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Offsite and Outdoor learning

Why outdoor education?

Young People...

  • enjoy participating in outdoor activities and adopt a positive attitude to challenge and adventure.
  • gain personal confidence and self-esteem through taking on challenges and achieving success.
  • develop their self-awareness and social skills, and their appreciation of the contributions and achievements of themselves and others.
  • become alive to the natural environment and understand the importance of conservation and sustainable development.
  • acquire and develop a range of skills in outdoor activities, expeditions and exploration.
  • demonstrate increased initiative, self-reliance, responsibility, perseverance and commitment.
  • develop and extend their key skills of communication, problem solving, leadership and teamwork.
  • learn to appreciate the benefits of physical fitness and the lifelong value of participation in healthy leisure activities.
  • display an increased motivation and appetite for learning which contributes to raised levels of attainment in other aspects of their education.
  • broaden their horizons and become open to a wider range of employment opportunities and life chances.

Health and safety

  • Both centres and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award hold Adventure Activity Licensing Authority (AALA) Licences. We are regularly inspected through the Adventure Activities Licensing Service (AALS).
  • We follow Warwickshire County Council’s Health and Safety requirements.
  • All staff are CRB checked and hold relevant professional qualifications including national outdoor governing body awards for the range of activities which we provide.
  • Outdoor equipment is regularly inspected, tested and replaced.
  • Safety Management System Summaries are made available to clients.

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Offsite Activities Resource Documents

These documents are designed to be an aid to Education Visits Coordinators (EVC's), Teachers and Youth workers with the planning and implementation of safe trips and visits involving young people.

Who undertakes Offsite Activities?

These are regularly undertaken by educational establishments including schools and youth and community groups. They are commonly referred to as 'trips and visits'.

When do they take place?

For schools this could be during the school day (curriculum time), after school including evenings and weekends (extra curricular) or as part of holiday periods as optional activities. Youth groups and other organisations undertake a range of activity as part of the curriculum during the day, evenings, weekends and holiday periods.

What are Offsite Activities?

They are any type of activity away from the school or youth club. Activity could include local visits, residential and overseas visits, adventure activity, field trips and sports activity including fixtures.

For further information or assistance please contact - Neil Wilson, Outdoor Education Officer Tel. 01926 742494

Generic Risk Assessment Forms

Adventure Activities (msword, 47Kb)

Barges, Boats and Cruises (msword, 178Kb)

Educational Activities in Warwickshire's Country Parks (msword, 58Kb)

Farm Visits (msword, 41Kb)

Large Events and Festivals (msword, 176Kb)

Local Visits, Walking Groups (msword, 41Kb)

Offsite School Sporting Fixtures (msword, 62Kb)

Overseas Ventures (msword, 49Kb)

Residential Stays (msword, 61Kb)

Camping (msword, 43Kb)

Skiing (msword, 129Kb)

Theme Park Visits (msword, 54Kb)

Town and City Visits (msword, 44Kb)

Travelling to and from an Activity (msword, 60Kb)

Travelling to and from Inter-School Fixtures (msword, 62Kb)

Visiting Areas of Scientific Interest (msword, 43Kb)

Walking Ventures (msword, 57Kb)

Water and Aqua Parks (msword, 170Kb)

Water Margin Activities (msword, 53Kb)

Blank Risk Assessment Form (msword, 54Kb)

H & S Risk Assessment Guidance (pdf, 311Kb)

LA Guidance and Support Documents

Offsite Activities Manual (pdf, 466Kb)

OSA1 Form(pdf, 26Kb)

OSA2 Form (pdf, 11Kb)

OSA3 Form (pdf, 20Kb)

OSA4 Form (pdf, 27Kb)

OSA5 Form (pdf, 21Kb)

OSA6 Form (pdf, 19Kb)

Transport

Transporting Children Safely Guidance - Staff Vehicles (msword, 170Kb)

Change in Child Car Seat Law (pdf, 79Kb)

Transporting Children Safely Guidance - Minibus (pdf, 212Kb)

Using your Minibus in Europe (pdf, 15Kb)

Driver / Vehicle Checklist (msword, 43Kb)

Safeguarding

Frequency of CRB Checks (pdf, 43Kb)

Safeguarding Children and Child Protection (pdf, 15Kb)

Water

Swimming Guidelines (pdf, 131Kb)

EVC Specific

Mindmap Education Visits (pdf, 30Kb)

Off-Site learning Report (pdf, 1369Kb)

EVC Off-Site Visits Newsletter Issue 8 (pdf, 1522Kb)

Every Child Matters - 5 Outcomes (pdf, 75Kb)

Off-Site Activity Planning Checklist (pdf, 22Kb)

Visit Planning Form (pdf, 6491Kb)

Educational visits Policy 2008 (pdf, 63Kb)

Risk Assessment - Risk Management (pdf, 64Kb)

Post Event Evaluation Form (pdf, 231Kb)

Charging for Educational Visits (msword, 88Kb)

Inclusion

Inclusion Flow Diagram (pdf, 10Kb)

Access Assessment for Educational Visits (pdf, 20Kb)

Other (LA)

Overseas Expedition (pdf, 115Kb)

Young People Exchange Visits Guidance (pdf, 234Kb)

Residential Organisers Pack (pdf, 757Kb)

High Quality Youth Work in Outdoor Education (pdf, 793Kb)

Transporting Flammable Materials Guidance - Guidance for the use of Stoves/Flammable and Hazardous Materials (pdf, 68Kb)

Other (non-LA)

Learning Outside of the Classroom (Ofsted Report) (pdf, 135Kb)

A Guide to Adventurous Activities Abroad (pdf, 5389Kb)

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The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

The following forms are available for download.

Recording Sheet (Form A) (msword, 316Kb)

DofE Enrolment Form (Form B) (msword, 373Kb)

Expedition Notification Form (Form C) (msword, 340Kb)

Out of Season Request Form (Form D) (msword, 324Kb)

Route Card (msword, 301Kb)

DofE Green Expedition Notification Form (msword, 402Kb)

DofE Red Expedition Notification Form (msword, 192Kb)

DofE Blue Expedition Notification Form (msword, 450Kb)

Blank Generic Risk Assessment (msword, 307Kb)

Unit Leader Information (pdf, 59Kb)

Lone Worker Guidance (pdf, 192Kb)

Lone Worker Risk Assessment (pdf, 66Kb)

Remote Supervision Guidance 2009 (pdf, 81Kb)

DofE Expedition Ratio's (msword, 37Kb)

For information about about the DofE Validation Process please see our Validation Process Frequently Asked Questions. or contact the Award Officer on 01926 742502.

Validation Process FAQs (pdf, 30Kb)

Further guidance and downloads are available from the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards website

Staff Development Training Opportunities

Information for Educational Visits Coordinator’s, Teachers, Youth Workers, Duke of Edinburgh Volunteers and others interested in the Outdoors

Staff Training Opportunities 2010/2011 (pdf, 1Mb)

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