Appendix
Glossary of Terms
This framework is relevant to everyone who provides planned learning for children and young people in Scotland, whether as part of early years, school, through social work services and colleges, community learning and development, outdoor learning, adventure and play organisations or the voluntary sector.
Throughout the document the terminology used is most applicable to school settings but every organisation or group will have equivalent roles and these should be applied where appropriate.
Employer
For state schools, the Employer is the Local Authority.
For independent schools, the Employer is the Governors or Trustees.
For other organisations, the Employer could be the Chief Executive Officer, owner, or equivalent.
Head of Establishment
The Head of Establishment is responsible to their employer and is the person with the immediate management responsibility for groups or individuals who are participating in off-site activities. Throughout this guidance, the term Head of Establishment is used to refer to, for example, the
Headteacher/Principal/Rector of a school, or the Manager/Director or individual with responsibility for the day-to-day running of an organisation.
Visit Leader
The Visit Leader is responsible to the Head of Establishment and is the person with the main supervisory responsibility for leading participants in an outdoor experience or on an off-site visit. They are responsible for the young people before, during and after the off-site activity. The Visit Leader is responsible for the detailed organisation of the excursion according to the policies and procedures of the Employer. They will present their plans to the Head of Establishment for approval.
Visit Assistant (e.g. parent helpers)
The Visit Assistant(s) carries out supervisory duties as instructed by the Visit Leader. They are an adult with responsibility for supervising participants during the visit and also, where specified, may be delegated to deputise for the Visit Leader in an emergency situation.
Technical Expert
Within this guidance the term Technical Advisor is used to refer to three different roles:
- In the context of a Local Authority or Employer, the Technical Advisor is a nominated individual with the skills, knowledge and responsibility to oversee and manage offsite visits.
- Some Employers may have a different individual or Technical Advisor with responsibility to provide advice regarding Adventure Activities.
- In the context of Adventure Activities licensing, a Technical Advisor is someone with specific qualifications and experience that provides specialist advice in relation to one or more identified activities.
Local Authority
Is responsible for a range of services for both individuals and businesses which include education.
Parent / Guardian / Carer
The parent / legal guardian /carer of the young person attending the visit.
Participants
The children, young persons or clients as appropriate.
Provider
A person, organisation or business responsible for the delivery of a service or activity to a group of young people.
Ratios
The appropriate ratio of staff to pupils for a Visit is determined by the Risk Assessment.
