Outdoor Education - Schools
All LA Approvals for Educational Visits must be submitted using 'EVOLVE' - Sheffield's online visit approval system.
The Sheffield EVOLVE website is sheffieldvisits.org.uk (note there is no 'www' at the start of this address).
Next EVC Training Courses which incorporates EVOLVE
| EVC/EVC Update | Date | Location | Time |
| EVC Training | Thurs 19 January 2012 | Thornbridge Outdoors | 9am - 4pm |
| EVC Update | Tues 20 March 2012 | Bannerdale Centre | 9am - 12.30 pm |
| EVC Training | Tues 24 April 2012 | TBC | 9am - 12.30pm |
| EVC Training | Tues 3 July 2012 | TBC | 1pm - 4pm |
For further information and booking forms please click here to visit the EVC courses page.
Please contact Thornbridge Outdoors on 01629 640491 if you require any further assistance.
This area contains advice for staff from Sheffield Schools planning educational visits – whether it is to Thornbridge Outdoors, or any other off-site educational visit. It is intended that the content of this site will develop to include a forum for exchange of ideas and information, as well as providing the most up to date advice for Sheffield Schools.
If you have any comments to make on the materials and information provided please email: edvisits@thornbridgeoutdoors.co.uk
Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC)
Each school has had the opportunity to have an EVC trained. This person has a key role in school supporting staff who are planning visits and helping to ensure that correct procedures are followed.
To find out when the next EVC training course is click here
Developing a School Policy for Learning Outside the Classroom
EVC Newsletter
News and Information for Educational Visits Co-ordinators.
- EVC News - Spring 2005
- EVC News - Autumn 2005
- EVC News - Summer 2006
- EVC News - Spring 2007
- EVC News - Spring 2008
Guidance
The most recent edition of the LA's guidelines for educational visits was sent to all schools, along with an explanatory letter, in January 2005. They are contained on a CD, with a range of supporting documents.
Two documents from the CD are now available on this site. The full Educational Visits Guidelines document and a Summary document which provides an outline of the main processes involved in organising and conducting a visit. Both of these documents are provided here in PDF format, note that the hyperlinks within the documents are inactive in this version. A full version of both documents, with active hyperlinks, is available on the CD.
To view this document you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader which you can download from here.
If you have a booking at Thornbridge Outdoors you can download a PDF version of the joint visit approval and booking form here or a word version here.
Educational Visit Forms
- Visit Planning Checklist
- Visit Approval Form
- Provider Form
- Event-Specific Risk Assessment
- Parental Consent
- Critical Incident Response
- Volunteer Driver Form
Generic Risk Assessments
April 2008 Generic Risk Assessment Updated
A CD containing all of the Generic risk assessments was sent to each school in November 2003. This material is continuously being added to and updated, and the most recent version is available for downloading here. You may download the entire document or just the single risk assessment relating to an individual activity.
Additional Sources of Advice
The DfES has supported the production of several useful documents – all of which can be downloaded from www.teachernet.gov.uk/visits
These include two documents containing practical advice for group leaders:
1. “Group Safety at Water Margins”
2. “A handbook for Group Leaders”
In addition there are two other documents which may be of use;
1. “Standards for LAs in Overseeing Educational Visits”
2. “Standards for Adventure”
Educational Visits Review
Thornbridge Outdoors News
Availability For Spring - Summer 2012
We have a few dates available for the spring - summer term of 2012
Cyclo-cross races at Thornbridge - video
Whilst most of us were feeling lazy after Christmas Thornbridge hosted a Notts and Derby Cyclo-cross League race. See the full article for details and a video.
'Like' and 'Follow' Thornbridge!
Thornbridge Outdoors is now on Facebook and Twitter - 'Like' and 'Follow' us to keep posted about what's happening here.
Alpkit Big Shakeout - what a weekend!
On Sat 15th Sun 16th October Thornbridge hosted the Alpkit Big Shakeout - the site was busy with climbing, biking, family days, film showings, music and much more.

