The status, remit and rationale of this vital organisational resource…
“OEAP National Guidance is guidance for the management of outdoor learning, off- site visits and learning outside the classroom” begins document 1c Status, Remit and Rationale.
It has been developed with the intention that it can be adopted by employers to provide guidance to their establishments (such as schools, colleges, children’s homes and youth services), employees and volunteers.
The Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel (OEAP) produces National Guidance, which provides comprehensive support for the management of high-quality outdoor learning, educational visits and adventurous activities.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974) places a duty on employers to ensure the health and safety of their employees. Employers must provide their employees with the information necessary to carry out their duties safely.
OEAP National Guidance is designed to help employers to carry out this duty. Where an employer wishes to use this guidance as part of their own employer guidance, they should formally adopt it.
Incidentally, the document also recommends reading 1a Glossary and Definitions which provides definitions of key terms used in OEAP National Guidance.
“If your employer has adopted OEAP National Guidance, you must follow it, regardless of whether activities take place within or outside normal working hours, including weekends and holiday periods. It is therefore of critical importance to understand who your employer is.”
Remit of OEAP National Guidance
OEAP National Guidance applies to any occasion when a child, young person or vulnerable adult takes part in a visit or activity led or organised by their establishment, which is carried out beyond the boundary of the normal operational base.
Such visits and activities are known by various terms including Educational Visits, School Trips, Off-Site Visits, Outings, Outdoor Learning, Outdoor Education, Adventure Education, Outdoor Activities; Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC), Residentials, Expeditions, Field Trips and Field Studies.
Topics covered in this document include:-
- Status of OEAP National Guidance
- Who is my Employer?
- Remit of OEAP National Guidance
- Rationale
- Government Guidance.
Additional supporting documentation
The suite of OEAP NG guidance documents in Section 2 – Making the Case help to provide evidence that demonstrates how well-organised outdoor learning, offsite visits and Learning Outside the Classroom can have a powerful impact on young people’s learning and development and achieve a wide range of outcomes – including improvements to academic achievement, personal development and behaviour.
These downloads also contain direct links a variety of other supporting OEAP National Guidance documents.