Outdoor education, first aid and off-site visits

The service assists the governing body/trust, headteachers, EVCs and visit leaders to manage their responsibilities, for the health, safety and wellbeing of children and young people when engaged in off-site visits and activities.

Services provided by the local authority

Devon maintained schools receive access to the Evolve system for planning and recording educational visits. In addition, category B (adventurous) and category C (overseas) visits are endorsed by the adviser for outdoor education on behalf of the local authority. The service provided by the local authority also includes email and telephone support to schools from the  Outdoor Education Adviser.

The purchase of a subscription provides extensive support for the management and delivery of outdoor education, visits and off-site activities from the Outdoor Education Adviser.

This includes:

• Specialist advice from the adviser for outdoor education on behalf of the local authority
• Use of the Devon County Council outdoor education, visits and off-site activities health and safety policy
• Use of Evolve software to plan and record visits
• Endorsement of school visits on behalf of the local authority
• Use of supporting documents adapted to school needs
• Attendance of EVC at twice-yearly EVC briefings
• On-going support through telephone or email

Additional support may be purchased on a pay-to-use basis at daily rates.

To comply with health and safety at work legislation, heads and EVCs must be ‘competent’ to carry out their duties. To be competent new EVCs/heads should attend a one day training course and then attend one of the EVC regional network briefings at least once a year.

Attendance at half day briefings are included within the subscription for 1 place per school. Schools and settings are required to pay for attendance at EVC training courses.

Bookings for training and briefings can be made at: www.devoneducationservices.co.uk/trainingconferences

To comply with health and safety at work legislation, visit leaders must be ‘competent’ to carry out their duties. Visit leaders should be trained either by the school’s own EVC or by the Outdoor Education Adviser.

Subscribing schools may use their half-day visit entitlement for visit leader training.

• Ensure schools meet their statutory obligations for health, safety and wellbeing
• Ensure the head, EVC and staff are competent to carry out their duties
• Provide school-specific advice, support and practical solutions
• Help staff to understand their legal responsibilities