evolve for school trips

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• School administration
• Travel and educational visits
• Educational visits

Evolve educational visits approval system

Evolve is our online educational visits planning and approval system.

You will find resources including:

• Generic risk assessments relating to educational visits
• Latest news and information  

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Suffolk Learning

• Safety, Health and Wellbeing (SHaW)

Educational Visits and EVOLVE

When you plan educational visits and school trips, there is a lot to consider and get right. We recommend you follow the guidance from the Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel (OEAP) .

In addition, this new guidance from EVOLVE in pdf format , outlines the service and support available (new as of 13 November 2023).

EVOLVE is an online tool for planning and managing educational visits and school trips. It is currently used by over 28,000 schools across the UK. It helps schools, academies, colleges, trusts and Local Authorities improve and simplify the process of planning, approving, monitoring, evaluating and reporting all learning which takes place outside of the classroom.

See the EVOLVE Service Specification for more information. If you have further questions about signing up to the service please email [email protected] .

If your school is already signed up the the EVOLVE service and you have an account, you can log on to the EVOLVE portal by choosing Suffolk County Council from the drop-down list.

Registered schools can get help and support to use the EVOLVE portal by emailing [email protected] ; and [email protected] for advice from our contracted Educational Visits Advisors.

EVC Training

For schools that purchase the EVOLVE service through Suffolk County Council we offer three per year EVC courses at a reduced price. Please see the EVC Training poster for dates, costs and booking details.

The EVC course is now delivered as a virtual classroom course on Zoom. We want to encourage all EVC’s to complete the new EVC course. Existing EVC’s can complete it instead of the previous EVC Update course.

The EVC course run from 09:30-12:30 and you are required to complete an e-learning module before attending. Details of the e-learning module will be sent to you within a reasonable time before you are due to attend the virtual class room course.

If your school does not purchase the EVOLVE service through Suffolk County Council, or you need to get your EVC trained before there a places available on one of our courses, you can book on an EVC course directly with EVOLVE Advice . They also offer Visit Leader Training and EVOLVE Training on how to use the EVOLVE portal.

Guidance for schools

EVOLVE Advice: Hot weather guidance for Duke of Edinburgh Award visits , which can also be applied for other trips.

Keeping children safe in out-of-school settings: code of practice Safeguarding guidance for providers of activities, after-school clubs, tuition and other out-of-school settings from the Department of Education.

Privacy Notice

Please see the Safety, Health and Wellbeing Privacy Notice for information about what personal data we capture as part of the EVOLVE service, as well as how we manage and store that data.

Support for schools and settings

Making a child friendly Devon

School effectiveness

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Outdoor education

Outdoor education and off-site visits: safe practice, support and advice.

New for 2024 – Outdoor learning conference 22 March 2024 – find out more

Clear evidence exists that learning outside the classroom, school trips, residentials, adventurous activities and learning in nature can improve academic results, pupils’ confidence and mental health.

The service assists schools and settings to manage their responsibilities for the Health, Safety and Wellbeing of children and young people when engaged in off-site visits and activities. This includes specialist advice and support for all types of activities from walks to the park to foreign expeditions.

We provide advice and support to the Health and Safety Team and maintained schools.

Academies, Independent Schools, and establishments can purchase this advice service through the DES shop .  Subscription includes access to the Evolve platform to record and submit off-site visits.

DCC maintained and subscribing schools can access a full set of resources via Evolve

The Outdoor Education adviser is a full member of the National Outdoor Education Advisers Panel and an Accredited Provider of training for Educational Visits Coordinators and Visit Leaders. The adviser is an Accredited Practitioner of the Institute for Outdoor Learning and a member of The Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres.

Outdoor education, visits and off-site activities H&S policy 2022.

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Trips and visits at College

College runs a variety of trips and tours throughout the academic year.

The Evolve system is used for the management of the majority of trips. The Evolve system can be accessed by parents here.

A full list of planned trips, associated costs and the staff members leading each trip can be found below.

Please note the following:

• All trip dates and costs are provisional until final pupil numbers and arrangements are confirmed by the trip leader’s letter.
• All trips are subsidised by the College Lottery system to reduce costs to parents wherever possible.
• Any specific enquiries can be directed to the trip leader as above or the EVC (Educational Visits co-ordinator) [email protected]

Planned trips

Academic year september 2023 – august 2024.

Cuba, Economics, October half term, £2,400 run by Mr Campion

Kenya Humanitarian, October half term, £2,500 run by Mr Johnson

PGL, Battlefields and Montpellier, Third Form, final week of Summer Term, run by Mr Preston

Silver DofE assessment week in the Lake District, Fourth Form, final week of Summer Term, run by Mr Jones

Gold DofE assessment expedition in Snowdonia, first week of summer holidays, run by Mr Jones

Costa Rica, Biology expedition, 7 – 22 July, £2,400 run by Mrs O’Malley

CET Travel Awards, Lower Sixth, by application, Summer holidays, cost variable, run by Mr Faulkner

Academic Year September 2024 – August 2025

Paris, Music and orchestra tour, £1000, run by Mr Pirttijarvi

Ski Trip to France, Fourth Form, first week of the Easter holidays, £1,400, run by Mr Lang

South Africa, Cricket and Netball, Upper College, £2,500, run by Mr Coley

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Jake Wiid from EVOLVE Advice answers the three most common questions about visits

Jake Wiid at EVOLVE Advice, which supports schools in planning and running educational visits, gives the lowdown on staff/student ratios, using particular providers and more. 

One of the most commonly asked questions from teachers is about the ratio of staff to students. 

As educational visits advisers, our role is to provide advice, guidance and support on all matters relating to outdoor education, co-curricular activities and learning outside the classroom but in practice, it is more than that.

We are critical friends and a sounding board for heads and the senior leading team, challenging and advising, listening and developing visit leaders and educational visits coordinator (EVC) in their respective roles.

Here are the top three questions we’re asked as a service (as always, your employer/adviser should be your first source of advice):

1. What is the ratio of staff to students?

This is by far the most common question we get (e.g “we are taking 30 Year 6’s to the museum on a train, is two staff sufficient?”). It is not a simple yes or no. On all visits, there must be an effective level of supervision that has been approved by the EVC and head, and where applicable, in accordance with the governing body/employer policy.

The EYFS statutory framework sets ratios to be followed in those settings. For all other visits the visit leader, EVC and head must make a professional judgement regarding the number and suitability of staffing considering staff competence, the nature and requirements of individuals within the group (including those with additional needs), the activities and environment etc.

2. I have a student who is badly behaved. Do I have to take them?

This is a complex question and one which would need exploring on a case-by-case basis, however, there are some principles which can be applied. With all visits, inclusion should not be an after-thought and all visits should be planned with the whole cohort in mind.

The first thing we would check is if the student is in receipt of an EHCP (Education and Health Care Plan). If so, then consideration of The Equality Act 2010 should be given. If the student is not in receipt of an EHCP, then exclusion should not be the default position. If you are aware of a student’s behaviour you should address this at an early stage, involve parents, students and the visit leader, set a behaviour management plan and reasonable targets, hold regular meetings and ensure that if the student is excluded this does not come as a surprise.

Of course, if the student’s behaviour poses a real and credible risk to the health, safety and welfare of themselves, staff or other students, then your only alternative may be exclusion.

3. Can I use a particular venue/provider?

It is not an adviser’s job to tell you if a particular venue is right for the school or will meet your needs. However, what we can do is advise on the suitability from a safety perspective. Most advisers will recommend you visit a venue/provider who holds a Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge. If they do not, we may advise to ask the provider to complete a provider statement asking questions on safety, safeguarding, training, etc.

For more information about EVOLVE Advice, visit www.evolveadvice.co.uk and to find out who your adviser is in your area, email [email protected] . 

More from Jake Wiid

How to prevent incidents and manage emergencies on visits

Staff-student ratios: effective supervision for educational visits

Weighing up the cost and benefits of a school trip abroad

• EVOLVE Advice
• Travel Advice & Legislation

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EVCs and school/curriculum leaders can book their place to attend the National Educational Visits Conference which takes place in London on 13th June, organised by EVOLVE Advice. 

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Jake Wiid from EVOLVE Advice explains how to be ready for when something unexpected happens on a school trip. 

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Pupils can race each other on new Minifigure Speedway

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5 great questions to ask when planning a school trip

Planning a school trip but don’t know where to start.

Struggling for inspiration? Worried that students and parents won’t get board with your plans? Daunted by all the destination options?  Planning a school trip can seem daunting. The paperwork, parent meetings, booking flights and that’s before you’ve even left home! Fortunately, experienced education travel companies like ours deal with that for you. Really all you have to decide is where you want to go, why and when!

Here are 5 questions to ask yourself, your colleagues and your students to help you take the first steps for school trip planning

What’s your motivation?

Sure you want to see the sights, but what else do you want from your trip?  School trips are formative experiences for young adults. We see students (and teachers!) develop as leaders, and grow as a team on every trip. Their experience can be heightened with service learning projects, cultural immersion programs and adventurous activities. Leaving time in the itinerary for self reflection, and to integrate some expert facilitation and team building by our leaders should be a must wherever you travel.

Where do your students want to go?

Getting your classes input in the planning process is the first step in them taking ownership of their trip experience. And they’ll feel more motivated when they are living the experience they have helped create! Industrious teaching at its best.

Who should you bring?

Choosing a great team of teachers who are motivated to travel and soak in the experience will help ensure a successful trip. Travel is such a fantastic way to find magical teachable moments for teachers of every subject. Moreover, it invigorates teachers when they return to the classroom.

When should you go?

It’s hard to beat an end of year school trip. However a January jaunt can boost you through your winter blues (and it’s the best time to see Icelandic Northern Lights!). A March motivational getaway can provide sunshine and inspiration to last through to summer and beyond. An April adventure can ease you back to the classroom after Easter break.

How far should you go?

The world is full of tantalizing destinations – It’s also very big. Flights can be expensive and they eat away at valuable trip time! Many of our favorite destinations like the Yucatan , Iceland , Costa Rica and Quebec are less than a few hours away! And don’t forget, there are incredible experiences on your doorstep.

We’ll help you find them!

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