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More school trips for pupils

DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES News Release (2008/0025) issued by The Government News Network on 5 February 2008

Teachers will find it easier to take pupils on school trips with more help and advice, less bureaucracy and quality badges for popular destinations, thanks to new guidance from the Department of Children, Schools and Families. The measure is included in the 'Staying Safe' Action Plan, launched today.

Evidence shows that learning outside of the classroom brings benefits to pupils such as deeper subject learning, increased self confidence and raised achievement. It can also help young people to understand and manage risk.

Research shows that Heads and teachers are aware of these benefits, and they have said they will take pupils on visits if they feel confident and have had training.

The new guidance makes it much easier for teachers to take their pupils out of the classroom.

Organisations that host school or other youth group visits such as museums, historic houses, field study centres and farms will be encouraged to qualify for quality 'badges', which will help teachers identify places that provide high quality learning outside of the classroom, and are managing safety effectively. This will help reduce the bureaucratic burden of risk assessment on teachers.

The measure was included in the 'Staying Safe' Action Plan, launched today by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Ed Balls said:

"Learning outside the classroom helps pupils understand their subjects better and increases their self-confidence. School trips also help young people explore and learn about risk and how to manage it. I hope that by making it easier for teachers to take their students outside the classroom we will help a generation of pupils develop their independence and raise their attainment.

"We should not let a fear of a compensation culture prevent pupils from learning outside the classroom. On school trips - as in other areas covered in our staying safe action plan - we need to help parents and teachers strike the right balance between protecting our children and allowing them the freedom to develop and enjoy childhood."

Other new measures outlined in the report include:

* A new Child Safety Education coalition
* New guidance for professionals on bullying in non school settings like children's homes and FE colleges
* New guidance on safeguarding and on protecting children with disabilities or special educational needs from bullying
* A new safeguarding unit for the Third Sector
* New guidance on child employment
* New guidance on cross-border issues
* Publish research on joint working between children's and housing services (with the Department for Communities and Local Government)
* Publish a review of safety education materials for Personal, Social and Health Education
* Carry out a Priority Review of local area accident prevention
* Put forward safeguarding theme for the local authority beacon award scheme

Children's Minister Kevin Brennan said:

"If children are not safe, they cannot be happy, healthy, or reach their full potential. But we can't wrap them up - they need to learn about taking risks so they can protect themselves."

Tom Mullarkey, Chief Executive of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said:

"This is a major step in the right direction towards simplifying regulation and reducing bureaucracy. The important thing is that children have a safe and excellent learning experience and any impediment to that objective needs to be revisited. Teachers need support and guidance, not endless, unnecessary form-filling and this initiative will be widely welcomed in staff rooms throughout the country."

The Out and About guidance on school visits will be available from May 2008 and the quality badge in September 2008.

The new 'Staying Safe' action plan sets out how government will deliver the new Public Service Agreement on improving children and young people's safety. The Departmental commitment to this was confirmed in the Children's Plan, which was launched in December 2007.

The plan reflects the cross government nature of the Public Service Agreement and includes plans and actions for a number of departments including: Home Office, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, Department of Health, Department for Transport, Department for Communities and Local Government, Ministry of Justice.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Staying Safe Action Plan is available at http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/stayingsafe/

The Children's Plan is available from http://www.dcsf.gov.uk

The Out and About guidance will build on the widely-used, long-standing Health and Safety Of Pupils on Educational Visits; it will emphasise the enabling effect of sensible risk management as advocated by the Health and Safety Executive and others. No more than three A4 forms should be necessary for most off-site visits.

The badge scheme is voluntary.

Ministerial quotes

Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith said:

"We are committed to protecting children and keeping them safe from harm. This new Action Plan demonstrates how Government is working together to balance this aim whilst giving young people the freedom to learn and develop.

"I particularly welcome the emphasis on supporting young people as they are often the victims of crime. Improving the life chances of children and young people is a key part of the cross-Government Youth Crime Action Plan which will be published later this year."

Bill Rammell, Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, said:

"All young learners have a right to a safe learning environment, one which supports them as they study. Freedom from all forms of bullying is a prerequisite for safe learning and I believed all further education colleges will welcome new guidance for professionals that the 'Staying Safe' strategy will deliver."

Gerry Sutcliffe, Minister for Sport, said:

"Visits bring to life the things children read about in books, and there isn't a better way to learn. Of course children need to be protected, but that doesn't mean wrapping them up in cotton wool and not exposing them to experiences that will shape them as they grow up

Road Safety Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick said:

"The number of children killed or seriously injured on Britain's roads each year has fallen by more than 50% since the mid-1990s. However, too many children are still dying needlessly and so we are determined to continue to improve the safety of our roads.

"To further reduce casualties we are targeting children and parents through our award-winning THINK! road safety campaigns as well as helping to introduce more local safety schemes. We also recently announced a record £140m investment in cycling including funding for Safe Routes to School and more Bikeability training to prepare youngsters for cycling safely on our roads."

Health Minister, Ann Keen said:

"Children's safety is everybody's business and we must continue to work together to ensure our children and young people feel safer than previous generations. This action plan demonstrates this Government's commitment to promoting the wellbeing of children and families right across the range of our responsibilities and I look forward to working with ministerial colleagues on taking this work forward."

David Hanson, Justice Minister said:

"The launch of this Action Plan is an important step forward in the government's drive to make sure that our children are given the freedom to live their lives to the full. We can achieve this by freeing both children and their parents from the fear of their coming to harm. It is important to both children and parents alike that they not only are safe but that they also feel safe.

"A joint arrangement is also vital if we are to really tackle the issues facing more vulnerable children, such as those at risk of offending, by seeing that the right support and services are available to help them realise their potential."

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