist they can refer to, to ensure that all safety bases are covered:

  • Plan ahead: Journeys should be planned to ensure that drivers can stay safely within the speed limits. Journey times should be estimated to allow for driver’s hours regulations, and any potential delays that may occur.
  • Satellite navigation: All coaches should be equipped with satellite navigation to ensure that the driver can function efficiently in unfamiliar territory. Having a satellite navigation system also usually means that coaches can be tracked; should a driver get lost, the coordinates of the system can be accessed remotely and the exact whereabouts of the coach identified.
  • Hands-free: Coaches should be fitted with a driver’s hands-free mobile phone device.
  • Seat belts: Schools should insist that coaches are fitted with lap strap safety belts on all seats.
  • New technologies: Most coaches will comply with all current safety legislation; however, this may not be the case with older coaches. It is important to ask when the coach was manufactured, and request one that is fully compliant if it is an older model.
  • Maintenance: Ensure that your selected coach has been recently serviced and has passed all relevant maintenance tests.

‘Virtual trips’
For those schools who cannot afford to invest in such activities, Espresso Primary features resources that can provide virtual school trips. Its virtual ‘trip to the beach’ resource provides children with images, videos and activities to enable them to feel like they’re really there, despite not leaving the classroom. For example, students can look at photographs to see what Blackpool looked like in the past, then can explore the rock pools and compare videos of how the scene has changed over time. Some schools in inner city areas might be able to go on school trips, but perhaps not to the beach as it may be too far to travel or outside the school’s budget. These resources can really benefit schools at a fraction of the cost of a real school trip and without the worry and numerous safety requirements.

For further information please visit: www.groupcall.com