Join the TES Outdoor Learning Group and get advice on making the most of the great outdoors in both secondary and primary schools. Share activity ideas, resources and get inspiration from other members of the group.
Following a discussion with a colleague recently, I ws wondering if anyone could shed more light this subject:
Who is responsible for the visiting staff on an Outdoor and Adventurous Activity, when the providers are using 'remote supervision' with the participants, and have no requirement for the visiting staff to be involved directly?
An example could be a Duke of Edinburgh Award Expedition, where providers are remotely supervising participants, and a member of visiting staff - who may be a keen hill walker - has expressed an interest in walking up on the mountains and meeting the group/s.
Another example could be water based, maybe on the river, where a member of staff has expressed an interest in canoeing, but not with the group and, although capable, has no real qualifications or skills awards in that environment.
The supervisors in both examples would, ideally, be focussed on the participants safety and well being, and planned for this with ratios etc.
Do schools and colleges have their own guidlines for staff, or is it down to the provider?
Please contact your local Outdoor Education Adviser [use Find Adviser] on www.oeap.info
When we do DofE we must send at least one member of staff with the group and that person must be competent in the mode of travel used by the group. This is despite using the council's outdoor ed service for the assessment of the expedition. I have lead 6th form Gold expeditions and am responsible for the group while we're out although that is also through remote supervision. I meet them at check points etc, sometimes canoe behind them. The outdoor ed service is not responsible for me although in reality we tend to work very closely together in terms of planning check points, ferrying between points in minibuses etc or we'll walk together to various points.
Top of page