By Jake Wiid

Educational visits and outdoor learning play an extremely important role within a school community, enriching the educational programme and helping to develop students’ self-confidence, character, resilience and positive relationships with peers and adults. Here, I explain the importance of an Educational Visits Coordinator role and how it could be a key part of your community.

The term ‘EVC’ or ‘Educational Visits Coordinator’ is not common in the International Independent school sector. It’s a role typically given to the holder of the title Deputy/Assistant Head Co-Curricular or Director of Co-Curricular Activities; however, let’s explore the impact an EVC can make in your school. The EVC plays a pivotal role within schools, providing a central point for the staff organising and leading off-site trips.

Jake Wiid is an Educational Visits Adviser who brings a new area of expertise to our membership community as our newest CIS Affiliated Consultant. He is one of a group of educational visit specialists at EvolveAdvice. They provide essential training and advice to schools worldwide as they develop policies, procedures and plans to engage their students in experiences outside the school campus in a safe, educational, and fun way.

The role of the EVC in part is to:

• create and update policy and procedures for trips and outdoor learning, including safeguarding, inclusion, risk management, etc.
• support and train colleagues to understand and implement the policy and procedures
• support and oversee planning so that well-considered and prepared arrangements can lead to well-managed, engaging, relevant, enjoyable, and memorable visits/outdoor learning
• work with Educational Visits Advisers like us to ensure best practice, and that compliance is embedded within the establishment.

The EVC should support all aspects of learning outside the classroom in addition to ensuring that policies are followed robustly. An effective EVC can drive home a positive and highly successful programme.

Much like the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) role, there are risks when the responsibilities of the EVC falls to only one member of staff. We advise that for continuity and support in larger schools, there should also be a Deputy EVC who could step forward in the absence of the EVC. If your school extends over more than one site/campus, you may find it useful to have Deputy EVCs on each campus. 

If you’d like support appointing, defining, or training your EVC, we hope that you will contact us. EVCs can receive training via our courses and we are here as Educational Visits Advisers to support you.