Catch22 reserves the right to amend this policy, following consultation, where appropriate.
Date of last review: October 2025
Date of next review: August 2026
What is the policy about?
Catch22 Colleges recognises the invaluable role educational visits play in enriching young people’s learning, raising self-esteem, and fostering motivation and achievement. These experiences allow learners to develop confidence, work collaboratively, and embrace challenges, contributing to a well-rounded education.
The natural environment, culture, and opportunities for learning outside the classroom in England are exceptional. Consequently, Catch22 Colleges will strive to provide learners with meaningful experiences beyond the classroom, ensuring a broad and balanced quality of education.
This policy outlines our commitment to planning and managing safe, well-organized visits and off-site activities that align with current best practices and fulfil our duty of care.
Key objectives
- Support Learning: External visits will enhance the curriculum and contribute to learners’ personal and academic development.
- Promote Engagement: Encourage learners to participate in activities that foster independence, teamwork, and a sense of accomplishment.
- Ensure Safety: Maintain high standards of safety and management in all external visits.
Who does this policy apply to?
This policy applies to all Catch22 staff, learners and their parents/carers, and all commissioners and stakeholders involved in approving and supporting educational visits.
Policy requirements
Types of external visits
Catch22 staff may organise and facilitate various external visits, including but not limited to:
- Curriculum Support Activities: Visits linked directly to curriculum content.
- Local Community Engagement: Utilising local resources and facilities.
- Individual Learning Support: Off-site activities designed to help learners meet specific individual learning plan targets.
- Group or Whole-Class Activities:
- Travel in staff cars (with appropriate insurance and business use approval)
- Walking to and from local sites
- Group travel using approved coaches or minibuses
- Enrichment Opportunities:
- Residential visits
- Day visits
- Work experience and vocational placements
- Adventurous activities
- Visits abroad
- Sporting events
- Rewards trips
Home visits
Catch22 College staff may conduct home visits for various purposes, including initial engagement, assessment, interim teaching, or reintegration support. All home visits will adhere to the Catch22 Lone Working Policy to ensure staff safety.
Approval process
All external visits require formal approval, which includes:
- Submission of detailed visit plans, including objectives, logistics, and risk assessments.
- Review and authorisation by Lead Teacher and Senior Operations Manager.
- Compliance with Catch22 Colleges’ safeguarding and health and safety policies.
For details on the approval process, refer to Appendix 1.
Responsibilities
- Staff: Plan, manage, and deliver visits following this policy, ensuring the safety and well-being of all participants.
- Parents/Carers: Provide necessary consent and ensure learners are prepared for visits.
- Commissioners: Oversee and approve planned visits in line with organizational standards.
Policy statement
Purpose of the trip/activity
Trip Leaders should be clear as to the purpose and objectives of the trip/activities and how it contributes to the objectives of the service.
Suitability
It is essential to ensure that the trip/activity is suitable for the group, that it is planned and then led by an appropriate person; the suitability of all trips is based on both how it widens the curriculum offer as part of the good quality of education Catch22 Colleges and also the overall risk of the trip. In all cases the Trip Leader must complete an Initial Risk Assessment and a Quality of Education Assessment (see Appendix 2) and have initial approval from the Lead Teacher.
For all sporting trips/activities, further specific safety standards, advice, checklists and guidelines from the appropriate national governing body for the activities must be sought on supervising and managing the specific activity being planned. The national governing bodies have established safety standards and working practices for their respective activities.
If the trip/activity involves a hazardous or adventurous activity, a licensed outdoor activity provider must be used to deliver the activity, and advice must be sought from this provider regarding suitability.
For all other outdoor activities and for trips/activities near water or in open country, advice must be sought from suitably qualified professionals with knowledge of the suitability of the activity and of the local area where the trip is being planned. If there is any doubt, a licensed outdoor activity provider must be used.
Approval for a trip/activity
No trip or activity can proceed without authorisation from the Lead Teacher and Senior Operations Managers. All trips abroad must be approved by the Director of Leaning and Skills. Initial approval of the proposed trip/activity should be gained in principle from the relevant Senior Operations Manager, prior to any detailed preparations taking place. This initial approval should be in the form of an e-mail, once this initial approval is completed then the Trip Leader should complete all require paperwork and set a timeline for key events. Planning and preparation must be done sufficiently far ahead to ensure that there is no unreasonable risk to safety, quality or finance as a result of preparations being made in haste.
All relevant information must be submitted by the Trip Leader to the Lead Teacher for approval of the trip/activity details once all preparations are complete. Approval must be gained at least one month prior to the intended trip date for trips abroad and at least two weeks before for any other trip. Catch22 consider any breach of this approval process as serious misconduct and would take disciplinary action against any member of staff not following the process.
Roles and Responsibilities
Lead Teacher
The Lead Teacher is responsible for making the final decision on whether a trip/activity can go ahead and will stop a trip/activity if the guidance has not been followed or if the safety of the party cannot be guaranteed. This decision is evidenced through email chains between the Trip Leader and Lead Teacher.
Education visits co-ordinator
The Lead Teacher is (or will nominate) an Educational Visits Co-ordinator (EVC) who has undertaken the suitable training.
All visits will need to be discussed with the External Visits Co-ordinator who will ensure that the leader is familiar with the visit/location and has completed a risk assessment specific to the young people involved and the location of the visit.
Appropriate notice, dependent on risk level of the trip, must be given to the EVC of any visit so that all checks can be made, letters checked and risk assessments completed and checked.
Local visits that are a regular part of our daily work will need to be discussed with the leaders and checked with the EVC on the first visit if it is to be a regular or frequent occurrence.
Trip leader
It is the responsibility of the Trip Leader to complete all paperwork for submission, which will include:
- Obtaining approval from the relevant Lead Teacher / Senior Operations Manager before the visit goes ahead.
- Following the guidelines, policies and procedures set by this policy and those by the visited establishment.
- Planning and preparing for the visit, including briefing the group members and next of kin as required.
- Completing adequate risk assessments that consider all significant hazards about the trip and also review individual learner risk assessments and ‘IHP’.
- Appointing a deputy for the trip/activity and define what this entails (this includes who would lead the group if the Trip Leader is absent).
- Confirming that the named First Aider has up to date First Aid Training.
- Defining each trip/activity assistant leader’s role and ensure all tasks have been assigned, especially if learners need to have a named adult on the trip.
- Being familiar with the age range of participants and be competent to lead the activities proposed.
- Assessing the suitability of the activity for the participant’s abilities and ages and ensure that their needs are appropriately met.
- Ensuring that the trip/activity assistant leaders have information on any specific needs or requirements of the participants involved.
- Ensuring all parental consents are in place.
- Being aware of safeguarding issues and consider this when planning the visit and throughout the visit (any Safeguarding concerns are to be recorded using following the relevant Catch22 College Safeguarding Policy).
- Ensuring that there is adequate first aid provision for all aspects of the trip/activity, including travel.
- Ensuring that the group and the Senior Manager have contact details for inside and outside the normal hours of the establishment.
- Ensuring that there is a suitable supervision ratio based on the nature of the activities and learners involved.
- Curtailing a trip/activity if the risk to the health and safety of participants is deemed unacceptable.
- Reviewing each visit and where necessary make changes to future visits based on the experiences had by the participants and supervisors.
- All relevant risk assessments & public liability insurance are collected and collated for all travel to/from visits (this could include walking, train, bus, coach, plane, etc).
Trip/activity assistant leaders
All staff who are taking part in the supervision of a trip/activity have a ‘Duty of Care’ towards all members of the group. Trip/Activity assistant leaders have the responsibility to provide the same care that a ‘reasonable, prudent, and careful parent or carer’ would take in the same circumstances.
If assistant leaders have any doubt as to the safety of the group, the trip/activity must not continue unless or until they have sufficient further information and advice to remove any doubts.
The duty of care applies to all who take responsibility for the supervision of the trip/activity, including volunteers.
External agency or outdoor providers
Where an activity involves an outside agency or outdoor provider, the trip leader must ensure that the agency or provider involved is competent and any establishment safe. Outside providers must be able to demonstrate that their qualifications and experience of the staff are in line with the requirements of this policy. This would include ensuring that they have sight of the providers current public liability certificate, any relevant risk assessments covering the activities they will deliver and any activity licences, for example an AALA (adventure activities licensing) if deemed appropriate for the activities planned. The relevant qualifications required will be established on a case-by-case basis, dependent on the activities planned. A decision on competence of the provider should be made by the Lead Teacher and evidence will include the quality of documentation, site visits and in some cases testimonials.
Whilst the agency or provider may be given the responsibility to instruct/lead a group on a trip/activity, the trip leader/assistant leader must still fulfil his/her duty of care to the group, and must stop the trip/activity immediately if there are any concerns, whether this is due to safety concerns or for any other reason.
It is the responsibility of the Trip Leader to ensure that the risk assessments completed are suitable for the learners that Catch22 support. Staff should seek support and guidance from Catch22 Health and Safety team and risk assessment experts to complete.
Planning and preparation
Careful advance-planning is crucial to ensuring the safety of the group on an off-site trip/activity, and it is the responsibility of the Trip Leader to ensure each of the following aspects are addressed.
Trip/activity file
The Trip Leader must compile a file for each trip/activity being planned that contains all of the relevant planning documentation and information required (where applicable) as outlined in this policy.
This file must be made available to the Lead Teacher and Senior Operations Manager prior to commencement of the trip. Contents of the file must include:
- Purpose of the Trip/activity
- Location and itinerary
- Programme of activities
- Safety guidelines for the specific trip/activity planned.
- Details of any outside provider involvement and their qualifications/suitability
- Transport arrangements
- Financial arrangements
- Insurance details
- Risk assessments
- Details of staff and accompanying adults
- Emergency contact information
- Information on members of the party
- Parental/carer consent forms
- Any last-minute changes
Appropriate activities
When activities are in the planning stage, the Trip Leader must ensure that the venue, programme and cost are appropriate to the aims of the venture, the needs and abilities of participants and the resources available. Safety, Security and Welfare must be the prime considerations.
Pre-visits
The Trip Leader must research the background and implications of an off-site activity thoroughly to ascertain the appropriateness of the venue whenever possible the Trip Leader should make preliminary visits to the venue, to risk-assess any potential dangers.
When a venue involves naturally hazardous areas such as mountains and moorland coasts, forested areas and sizeable areas of still and moving water that are unfamiliar, a pre-visit must be carried out unless the trip is being run by a suitably qualified or licensed outdoor activity provider.
A useful checklist has been created (Appendix 3) to guide pre-visits, however staff should liaise closely with Health and Safety representatives to ensure a thorough pre-visit is completed.
Emergency contacts
A senior member staff not on the activity or trip should act as the Emergency/Home Contact for the group throughout the duration of the trip, including out of hours if necessary. The Emergency Contact is the focus for communications between the party and those at home. The Emergency Contact must have access to the trip/activity file containing all relevant information about the group, programme and venues.
The Trip Leader must brief the Emergency Contact prior to departure. Each parent/carer also needs to know how to contact the Emergency Contact and this should be stated on a parent/carer Trip Information Form.
Prior to any trips/activities the Trip Leader should liaise with Catch22 Health & Safety team to discuss emergency protocol, and if an external 24-hour support is available, such as PHAROS response.
The Trip Leader must call in attendance to the Home Contact prior to departure, both when travelling to / from the trip destination.
In the first instance of an emergency 999 should be called.
In the event of an incident or emergency, the Trip Leader must alert the Emergency Contact.
In case of a critical incident, emergency details of staff are kept with the Lead Teacher.
Parental consent
The Trip Leader must ensure that the parents/carers are aware of the trip/activity and the nature of it, before the trip occurs.
Prior to the trip departure and for each group member, the Trip leader must receive written permission from the parent/carer for each learner to attend, and authorisation for emergency medical treatment.
Where a series of short visits are to be made over a period of weeks e.g. swimming lessons or community work, one consent form should be sufficient for the whole series. This must be renewed on a regular basis, for example termly/quarterly as necessary, so that the parent/carer are reminded that these activities are still being carried on. The parent/carer must still be made aware of the details of each trip when it occurs as it might also be necessary to update medical information in such cases.
The Trip Leader must be aware of any medical conditions or dietary needs that might have an effect on the activities and discuss individual needs with the parent/carer and the young person to ensure a full understanding.
Information to parents
Parents/Carers must be given clear information on all activities/trips. This information should include:
- Date of trip
- Objectives of trip
- Details of planned activities
- Times of departure and return
- Location where the young people will be collected and returned
- Modes of travel
- Details of accommodation
- Procedures if young person becomes ill
- Names of leader(s)
- How to contact the party if necessary
- What young person needs to bring
- Details of any unsupervised activities
- Name of staff where learners are to be accompanied on trip or visit.
- Emergency Contact Information
Note: If any of these information changes, it is the responsibility of the Trip Leader to ensure this is communicated effectively internally and externally to participants in a timely manner.
Trip management
The Trip Leader is responsible for the management of trip/activity Assistant Leaders during a trip or activity. The Trip Leader must always make clear to Assistant Leaders their responsibilities and roles during the trip, including any handover of learners between transport and arrival on the trip or visit. On the day of the trip a signed copy of the agreed risk assessment and learner register must be held by the Trip Leader and by the Emergency/Home Contact.
Any adults brought into help with a trip or activity in a supervisory role and/or who will have unsupervised access to young people or vulnerable adults must be DBS checked to enhanced level in accordance with Catch22’s Recruitment and Selection Policy.
For all trips/activities, there must be at least one adult who is qualified in first aid.
Risk assessment
The Trip Leader must ensure that all activities are subjected to risk assessments and that adequate health and safety arrangements are in place.
Risk assessments must be conducted both before and during the trip. Where reasonably practicable, a visit to the proposed trip location, prior to the trip taking place, must be completed in order for accurate risk assessments to be completed.
Risk Assessments must be written, signed by the Trip Leader, and recorded in the Trip/Activity file as evidence that they have been carried out. Risk Assessments for a typical trip or activity would need to cover the following areas as a minimum:
- Transport to and from the venue
- The activity venue
- The nature of the activity
- The group members e.g. any medical factors
- Other external factors e.g. changes in the weather
The Lead Teacher, prior to final trip approval, will check that risk assessments have been completed and agree mitigation arrangements.
The risk assessments and planned journey checklists should be copied and a copy of these left at the college/ with the Emergency/Home Contact. A further copy should be carried with the trip leader.
Where visits within walking distance are to be made, the risk assessments still need to be completed, and names left at the college as with other journeys. Copies of names and addresses are to be carried along with a work mobile phone. Ensure that road safety rules are followed, and learners are never out of site of the members of staff on the trip.
Dynamic risk assessment
Risks must be monitored throughout the visit and where appropriate activities modified or curtailed to suit changed or changing circumstances. The responsibility for this rests primarily with the Trip Leader or EVC. Where more than one person has a duty of care each must be made aware of this and liaise with each other. In an emergency the Trip Leader, or EVC, should call the Lead Teacher. Should the Trip Leader or EVC be unable to the Lead Teacher they should contact the Senior Operations Manager.
Insurance
The Trip Leader must ensure that adequate and appropriate insurance arrangements are made for all aspects of the particular trip/activity. Catch22 carries insurance cover under its Employees Liability Cover and Public Liability policies. However, the Trip Leader must consult with Facilities to check whether the activity being proposed is covered under Catch22’s current insurance underwriters, or whether additional insurance is required.
For residential and foreign trips, off-site activities lasting more than twenty-four hours, journeys by air or sea, and all trips and visits involving hazardous activities suitable journey insurance cover must be taken out, on behalf of the next of kin. This must cover risks arising from cancellation, loss of personal possessions, personal accident and medical expenses. The next of kin must be informed of the nature and extent of insurance taken out on their behalf. The Trip Leader must ensure adequate insurance is in place for motor vehicles used in the trip and for their intended purpose.
Transport
A risk assessment must be completed on the transport arrangements to and from the venue, and whilst at the venue. Factors which need to be considered include:
- Distance of travel
- Time of travel
- Cost of travel
- Rest stops
- Qualified drivers/number of drivers needed.
- Level of supervision needed – risk assessment should be carried out to decide on the level of supervision required for any journey. Issues to consider would include the numbers being carried, the length of journey and the individuals being transported, to confirm whether other supervision is required in addition to the driver.
Accommodation
If the trip is overnight, the Trip Leader must ensure:
- There are separate sleeping/bathing arrangements must be made for male and female young people and supervisors.
- Security arrangements at the accommodation are in force to stop unauthorised visitors.
- They are familiar with the layout of the fire exits and lifts and that all young people are aware of the arrangements in the event of an emergency.
Preparing the group
The Trip leader must ensure that assistant leaders and the young people are aware of their responsibilities to the safety of themselves and to others. Providing information and guidance to young people is an important part of trip or activity preparation. Where appropriate, the Trip Leader must ensure that the young people receive a written copy and a verbal briefing covering the following:
- The purpose of the trip
- Who the Trip leader is
- Where they are going and what the trip will entail
- What standard of behaviour is expected of them
- Appropriate and inappropriate conduct
- What rules must be followed
- Any equipment they need to take and any forbidden items
- Consequences of breaking the rules
- Potential risks and dangers
- Behaviour required ensuring their own safety and that of others
- Rendezvous procedures if they become separated from the group
Travel in a member of staff’s private vehicle
A passenger list must be completed for all adults and children/young people with their contact details and medical needs identified. A copy must be carried in the car and a copy left at the college.
Staff will carry their work mobile phone in order to maintain contact with their base and the office. They must be switched on at all times when off-site. Staff will have the appropriate insurance for business use. The insurance company should be aware that the person transports children. They will have a valid driving licence and an up to date MOT certificate.
Children under 12 years of age or less than 4 feet 11 inches (150cms) should travel in the back seat of the car with the seatbelt on. They will be required to use a booster seat that can be supplied by the parents.
It is recommended that all young people sit in the back of the car and must always wear the appropriate seat belt. Where appropriate a second member of staff will escort the learner if the risk assessment indicates this as a risk area. All staff must complete a planned journey checklist when making visits by car with learners or alone.
Staff should consider ratios within the risk assessment.
Evaluation of the trip/activity
Upon completion of the trip/activity, the Trip Leader should consider the completion of an evaluation recording the following information:
- Whether the aim and objectives of the trip were achieved
- Costs against actual planned expenditure
- High/lows of the trip
- Views of the young people
- Pitfalls – places/things not to do/go to/stop at again
- Problems encountered with any specific young people
- Any incidents including non-emergency
Policy and practice
Offsite trips/activities should be accessible to all regardless of gender, religion, ethnic origin, social background, medical need or physical ability in accordance with the Catch22 Equality and Diversity policy and with the Equalities Act 2010.
Within Catch22, staff have a commitment to ensure all activities are relevant to all learners and are taught in a way that is age and stage appropriate.
All reasonable adjustments will be made as necessary to enable access to curriculum opportunities including visits.
All educational trips and visits will be made in accordance with the DFE Guidance on Health and Safety on Educational Trips.
In respect of the nature of the support that learners require at Catch22, we will carefully consider the types of visits we undertake.
In every aspect of external visits within Catch22, either alone or accompanying learners, the National guidelines for Accident/Incident Investigation and Notification Procedures will be followed and reported using the Health and Safety incident reporting process.
Related policies
- Catch22 Safeguarding Overarching Policy
- Catch22 College Safeguarding Policy
- Catch22 Health & Safety Policy
- Catch22 Risk Management Policy
- Behaviour and Code of Conduct Policy – Catch22 Colleges
- Health & Safety Policy – Catch22 Colleges