Educational Visits Coordinator Role and Competence Guidance

Educational visits co-ordinator role

This guidance applies to schools organising educational visits. The school should determine whether a dedicated educational visits co-ordinator is appointed or whether the headteacher assumes the co-ordinator duty.

Role arrangement

Where a dedicated educational visits co-ordinator is appointed, the school should ensure that the co-ordinator has the training needed for the role. Where no co-ordinator is appointed, the headteacher assumes the co-ordinator duty.

The educational visits co-ordinator works with the outdoor education adviser to help colleagues in the school assess and manage risks.

Experience, status and competence

The co-ordinator should be an experienced visits leader and should have sufficient status to guide the working practices of other staff.

The co-ordinator should be confident in assessing the ability of staff to lead visits and in assessing outside activity providers.

Advice and support

The co-ordinator should be able to advise the headteacher and governors when they are approving trips.

The co-ordinator should have access to training, advice and guidance. Local authorities or academy trust outdoor education advisers can advise on appointing and training co-ordinators.

Applying the guidance

The arrangements for educational visits should reflect the role arrangement selected by the school: a dedicated co-ordinator appointed, or the headteacher assuming the co-ordinator duty where no dedicated co-ordinator is appointed.