Outdoor Education and Offsite Visits
Several ski trip leaders do not appear to have gained the Snowsport Course Organiser Award, which is an essential piece of CPD covering all aspects of leading visits involving snow sports. This course is provided by Snowsport England and is online – link https://www.snowsportengland.org.uk/schools/snowsport-course-organiser-sco/
OEAP National Guidance has published a new guidance document: 7.2k Group Safety in Crowded Places, with advice on how to manage visits to large crowded venues and public spaces. OEAP NG document 7.1x Swimming Pools has been revised. It has been restructured to improve clarity and now includes a link to guidance about temporary pop-up pools. Document 4.4L ‘Transgender Young People and Visits’ has also been updated taking account of the recent Supreme Court ruling. For a full list of new and updated guidance, and details of the changes, click the link - https://oeapng.info/ng-documents-updated/
From School Travel Forum:
The Port of Dover is proud to spearhead a UK-France school trips pilot, an initiative developed in collaboration with the UK and French Governments and ferry operators between Dover and France. This pilot aims to simplify and accelerate border procedures for school groups traveling from the UK to France, reinforcing the Port of Dover’s commitment to facilitating a smoother and more efficient travel experience. Starting from the 3rd of April 2025, school groups that submit their passenger information to their chosen ferry operator at least 72 hours before travel could benefit from a faster processing time at the French border in Dover. To qualify for the scheme, schools must provide proof of their status, such as a screenshot of their registration on the relevant national school databases - https://www.portofdover.com/news/port-of-dover-launches-uk-france-school-trips-border-processing-pil