Visit Planning

Overview

Careful planning is essential for all visits. Whether the visit is a short walk to a local park or a residential trip overseas, good preparation helps ensure visits are safe, well organised and educationally valuable.

The level of planning and approval required should always reflect the complexity of the visit. More complex activities may require additional preparation, consultation and planning time.

The Head/Manager must be satisfied that the Visit Leader is competent and has appropriate experience and access to specialist advice where needed.

Visit Plans

Every offsite visit should have a Visit Plan outlining key arrangements and responsibilities.

The level of detail required will depend on the type of visit. Routine activities within the local area may be covered by a standard procedure (such as a Local Area Visits Policy) reviewed periodically and agreed by SLT, while more complex visits will require detailed planning.

A clear visit plan helps:

• Ensure safety and effective supervision
• Clarify roles and responsibilities
• Focus on learning outcomes
• Support the visit approval process

Guidance such as the EVOLVE Advice STAGED Approach to planning can help structure this process https://www.evolveadvice.co.uk/staged.

Key Planning Considerations

When preparing a visit, you should consider several important factors, including:

• Appropriate staff-to-participant ratios and supervision levels
• Communication with parents, including consent and participant information
• Whether a preliminary visit is needed
• Safeguarding, vetting and management of accompanying adults
• Use of external providers
• Inclusion, including support for participants with additional needs
• Environmental conditions and location-specific hazards
• Use of electronic devices, security issues and wider safety considerations
• First aid and emergency arrangements

Planning Checklist

A structured approach can help ensure important steps are not overlooked. Typical planning stages include:

• Define the purpose and learning objectives
• Carry out preliminary visits where possible
• Identify risks and plan appropriate safety measures, including ‘Plan B’ options
• Confirm first aid and insurance arrangements
• Prepare emergency procedures
• Inform parents and obtain consent
• Gather participant information, including medical details
• Consider environmental and venue-specific factors
• Plan supervision and safeguarding arrangements
• Establish clear communication arrangements
• Obtain all necessary approvals

Documentation and Risk Management

EVOLVE should be used to record visit plans, risk assessments, approvals, consent and participant information. Risk assessment should be seen as an ongoing process, not just a single document. You must identify and record significant hazards, control measures and consider alternative plans where necessary. Participants may also be involved in understanding risks and making sensible decisions during the visit.

Planning Meetings

It is good practice to hold a planning meeting(s) early in the process with all staff involved in the visit. These meetings help ensure that:

• Roles and responsibilities are clear and ‘owned’
• Important information is shared and understood
• Plans are reviewed and refined as needed
• Regular communication among the leadership team helps ensure visits are safe, well organised and successful learning experiences.

Links to further reading:

OEAP National Guidance available at https://oeapng.info

EVOLVE Advice: The STAGED Approach to planning https://www.evolveadvice.co.uk/staged