Put off by 
paperwork

In a recent survey carried out by the School Travel Forum (STF) and Jem Education Direct, a total of 994 secondary schools from across all regions in the UK were asked to rate their top priorities when organising school trips.

The removal of burdensome paperwork remains the biggest item on their wish list. Many teachers feel they require help completing Risk Assessments and other administrative tasks, indicating that paperwork is still the single most significant obstacle teachers want help with to overcome.

Other factors which were considered important are 24-hour emergency support whilst on tour and enlisting companies which facilitate good learning experiences, with 94 per cent of teachers listing these as a high priority.

Seal of approval
Conversely, the majority of these teachers were not aware, or had very limited awareness, of STF Assured Members and the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge, two complimentary schemes that independently verify that companies provide exactly those essential and important factors.

The STF is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting good practice in school travel. Its Code of Practice covers all the component parts of school trips and is informed by independent safety experts and lawyers specialising in travel, educationalists and outdoor advisors. All STF Assured Members are annually audited by independent experts to verify compliance to the STF’s standards.

Meanwhile, the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom is the national voice for learning outside the classroom. They believe that every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances.

The LOtC Quality Badge provides for the first time a national award combining the essential elements of provision – learning and safety – into one easily recognisable and trusted accreditation scheme for all types of learning outside the classroom provider organisation.

Ian Pearson, general manager of the STF said: “It’s very gratifying that our membership criteria match what teacher’s think are important, but the mismatch in their awareness is surprising.

“Already our research indicates over 85 per cent of study trips booked through tour operators are with our members, and the majority of local authority outdoor education advisors recommend use of the schemes. Schools and teachers could make their study tours much more informative and their lives so much easier by insisting on using companies with these accreditations. Serious accidents on school trips are very rare, but do grab headlines when they occur. Despite government reassurances, teachers still require noticeable good practice in this area. We have to let them know that use of an STF member and LOtC Quality Badge holder provides reassurance, effective due diligence and good practice.”

Wider benefits
A key finding in Ofsted’s report, Learning Outside the Classroom – how far should you go? was that when planned and implemented well, learning outside the classroom contributed significantly to raising standards and improving pupils’ personal, social and emotional development.

Beth Gardner, CEO of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom added: “All the evidence shows that school trips and all types of learning outside the classroom are significantly beneficial to real, effective learning – including pupils who engage poorly during classroom teaching. An important part of our mission is to make getting out and about easier and the LOtC Quality Badge is an effective way of doing that.”

Further information
www.schooltravelforum.com