Educational Visits Services

The Educational Visits Service (EVS) provides support, training and advice for schools about outdoor learning and educational visits and includes the Buckinghamshire Council Visits website ‘Evolve’ for visit planning and approval. Once trained the link with the service is through the school’s Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC).

In fulfilment of the Local Authority’s responsibilities the EVS is accessible to maintained schools, however academies are charged as a traded service. For more information visit:

https://commercial.buckscc.gov.uk/our-services/our-education-service/educational-visits/

The Educational Visits Service will provide:

• telephone and email advice and guidance on all aspects of planning and duties / responsibilities of those involved on educational visits;
• the Buckinghamshire Council ‘Requirements and Guidance’ document explaining the guidance and requirements for well organised and safely managed visits. This is a live document - updated on Evolve in response to changes in legislation and circumstances;
• access to the ‘Evolve’ website, the educational visits registration, planning and approval IT system, which is also the hub for information and communications in an emergency;
• telephone and email support on the running and management of the Evolve site;
• approval of maintained school visits (residential, adventurous and overseas) and approval in support of academy/independent schools authorisation as requested;
• access to training courses e.g. new Educational Visits Coordinators (EVC); Update courses for EVCs and courses for EVC Administrators;
• the Council Emergency Action Card with 24/7 emergency telephone number and supporting access to County help for emergencies on visits;
• support for the EVC in analysing Evolve data for visits and out of classroom learning;
• a termly EVC Briefing document;
• senior Management Training for an emergency on a school visit;
• inset/twilight sessions; and
• under DofE Direct Licensing: if academies and independent schools so choose, and they use Evolve to notify their expeditions, the EVS will approve aspects of the planning.

Key Contacts
Tracey Erasmus
Educational Visits Coordinator
tracey.erasmus@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Mike Harwin
Outdoor Education Adviser
mike.harwin@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

SchoolsWeb: Educational visits | SchoolsWeb (buckscc.gov.uk)