Communication and educational visits

When planning an educational visit, the school will need to think about how to contact parents should there be change to the arrangements (e.g. if the group is going to arrive home later than expected) and how to inform them if an incident happens while their children are away. It is also essential to ensure that parents can contact their child via the school should there be an emergency at home, and that they have a number to ring for information in the event of an incident during the visit.

There should, therefore, be a named school-home contact who will act as a link between the group, the school and the parents. This person should be in possession of all relevant materials relating to the trip and all emergency details. It is advisable to have a second contact in reserve. Details of parents’ contact numbers must be available at all times, both in school and to the nominated person while the group is on a visit.

Parents will need to know what will happen in an emergency, and should:

Know the itinerary or destination details
Be aware of the emergency contact arrangements at home and at school (particularly during holiday periods when the school may be closed) and at all the venues the group will visit
Provide contact numbers for day and night use in an emergency

Parents agreeing to their children going on a visit should sign a Parental Consent Form which will give emergency contact details.

Parents on the visit

Some parents may be part of the educational visit group, possibly on a one-to-one basis with their own child or as a part of the general adult-pupil ratio. The group leader will usually take charge in an emergency but all those involved, including supervisors, pupils and parents should be informed of the emergency leader, the named back up cover and what they themselves are expected to do in an emergency. Before the trip, the parents in a group should be made fully aware of the emergency procedures and how to follow them in an emergency

Source: Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits, Department for Education and Employment, 1998.

School emergency-management plan Health and safety in schools School security Educational visits First aid Evacuation procedures Calling emergency services Counselling Media handling Communicating with parents Communication and educational visits Informing parents following an incident	Communication and educational visits When planning an educational visit, the school will need to think about how to contact parents should there be change to the arrangements (e.g. if the group is going to arrive home later than expected) and how to inform them if an incident happens while their children are away. It is also essential to ensure that parents can contact their child via the school should there be an emergency at home, and that they have a number to ring for information in the event of an incident during the visit. There should, therefore, be a named school-home contact who will act as a link between the group, the school and the parents. This person should be in possession of all relevant materials relating to the trip and all emergency details. It is advisable to have a second contact in reserve. Details of parents’ contact numbers must be available at all times, both in school and to the nominated person while the group is on a visit. Parents will need to know what will happen in an emergency, and should: Know the itinerary or destination details Be aware of the emergency contact arrangements at home and at school (particularly during holiday periods when the school may be closed) and at all the venues the group will visit Provide contact numbers for day and night use in an emergency Parents agreeing to their children going on a visit should sign a Parental Consent Form which will give emergency contact details. Parents on the visit Some parents may be part of the educational visit group, possibly on a one-to-one basis with their own child or as a part of the general adult-pupil ratio. The group leader will usually take charge in an emergency but all those involved, including supervisors, pupils and parents should be informed of the emergency leader, the named back up cover and what they themselves are expected to do in an emergency. Before the trip, the parents in a group should be made fully aware of the emergency procedures and how to follow them in an emergency Source: Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits, Department for Education and Employment, 1998.	Educational visits model forms Health and safety on educational visits
The advice contained on this site should not be taken as an authoritative interpretation of the law. That is a matter for the courts.