Outdoor Learning and Educational Visits Training

The Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC) Training course is designed for staff who are responsible for the planning, management and oversight of educational visits and off‑site activities within schools and other educational establishments. Delivered in line with AAOLEV/OEAP National Guidance, this training equips EVCs with the knowledge, confidence and professional judgement needed to ensure visits are safe, well‑planned and educationally purposeful.

The role of the EVC is central to effective educational visit management. The Department for Education recommends that all schools appoint a trained Educational Visits Coordinator, and AAOLEV/OEAP training has been developed and refined over many years to support this responsibility. The course focuses on the core principles that underpin high‑quality visits, including leadership, competence, risk management and organisational systems, while allowing delivery to be contextualised to the needs of individual schools and trusts. 

Course content includes:

• The role, responsibilities and professional status of the EVC
• National guidance and good practice for educational visits
• Planning and approval systems for visits and activities
• Risk management and proportionate decision‑making
• Assessing leader competence and supervision arrangements
• Inclusion, safeguarding and duty of care considerations
• Supporting visit leaders and advising senior leaders and governors

AAOLVE/OEAP‑accredited EVC training is delivered face‑to‑face for a minimum of five hours, reflecting AAOLEV/OEAP’s position that this role requires discussion, challenge and professional dialogue rather than purely online learning. Training is reviewed regularly to reflect current national guidance and emerging practice.

Voyage Education Partnership delivers AAOLEV/OEAP‑recognised EVC Training through experienced Educational Visits Advisers, with courses available as open programmes or bespoke in‑house delivery for schools and trusts. This ensures consistent practice, supports compliance with national expectations, and strengthens confidence in the planning and approval of educational visits.

The Visit Leader Training course is designed for staff who plan, lead or support educational visits and off‑site activities. Delivered in line with AAOLEV/OEAP National Guidance, this training develops the knowledge, skills and professional judgement required to lead visits that are safe, inclusive and educationally valuable. It is suitable for teachers, support staff and other adults who are, or aspire to be, responsible for leading visits.

Visit Leader Training builds on the principles established through Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC) training and focuses on the practical responsibilities of planning and leading visits. The course supports staff to understand their role within an establishment’s visit management system and to demonstrate competence in decision‑making, risk management and supervision. It provides clear links between national guidance, employer policies and real‑world practice. 

Course content includes:

• The role and responsibilities of the Visit Leader
• National guidance and good practice for educational visits
• Planning visits and activities, including learning outcomes
• Proportionate risk management and risk–benefit thinking
• Supervision, leadership and group management
• Inclusion, safeguarding and duty of care
• Working with providers and supporting colleagues

AAOLEV/OEAP Visit Leader Training is structured in two parts.

• Part 1 provides a theoretical foundation, covering the essential knowledge required to lead educational visits.
• Part 2 is an optional, practical element that explores the complexities and range of visits delivered by schools and other establishments, often enhanced through discussion of real scenarios and outdoor contexts. 

Voyage Education Partnership delivers AAOLEV/OEAP‑recognised Visit Leader Training through experienced Educational Visits Advisers. Courses are available as open programmes or as bespoke in‑house delivery, enabling schools and trusts to build staff confidence, evidence competence, and strengthen consistency in visit planning and leadership across their organisation.

The Management of Visit Emergencies (MoVE) course is designed for senior leaders and key staff who may be required to manage serious incidents or emergencies arising during educational visits and off‑site activities. Delivered in line with AAOLEV/OEAP National Guidance, this specialist training focuses on effective emergency response, decision‑making and communication when incidents occur away from the establishment.

MoVE training is particularly relevant for Headteachers, senior leaders, Educational Visits Coordinators (EVCs), designated emergency contacts and trust‑level leaders. While most incidents on visits are managed by the visit leadership team, MoVE training prepares leaders to respond confidently and appropriately when an incident escalates and requires employer‑level support or coordination with external agencies.

Course content includes:

• Understanding the nature and escalation of visit incidents and emergencies
• Roles and responsibilities of the home‑base emergency response team
• Supporting visit leaders during serious incidents
• Managing communication, including parents, carers and external agencies
• Record‑keeping, follow‑up actions and post‑incident review
• Applying AAOLEV/OEAP National Guidance to real‑world emergency scenarios

MoVE is a nationally recognised AAOLEV/OEAP‑accredited course, typically delivered as a half‑day programme, and is intended to complement EVC and Visit Leader training by focusing specifically on incident and emergency management rather than visit planning. The course uses discussion, scenario‑based learning and professional dialogue to build confidence in handling complex and high‑pressure situations. 

Voyage Education Partnership delivers AAOLEV/OEAP‑recognised MoVE training through experienced Educational Visits Advisers. Courses are available as open programmes or as bespoke in‑house delivery for schools and trusts, supporting consistent, confident and well‑coordinated responses to visit emergencies.

The Outdoor Learning Cards (OLC) Training course supports schools and other educational settings to embed high‑quality outdoor learning into everyday practice, using the AAOLEV/OEAP‑developed Outdoor Learning Cards resource. The training enables staff to confidently deliver engaging, purposeful and safe outdoor learning activities that make effective use of the school site and local area, while aligning with AAOLEV/OEAP National Guidance. 

The Outdoor Learning Cards resource consists of 50 structured activity cards designed to help non‑specialist staff deliver meaningful outdoor learning experiences. The activities promote curriculum learning, physical activity, teamwork, communication and problem‑solving, while also developing pupils’ understanding of risk, safety and decision‑making. Training focuses on how to use the cards effectively, adapt activities for different age groups, and integrate outdoor learning into wider curriculum and enrichment planning.

Training explores four core elements of outdoor learning:

• Team building and problem solving – developing cooperation, leadership and resilience
• Journeying – planning and undertaking local journeys organised by young people
• Orienteering – introducing navigation and map‑reading skills
• Bouldering – safe use of low‑level climbing and traverse activities

These activities are suitable across a wide age range and can be adapted to support learning from primary through to secondary phases, using local environments and school grounds.

Outdoor Learning Cards Training is typically delivered as a one‑day or extended session, combining practical activity with professional discussion. The course emphasises leader competence, proportionate risk management and the importance of embedding activities within an establishment’s policies and visit approval processes.

Voyage Education Partnership delivers Outdoor Learning Cards Training through experienced Educational Visits Advisers. Training can be provided as open courses or bespoke whole‑school or trust‑wide delivery, including INSET days or twilight sessions, supporting consistent and confident approaches to outdoor learning.