Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel Pages

Terms & Conditions

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The Outdoor Education Advisers Panel adopted a revised constitution in March 2009. One of the purposes of the new constitution was to establish the Panel more clearly as an organisation of members with a shared mission and values, and a common set of core responsibilities within their local authorities. The full constitution, including the mission and values statements, can be downloaded in the site, or can be sent to prospective members via email, using the contact us button on the site.
The constitution confirms that the Panel is an organisation of individual members, nominated by Local Authorities, and accepted into membership subject to certain provisions. Applications from prospective new members are required to include the following:

1 a statement from the applicant signing up to the Panel’s Mission and Values.
2 a statement that the applicant has responsibilities that include providing support, advice, training or monitoring of visits or outdoor learning within a local authority or comparable body.
3 the name of a senior officer within the nominating authority who can confirm that the applicant is the Authority’s nominee and fulfils the above responsibilities.
Please list their details in your profile section, giving name,postion and email address.
4 the appropriate membership fee.

The recommendation of the chair of the OEAP region through which the applicant wishes to join, will be managed through the regional chair admiting the person to the web site.
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Statement by Applicant:

I confirm that I agree with and will abide by the Mission and Values statements of the Outdoor Education Advisers Panel.

I confirm that my work responsibilities include providing support, advice, training or monitoring of visits or outdoor learning within the above local authority / authorities.

If you agree to the above, please indicate by checking the box below:

OEAP Training

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For full details of all OEAP Training courses and dates click here

Training is provided by members of the Outdoor Education Advisors Panel

Educational Visit Coordinator Training (click for more info)
This one day DfE (DCSF) approved certificated course covers the management checks and procedures for visits required by DfE and the Local Authority /employer. It is relevant in all educational settings within Children’s Services including Schools, Pupil Referral Units and Youth Services.
Leader Training(click for more info)
This is a one-day practical, certificated course that will give Teachers and other staff involved in leading groups on educational visits the confidence and to plan, organise and manage visits successfully. It includes active risk management with a particular focus on issues such as working with groups near water.
Outdoor Learning Cards(click for more info)
This is a one-day practical course that provides teachers, and staff working with young people the resources and skills needed to deliver High Quality and exciting outdoor learning activities in and around the school or Youth Club grounds. The activities are relevant at all key stages and age groups and across curriculum subjects.

Other Courses (click for more info)

OEAP Members also run Training Courses which cover other aspects of outdoor learning

OEAP Advice

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Guidance and Advice for School Visits
The OEAP has published a new website for advice and guidance for school visits and Learning Outside the Classroom. It is updated regularly and is becoming a national source of guidance. Two teaching unions already endorse the guidance.
http://www.oeapeg.info/

The documents below have been endorsed by the OEAP membership, but have to be adopted by individual employers.

Members of OEAP can chose to download a document and publish the document as their employers guidance.

All OEAP endorsed documents are listed below.

Risk Benefit Assessment
A Guide to RBA in the Outdoors -click here

OEAP Mind Maps

Overseas expeditions mindmap

Risk Assessing Mindmap

A Document for Staff teaching

OEAP Peer Belaying March 2010

OEAP Compliance

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OEAP works with a number of different organisations to ensure that standards are maintained

LOTC Quality Badge
The Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge provides for the first time a national accreditation combining the essential elements of provision – learning and safety – into one easily recognisable and trusted Quality Badge for all types of Learning Outside the Classroom provider organisations.
For more details please see link below...

The OEAP endorses the LOTC Quality Badge
and requests to Local Authority Members
to recommend the use of LOTC Quality Badge Providers
to its schools, other establishments and groups.

It further requests to its LA members not to require information
from LOTC Badged Providers that duplicates details
provided by the Quality Badge Criteria.
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Local Authority Responses
Please see Find an Adviser Section for specific LA's

This symbol indicates the following:
This Local Authority recommends the use of the LOTC Quality Badge to all our Schools Establishments and Groups.
We do not require information from LOTC Badged Providers that duplicates details provided by the Quality Badge Criteria.
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The OEAP have endorsed the badge process and are working closely with the LOTC Council Badge Sub Committee.

LOtC Quality Badge Web Site click here

Search for a LOTC QB Holder click here

Providers list June 2011 click here

OEAP Safety

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The OEAP are the lead body for advisers in Outdoor Learning and School Visits. We promote through good practices the HSE approach to sensible risk management.
The OEAP has published new guidance to employers for school visits and offsite activity, and this guidance can be adopted by employers via a local policy.

Nothing Ventured - balancing risk and benifits
The OEAP and English Outdoor Council have just published Nothing Ventured... balancing risks and benefits in the outdoors by Tim Gill.
It can be downloaded here.

Managing Risk
The OEAP welcome this document below, Managing Risk in Play Provision, as a clear vision statement to allowing children and young people to access adventure in their lives
This document can be found at this link.

Legal Information

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Online Privacy Practices...

Meet the Panel

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The Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel comprises of the nominated representatives of the Chief Officers of Local Authorities in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. It provides a forum for sharing and developing good practice in Outdoor Learning / Learning Outside the Classroom.

The Panel is organised through the offices of a Executive Chair and Secretary and steered by an Elected Executive.
Executive Chair: Dave Faulconbridge (Oldham), Secretary: Dave Scourfield (Rochdale), Treasurer: Ken Fordham (Lancashire), Mick Bradshaw (South East), Anthony Read (South West), Kevin Jackson (Midlands), Mark Falkingham (East), Ian Kirkby (North East), Suzanne Holroyd (North West) and Rachel Jones (Wales/Cymru).
Further co opted officers are Martin Smith ( Nottingham City) and Graham Lodge (Norfolk) covering LOTC QB.
Stephen Brown is the part time Development Officer OEAP.

The Executive is kept informed through the work of the regional groups. A number of project working groups exist to take forward specific tasks on behalf of the whole Panel. The bi-annual National Panel Meeting is held in the Spring and the Autumn. Any documents produced by the Panel are in the form of best practice guidance for its members and only become Policy when they are adopted or adapted by individual LAs.

In addition individual members represent the interests of the Panel on other national bodies, such as The English Outdoor Council and National Governing Bodies of Outdoor Sports.

The Panel may be represented on other relevant bodies or functions by the Chair or other elected officers nominated by the Chair.

The Panel works closely with the DfE and LOTC Council. It endorses the LOTC Quality Badge through its members accepting the badge.
Also works with other representative bodies in the public and private sector such as the British Activities Holiday Association, The Royal Geographic Society and the Adventure Activities Licensing Service. more...

Panel Membership
To become a full member of the Panel you must be nominated by and represent the Chief Officer of a Local Authority in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. There will be an annual fee payable to cover registration.

If you have just been appointed to the role of Outdoor Education Adviser or LOTC Adviser please do not hesitate to contact Stephen who will be pleased to welcome you into the Panel and explain how the Panel works and put you in touch with your regional group - stephenbrown.47@btinternet.com

Links

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The OEAP publishes guidance on school visits, which is the most upto date source of guidance in this area.
Employer Guidance

The Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto is supported by all Directors of Children's Services and the ADCS. The Association shares the government's desire to encourage the provision of more high-quality educational opportunities for all children and young people outside the classroom and is keen to work nationally, regionally and locally to achieve this outcome.

Adventure Activity Licensing Service

Learning Outside the Classroom

Scottish Advisory Panel for Outdoor Education

English Outdoor Council

LOtC Quality Badges

OEAP position on LOTC Quality Badges more...

Contact us

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If you have any questions you can contact us...

Stephen Brown

OEAP Executive Officer

stephenbrown.47@btinternet.com

About the OEAP

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The OEAP Panel Organisation
Click here for more

The OEAP and Employer Guidance
The Panel has developed a website to give guidance on school visits and learning beyond the classroom. This allows employers and employees to access up to date advice and guidance. The OEAP maintains and updates the information, which is constantly reviewed. Theforefore it is an excellent source of information.
Employers Guidance on School visits and LOTC~

OEAP and Learning Outside the Classroom

The OEAP supports fully the LOTC Council on Learning Outside the Classroom and are currently engaged in a number of key initatives to promote this work. The OEAP fully supports the LOTC Quality Badge.

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Background of LOtC
Learning Outside the Classroom - The Manifesto (Launched November 2006)
To read the full document please follow the link below:

more...

Launching the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto at the Natural History Museum, Mr Johnson urged schools to use the wealth of educational opportunities on their doorsteps and further afield, to inspire and motivate every pupil.

It is the first time a Government has committed itself to making learning outside the classroom an integral part of school life, with the Manifesto setting out specific measures to help schools widen access to high quality educational experiences for every young person.
Mr Johnson said: “Learning outside the classroom should be at the heart of every school’s curriculum and ethos. “Children can gain valuable learning experiences from going on cultural visits overseas to teachers simply using their school grounds imaginatively. Educational visits and out-of-school teaching can bring learning to life by deepening young people’s understanding of the environment, history and culture and improving their personal development.”