Government to encourage school trips

The government is to unveil plans to encourage schools to take more pupils on school trips.

Education and Skills Secretary Alan Johnson is to announce a new £2.7 million package to promote learning outside the classroom.

Although over seven million children take part in school trips and other outside learning activities every year, many teachers are reluctant to take pupils on school trips because of health and safety concerns and fears of legal action if something should go wrong.

The measures being introduced include the provision of guidance on planning, funding and evaluating learning outside the classroom; a new overarching safety badge for educational providers; new teachers training modules and better information for schools.

A consultation is also being launched on new guidance for schools to reassure teachers of their rights and responsibilities for educational visits and tackle concerns about litigation in the event of accidents on site.

Commenting on the measures, Mr Johnson said: "Learning outside the classroom should be at the heart of every school's curriculum and ethos.

"Children can gain valuable learning experiences from going on cultural visits overseas to teachers simply using their school grounds imaginatively. Educational visits and out-of-school teaching can bring learning to life by deepening young people's understanding of the environment, history and culture and improving their personal development."

Chris Keates, General Secretary of NASUWT, said: "NASUWT has always recognised that learning outside the classroom can provide valuable educational experience and curriculum enrichment, providing it is planned, properly resourced, and had clearly identified intended learning outcomes directly linked to the curriculum.

"NASUWT advises its members to consider very carefully before participating in educational visits. Although no activity can be entirely risk free, NASUWT has always considered there were risks associated with these activities which could be minimised.

"NASUWT has been vilified for the position it has taken but has never made any apologies for doing what all good trade unions should do and that is put the interests of its members first."

(KMcA)