The Employer’s arrangements for planning, approval, monitoring, training and audit should provide Visit Leaders with ready access to their Employer’s policies and guidance. This includes direct access to technical advice on visits.
Arrangements should enable Visit Leaders to be clear about their role and to feel supported and confident in it. Where development needs are identified, these should be fulfilled.
A key area for development of professional skills and competence in working outdoors or off-site is the ability of Visit Leaders to make dynamic risk assessments that take account of changing circumstances and events and cause them to respond appropriately. Training in risk management and approaches to risk education, combined with developmental experience of planning, preparing for, and supervising visits should form part of professional learning opportunities for educators wishing to build capacity in this area. This should include opportunities to consider the many benefits of outdoor learning and the contribution that high quality outdoor learning makes to attainment, achievement and well-being across the curriculum. Access to advice and support should also be available.
