School Tours Policy

This policy was reviewed and updated by staff at Cosby N.S. in consultation with the Board of Management in during the 2017 Autumn Term. It was circulated to parents via the school website. The purpose of the policy is to document current and future practice on school tours. The policy will be reviewed on a 2 yearly basis.

Aims

School tours should be:

Educational
Enjoyable
Rewarding
Cultural
Develop whole child

Frequency and duration

School tours should take place at least once a year
Tours may last half a day or a full day

Destinations may include

National Concert Hall Clara Lara Fun Park
Dublinia,Viking Centre Lullymore
Art Galleries Fort Lucan
Museums Cinema
Traffic School Sonairte
Ferrycarraig Dunmore Caves
National Aquatic Centre Kilkenny Castle
Roscrea Outdoor Adventure Centre Farms
Oceanic Manouvres Surf School Bray Sealife Center
Tricky Tricksters, Naas Kildare Maze
Jumpzone, Trampoline Park Clonard House
Imaginosity Kippure
Bay Sports, Athlone Watershed, Kilkenny.

Organisation

The class teacher and the principal should decide on destinations.
There should be shared responsibility amongst the teachers.
A roll-call should be taken before each leg of the tour.
Teachers accompanying pupils on school tours should carry an up-to-date contact list for parents/guardians, in hard copy and on the school mobile.
A first aid kit, sick bags, paper towels and wipes should be brought on all school trips.
Parents should keep the school informed of pupils’ medical needs or changes to medical needs.

Communication of information to parents

A letter and email are sent to parents including information about destination, cost and what students should bring.
It is important to communicate this information well in advance as sometimes trips may be quite costly and parents need time to get money together
Parents can pay for school tours in cash, via epayments and in installments.

Permission Slips

Parents sign an annual permission slip in September covering all school activities and occasionally parents will be asked to sign an additional permission slip/ waiver depending on destination.

Safety and supervision:

Teachers will be extra vigilant when taking children out of the school. Special attention will be paid to:- Road Safety, Behaviour on bus, risks posed by particular venues (e.g. adventure playgrounds etc.) The minimum supervision ratio will be 15:1 (adult).

School Uniforms:

In general school uniform will be worn on all school tours and trips. However on some occasions this may not be the case and will be at the discretion of the staff.

Policy of Inclusion:

It is our policy to include all children in school tours and to ensure that venues chosen can cater for individual needs of S.E.N. pupils. Decisions on any exclusions rests with the class teacher in consultation with the principal.

Conduct on Tours

Pupil’s behaviour on tours will comply with the standard set down in the School’s Code of Behaviour.
Eating or drinking will be allowed on the bus only with the permission of the teachers and bus company.
Students will not be allowed to carry mobile phones or electronic devices on school tours.
Personal items such as cameras and pocket money will be the responsibility of the pupil.

Plan for dealing with accidents and emergencies; sick/injured children while on school trip:

Seek immediate medical attention; call an ambulance if deemed necessary.
Contact the injured child’s parents immediately.
Phone the school, contact the principal/deputy principal if they are not on the trip.
Teacher will accompany the child in the ambulance to hospital if parent is unavailable to do so. The teacher will remain in the hospital with the child until parent/guardian arrives.
The teacher/S.N.A. remaining behind will look after the rest of the group and ensure they return safely to the school.

Ratification and Review

This policy will be reviewed once every two years or more often if deemed necessary.

This policy was ratified by the Board of Management of Cosby N.S. at its meeting on 23rd January 2018.