Department for Children, Schools & Families Guidance

^{For England & Wales}

“The use of places other than the classroom for teaching and learning”

The Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto sets out a vision to enable every young person to experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of their learning and personal development.

The manifesto brings together a coalition of organisations to support schools and others in providing these valuable opportunities.

Learning outside the classroom is about raising achievement through an organised, powerful approach to learning in which direct experience is of prime importance. This is not only about what we learn but importantly how and where we learn.

Learning outside the classroom

DCSF Guidance Documents

The DCSF has published guidance covering many key aspects of planning, organising and conducting visits outside of the classroom.

Remember, by choosing NST you are in full compliance with the DCSF (Formerly DfES) advice on the selection of a school tour operator.

We have included links below to the key guidance documents, all of which are available on the Teacher Net website.

Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits (HASPEV). This DCSF good practice guide published in 1998 gives advice on organising educational visits.

A three-part supplement to the good practice guide was produced in 2002:

Standards for LEAs in Overseeing Educational Visits sets out the functions of the educational visits co-ordinator in schools and the levels of risk management that Local Authorities and schools could use.

Standards for Adventure is aimed at the teacher or youth worker who leads young people on adventure activities.

A Handbook for Group Leaders is aimed at anyone who leads groups of young people on any kind of educational visit. It sets out good practice in supervision, ongoing risk assessment and emergency procedures.

Group Safety at Water Margins is aimed at anyone who organises learning activities that take place near or in water, such as a walk along a river bank or seashore, collecting samples from ponds or streams, or paddling or walking in gentle, shallow water.