Policies

Offsite Visit Policy

This policy represents the agreed principles for Offsite Visit throughout the Nursery. All Nursery staff, representing Jack in the Box Nursery have agreed this policy.

Off-site visits are activities arranged by or on behalf of the nursery, and which take place outside the nursery grounds. The managers and nursery staff believe that off-site activities can supplement and enrich the curriculum of the nursery by providing experiences which would otherwise be impossible. All off-site activities must serve an educational purpose, enhancing and enriching our children’s learning experiences.

In this policy we seek to establish a clear and coherent structure for the planning and evaluation of our off-site visits, and to ensure that any risks are managed and kept to a minimum, for the safety and health of all children at all times. Within these limits we seek to make our visits available to all pupils, and wherever possible to make them accessible to those with disabilities. The visits usually take place within the nursery day.

Aims  
The aims of our off-site visits are to:

  • enhance curricular and recreational opportunities for our children;
  • provide a wider range of experiences for our children than could be provided on the nursery site alone;
  • promote the independence of our children as learners, and enable them to grow and develop in new learning environments.

We aim to organise more formal outings at least once a term.  Charges for these outings, if applicable, will be notified to parents/carers in advance of the outing and will be payable before the outing.  It is hoped that these outings will enhance and re-enforce, in a practical way, what your child is learning in the nursery. Risk Assessment will be carried out by managers prior to the visit and first aid equipment will be taken on the day.  We will ask parents/carers to sign a consent form in advance of such outings and will offer opportunities for parents/ carers to accompany their child and the nursery on the outing.  

The nursery’s managers are involved in the planning and management of off-site visits.         
The Managers will:

  • ensure that risk assessments are completed;
  • assign competent staff to lead and help with trips;
  • organise related staff training;
  • verify that all accompanying adults, including private car/coach drivers, have had satisfactory police checks,
  • make sure that all necessary permissions and medical forms are obtained;
  • keep records of visits, and ensure there are regular generic assessments of the risks (for example road-crossing) where there are frequent visits to local venues (for example a park).

All off-site activities must take place in accordance with the LEA’s instructions.
It is our policy that all children should be able to participate in educational visits. Where a child with a disability is eligible for a trip, we will make every effort to ensure that s/he is included. We may seek guidance from parents to help us adapt our programme, and we will make any reasonable adjustments to our itinerary to include a child with disabilities. Any such adjustments will be included in the risk assessment.

Risk assessment
A comprehensive risk assessment is carried out by the managers before the proposed visit. It will assess the risks which might be encountered on the visit, and will indicate measures to prevent or reduce them. The risk assessment should be based on the following considerations:

  • What are the hazards?
  • Who might be affected by them?
  • What safety measures are needed to reduce risks to an acceptable level?
  • Can the group leader put the safety measures in place?
  • What steps will be taken in an emergency?

Managers planning an off-site activity will make a preliminary visit to the venue, in order to carry out an on-site risk assessment. It is important to take into account the probable weather conditions at the time of year proposed for the trip, and the managers should take careful account of the facilities available, with due regard to the proposed size of the group. They should also assess the site’s suitability with regard to the age and any particular needs of the children. They will also consider the venue’s own approach to security and to health and safety. Venues providing instructor-led activities will have their own risk assessments for particular sessions, and these assessments may be adopted if it is impractical for the managers to experience the activity beforehand, or if she lacks the skills required to make informed judgements about the risks it may involve.

It is important to assess and record any health, safety or security issues that are identified during the preliminary visit. Any such issues will be taken into account when the final decision is taken on whether the visit should proceed, and the visit plan must state both the extent of any risks involved, and the measures that will be taken to reduce or eliminate them. The managers leading the visit must complete a nursery visit risk assessment check list and keep in the risk assessment file. The cost of these preliminary visits will be borne by the nursery, and should be built into the overall financial arrangements for the visit itself.

A risk assessment must also cover transport to and from the venue. The coach company we use on a regular basis has provided us with a letter detailing all the health and safety measures it routinely takes, including:

  • the provision and required use of seat belts;
  • proper vetting of the driver by the police;
  • proper insurance for the driver;
  • details of first aid and emergency equipment;
  • breakdown procedures.

Transport
The costing of off-site activities should include any of the following that apply:

  • transport;
  • entrance fees;
  • insurance;
  • provision of any special resources or equipment;
  • costs related to adult helpers;
  • any refreshments the nursery has opted to pay for.

Transport arrangements will allow a seat for each member of the party. It is our policy only to use coaches fitted with seat or lap belts, and to insist that they be worn by all those participating in the visit.

Communication with parents
The parents of children taking part in an off-site activity should be provided with all appropriate information about the intended visit. Parents must give their permission in writing before a child can be involved in any off-site activities.

Funding for off-site activities is provided mainly by parental contributions. This must be made clear to parents in all correspondence about an educational visit at the planning stage.

Further health and safety considerations
All adults accompanying a party must be made aware, by the managers, of the emergency procedures which will apply. Each adult should be provided with an emergency telephone number.  This will normally be the managers numbers.

Before a party leaves the nursery managers will provided a list of everyone, children and adults, travelling with the party, together with a programme and timetable for the activity.

The safety of the party, and especially the children, is of paramount importance. During the activity the managers must take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that safety. This involves taking note of any information provided by medical registration forms, and ensuring that children are both safe and well looked after at all times.

Visit plan
The visit plan for intended educational visits must include the following:

  • risk assessment;
  • report on preliminary visit;
  • applications for approval of visit;
  • general information;
  • names, ages, contact details, permission forms, medical records and other relevant details of all those going on the visit;
  • travel schedule;
  • full plan of activities;
  • fire precautions and evacuation procedures;
  • intended arrangements for supervision;
  • insurance arrangements for all members of the group;
  • emergency contacts and procedures;
  • general communications information;
  • guidance for managers
  • guidance for the emergency contact and managers
  • medical questionnaire returns;
  • first-aid boxes, inhalers and Epi-pens if needed.

Operational procedures for outings 
The same standard of care and interaction with the children is expected of staff, volunteers and students on outings.

The worker’s prime responsibility on outings is to ensure the safety of the children.

However they will expected to balance this responsibility with ensuring that children have the maximum opportunity to experience and explore new environments, to socialise and to have fun. 

Types of outings 
Different types of outings take place and each will require slightly different preparations and staffing levels.

These include:

Trips on foot, e.g. visits to the park, the library, local markets and places of interest.

Trips on public transport to places like museums, farms, etc.

Procedures where a child is lost on an outing
If the Nursery’s policies and procedures are being observed the likelihood of a child being lost is small. Very occasionally a child may become separated from the group on an outing or become lost.

With careful planning and co-operative working amongst staff, children should not be out of sight of an adult during an outing.

If it is realised that a child is no longer with the group, staff should look carefully all around without leaving the group. 

That Educator’s key children should be re-allocated to other members of staff.
The Nursery managers will contact the parents immediately.

The police will be informed and all the children will be returned to the Nursery.

At the end of the day the managers will complete an incident report.

This policy was adopted by the managers and staff in September 2008
Signed on behalf of Jack in the Box