Ed Balls announces first organisations to get the Quality Badge

Ed Balls today signalled the end of the red tape culture that can surround school visits as he announced the first 65 organisations to be awarded a Quality Badge for the provision of learning outside the classroom experiences.

The Children’s Secretary congratulated the first successful applicants, who will offer schools the guarantee of a high quality learning experience for pupils as well as the assurance that the necessary risk management processes are in place.

The Quality Badge scheme is part of the Government’s £4.5m Out and About
package which, along with the badges, provides guidance and information for
teachers on how to plan and organise high quality activities that enhance
teaching in subject areas.

Ed Balls said he wanted to see as many children as possible taking part in
learning outside the classroom as part of their school lives and called on
teachers to use the scheme to make informed decisions about suitable
venues.

Under the scheme, organisations will display the badge as a signal to schools
that their venue has met the required standard, so teachers do not need to
carry out their own risk or quality assessments.

Ed Balls said:
“Educational visits are among the most memorable experiences in a child’s school life. I want to see schools taking advantage of the opportunities that learning outside the classroom provides to bring subjects to life.

“Quality Badges offer teachers a guarantee that not only is a venue providing the sort of educational value that they can build on in class long after the visit but they also have the appropriate risk management structures in place.

“I am pleased that the Quality Badge scheme has been welcomed by a wide range of organisations, including local authorities and teacher unions. It is a significant victory in our battle to move away from the misguided perception that learning outside the classroom is a potential minefield for teachers.

“Tens of thousands of children take part in learning outside the classroom every day. I am determined that no child should miss out on these vital experiences because of unnecessary red tape or because of a cotton wool culture that discourages all kinds of risk.

“I want to see teachers using Quality Badges as practical decision making tool. It should ensure that many more young people have memorable, exciting and valuable learning outside the classroom experiences.”

To gain the Quality Badge, low risk providers such as museums and places of worship complete an online self assessment and are subject to spot checks to ensure the quality of their systems. All higher risk providers such as adventurous activity centres and farms will be checked by independent industry assessors before they are awarded the Badge.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of teaching union NASUWT, said:

“The award of the Quality Badge should give schools greater confidence in planning LOtC activities for pupils, but without adding burdens onto schools.

“Health, safety and quality educational experiences are vitally important considerations for schools, parents and pupils. Organisations that receive the Quality Badge award will need to demonstrate that they can help schools to keep pupils safe and, at the same time, deliver
educational experiences of the highest possible standards of quality.

“The Quality Badge should mean that schools no longer have to gamble on their choice of provider of LOtC experiences. Instead, schools should be able to choose a provider with confidence and in the knowledge that they have been awarded the Quality Badge.

“No activity is ever risk free. However, the integrity of the Quality Badge means that providers holding the badge must be those that manage risk properly, comply with good practice and statutory provisions on health and safety, and are committed to working constructively with schools to give every pupil the best possible educational experience.”

The Quality Badge was developed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Badges are awarded by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom. For more information about the Quality Badge scheme, visit www.lotcqualitybadge.org.uk