Calling time on red tape around school trips

ENGLAND – The children’s secretary Ed Balls has signalled the end of the red tape culture that can surround school visits as he announced the first 65 organisations to be awarded a Quality Badge for the provision of learning outside the classroom experiences.

He congratulated the first successful applicants, who will offer schools the guarantee of a high quality learning experience for pupils as well as the assurance that the necessary risk management processes are in place.

The Quality Badge scheme is part of the government’s £4.5m ($NZ13.2 million) Out and About package which, along with the badges, provides guidance and information for teachers on how to plan and organise high quality activities that enhance teaching in subject areas.

Mr Balls said he wanted to see as many children as possible taking part in learning outside the classroom as part of their school lives and called on teachers to use the scheme to make informed decisions about suitable venues.

Under the scheme, organisations will display the badge as a signal to schools that their venue has met the required standard, so teachers do not need to carry out their own risk or quality assessments.

Mr Balls said: “Educational visits are among the most memorable experiences in a child’s school life. I want to see schools taking advantage of the opportunities that learning outside the classroom provides to bring subjects to life.

“Quality Badges offer teachers a guarantee that not only is a venue providing the sort of educational value that they can build on in class long after the visit but they also have the appropriate risk management structures in place.

“I am pleased that the Quality Badge scheme has been welcomed by a wide range of organisations, including local authorities and teacher unions. It is a significant victory in our battle to move away from the misguided perception that learning outside the classroom is a potential minefield for teachers.

“Tens of thousands of children take part in learning outside the classroom every day. I am determined that no child should miss out on these vital experiences because of unnecessary red tape or because of a cotton wool culture that discourages all kinds of risk.”

To gain the Quality Badge, low risk providers such as museums and places of worship complete an on-line self assessment and are subject to spot checks to ensure the quality of their systems. All higher risk providers such as adventurous activity centres and farms will be checked by independent industry assessors before they are awarded the Badge.

The Quality Badge was developed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Badges are awarded by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom.