Frequently asked questions
- Where can I find information on the recommended minimum staffing ratios?
- Is it essential to carry out a pre-visit prior to any off-site visit?
- How do I record an Off-Site Visit?
- What training is available to support me using the Evolve System?
- What is the approval process in Salford?
- Are there any LA Risk Assessments available for downloading?
- What records do I need to maintain for off-site visits?
- What are the charging regulations associated with off-site visits?
- Is it a legal requirement for minibus drivers to have a MIDAS certificate?
- What are the licence requirements for driving a minibus?
1. Where can I find information on the recommended minimum staffing ratios?
A table providing recommended minimum staffing ratios is available for viewing in the supervision section of these web pages. Schools and youth organisations are reminded that there should always be a minimum of two staff present on all off-site visits, even when working with very small groups. Staffing ratios should be increased according to the nature of the activity and group. All residential visits should be looking at a minimum staffing ratio of 1:10
2. Is it essential to carry out a pre-visit prior to any off-site visit?
Accompanying staff should have recent prior experience of the venue and activity. Recent prior experience would be classed as taking place within the last 12 months. Additional information on the requirements for a pre-visit is available in the Planning Section
3. How do I record an Off-Site Visit?
As of the 01st September 2008, all Educational Off-Site Visits MUST be recorded using the web-based Evolve system.
4. What training is available to support me using the Evolve System?
An online tutorial package has been developed by Salford City Council to support Party Leaders, Educational Visit Coordinators and Headteachers to log, check, approve, monitor and report on their individual establishments off-site visits.
5. What is the approval process in Salford?
It is the responsibility of the Party Leader to log the planned visit on the Evolve System and submit to the EVC. The EVC in the school will then check, question and challenge the Party Leader on visit information. Once satisfied, the EVC will submit the visit entry to the Headteacher for approval. Only the Headteacher in a school has the authority to approve the visit. Once the Headteacher is satisfied with the visit information, approval is given by the entering of a unique PIN number. Those visits requiring Local Authority Approval will automatically be forwarded to the LA following Headteacher authorisation. Visits are not approved until they appear in the Party Leaders account on Evolve as an approved visit. .
6. Are there any LA Risk Assessments available for downloading?
Yes, there are a number of LA Risk Assessments that have been produced to support colleagues in the planning and delivery of off-site activities. The Risk Assessments generally fall into one of the following three categories:
7. What records do I need to maintain for off-site visits?
Schools are required to maintain appropriate records relating to off-site visits up until the youngsters participating in those visits reach the age of 21. This should include details of all participants on the visit, information relating to the nature of the visit and planned activities, risk assessments, incident and accident report forms plus details of insurance arrangements.
8. What are the charging regulations associated with off-site visits?
Comprehensive information is available regarding charging legislation.
9. Is it a legal requirement for minibus drivers to have a MIDAS certificate?
The guidance regarding assessment and competence of minibus drivers is direct guidance from the DCSF. This has been adopted by Salford and has been written into our guidance. Schools opting not to comply with that guidance, would need to be able to justify the grounds on which that decision had been based. The actual wording from the DSCF states that 'it is the Headteachers responsibility to ensure that minibus drivers are trained and assessed as competent in minibus driving and passenger management.'
The DCSF do not stipulate that authorities need to adopt MIDAS (Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme) administered by the Community Transport Association. Indeed some authorities choose to recommend the ROSPA minibus training scheme. The important criteria is that the training and assessment is carried out by appropriately qualified and experienced trainers who are assessing competence against national criteria. The LA could not support the notion of colleagues training and assessing the competence of other minibus drivers unless they were nationally accredited specifically as minibus trainers and assessors.
10. What are the licence requirements for driving a minibus?
All drivers wishing to drive a minibus (9-16 passenger seats) must have Category D1 on their licence. Car licences issued on or after 1st January 1997 no longer provide category D1. The category B entitlement allows drivers to drive vehicles with no more than 8 passenger seats. Drivers can obtain the additional D1 entitlement through a process of training and assessment. Further details are available from the Educational Visits Advisor on 0161 778 0124.
This page was last updated on 13 August 2008
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