4.4q Visits with External Participants
Need to know:
OEAP National Guidance has published NEW educational visits guidance setting out what you need to do if you want to invite external participants on your school trips. This may be students who are no-longer (or not yet) enrolled, or participants from other organisations.
Read the full guidance at oeapng.info 4.4q Visits with External Participants (external link).
Visits with External Participants
NEW 11 November 2024
New guidance 4.4q Visits with External Participants was published by OEAP National Guidance in November 2024. This document provides advice for when a school or establishment organising a visit wants to include participants who are not on the establishment’s roll; for example, they may be former students, you may be collaborating with another organisation.
Click the button below to view the the full National Guidance document, free to access at oeapng.info.
Summary of the guidance:
Guidance document 4.4q Visits with External Participants addresses scenarios where schools or establishments invite non-enrolled individuals to join visits to promote inclusivity or broaden participation. It also applies when you collaborate with other organisations to extend opportunities beyond their immediate participants.
Key Considerations for Schools
The guidance provides detailed advice on the steps you should take when including external participants in your educational visits. We have summarised these below.
1. Planning and information gathering:
Collect detailed information about external participants, including abilities, welfare needs, health conditions, and behavioral considerations.
Secure parental consent and clarify the visit’s Code of Conduct and any sanctions applicable to external participants.
2. Insurance and licensing:
Confirm that the school’s insurance policy covers external participants.
For adventure activities, verify whether the school requires an Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) license for participants not on the school roll.
3. Collaboration with other establishments:
Ensure clear communication and approvals with the participants’ home establishments.
Determine which establishment will manage parental communication, consent, payments, and participant preparation.
Address potential cultural or policy differences between collaborating establishments.
4. Emergency procedures:
Ensure all establishments involved have aligned emergency protocols.
Consider including a staff member from the participants’ home establishment in the visit leadership team.
5. Roles and responsibilities:
Clarify which establishment retains overall responsibility for safeguarding and supervision.
Establish clear expectations for participation, conduct, and learning outcomes.
6. Acting as an external provider:
Schools organising visits for participants from other establishments might be regarded as external providers.
Be prepared to undergo checks from external participants or their schools, following guidance on vetting providers.
Ensure compliance with Package Travel Regulations if applicable.
Recommendations
The guidance recommends that schools and educational settings:
Establish strong partnerships with Operating Authorities or AAPs for additional support and resources.
Engage Outdoor Education/ Educational Visits Advisers to align expedition planning with legal and policy requirements.
Incorporate expeditions into broader learning to enhance their educational impact through reflection and follow-up activities.
Maintain the same high standards of safety and supervision for all participants, whether internal or external.
In addition, we would also advise schools to consider any potential safeguarding issues.
For example, if the external participant differs in age, is vulnerable or has specific needs, what measures will need to be in place? Is there likely to be any impact on the internal participants attending the visit? If the external participant is a former pupil are there any conflicts, relationships or concerns which need to be factored into the planning process?
Further reading from OEAP National Guidance and DfE:
If you’d like further support on this issue, or advice on other aspects related to educational visits, speak to your Educational Visits Adviser.