During the year we make school visits to interesting places connected with the children’s learning.  These include adventure activities, off-site sporting fixtures outside the school day and the Year 6 residential visit. These are always well planned and organised by teachers.   

Consent form

We usually ask parents to sign a consent form to allow us to take children on educational visits when a child enrols in our school. This will cover a child’s participation in any of these types of activities throughout their time at the school since most of these activities take place during school hours and are a normal part of a child’s education. However, parents will be told where their child will be at all times and all appropriate safety measures are in place following government and/or local guidelines.

If the children are to travel on a coach then we ensure that it is fully equipped with seat belts and ensure each child uses them.

Where there is a higher level of risk management needed for the trip, or the trip is outside school hours, parents will be asked for specific written consent.

Contributions towards costs  

Although the school allows for an amount for each child towards school visits in its annual budget, this is usually not enough to cover the high cost of a coach. Therefore, we do sometimes have to ask for a contribution from all parents towards the cost of the trip, although we must make it clear that parents are under no obligation to contribute. We will not exclude any child from an activity simply because his or her parents are unwilling or unable to pay. Parents in receipt of certain benefits e.g. free school meals, may wish to speak to the Headteacher.

If the activity cannot be funded without voluntary contributions, we will make this clear in our letters to all parents at the outset. If insufficient voluntary contributions are raised to fund a visit, then it will be cancelled and the contributions returned. Fortunately, this does not often happen. All parents can withdraw their child from any particular school trip or activity covered by the consent form.