COVID-19 | OUR RESPONSE
We are able to deliver residentials and day visits at all of our centres. We're working hard to support those pupils that have missed out, and we have produced activities to try at home.
We are committed to supporting young people, adults, and visit leaders with flexibility, and at the exceptional standard that you would expect.
If you plan ahead with us, you can do so with confidence that there will be no deposit to pay and no financial risk if we are unable to operate due to restrictions at the time of your visit.
We are determined to support group and visit leaders in planning for the future with as much certainty and assurance as we can.
This brief guide outlines what we are doing at Sandwell Residential Education Service, national guidance, as well as practical resources that will support your children and young people in 2022 and beyond.
New & existing bookings
Existing Bookings & Missed Visits:
Missed visits
There has been no charge for programmes that have not gone ahead since March 20th 2020. And as we don't ask for a deposit, it's all been very straight forward financially.
However, thousands of children have missed out on life shaping experiences, and so we would be delighted to reschedule your residential or deliver a series of day visits if you are unable to take part in a residential visit.
To reassure everybody that is planning ahead with us:
There is no deposit to pay
There will be no financial loss to schools and groups if courses do not go ahead due to Covid 19
You'll have sole occupancy of the accommodation.
If schools have any questions or wish to discuss rescheduling, please contact the centre you have booked with or complete our contact form below.
Existing Bookings
Domestic Residential Education Visits are permitted in England and Wales, conducted in line with relevant COVID-19 guidance and regulations in place at the time of the visit. At Plas Gwynant in Wales, we will work with a group in line with whichever guidance is most strict - Wales or the home nation of the visiting group.
We have retained several measures at our centres to help keep everyone as safe as possible. These include enhanced cleaning routines, providing hand sanitising stations as well as normal hand hygene, social distancing for our staff, and plans remain for isolating and testing suspected or positive cases.
You can access a Covid-safe Template Letter for Parents and a Covid 19 Operating Overview for Group Leaders in the "Group Leader Downloads" pages.
New Enquiries... and ideas!:
We're fully open and would be delighted to speak to you about a residential visit for Summer term and beyond! You can find our late availability here.
There are many reasons to work with us, but to reassure you about some of the current considerations:
There is no deposit to pay
There will be no financial loss to schools and groups if courses do not go ahead due to Covid 19
You'll have sole occupancy of the accommodation
So please do get in touch and we can help you to plan ahead with confidence, and without risk of financial penalty if the visit cannot go ahead due to Covid 19.
You can email us or complete our contact form and we’ll be delighted to receive an enquiry from you. Do also send any questions that you have.
Day visits for pupils, families & staff:
We will be as flexible as possible in meeting emerging requirements of schools. If pupils, families or staff teams would benefit from facilitated outdoor learning or creative arts activities focussed around transition, wellbeing, re-engagement, motivation or forming friendships, then we’d be delighted to offer support. you can read more about our Day Visits via the link below.
Planning Ahead - Support from Sandwell Council
Our top priority is ensuring the wellbeing of our team, visitors and partners, and making sure that we are able to deliver the same high standards of learning, arts and outdoor adventure in whatever circumstances we are presented with.
Our risk assessments and operational procedures covering activities, transport, accommodation and food will take full account of the latest Covid-19 guidance. We have the flexibility to work with smaller groups than before; and also to modified a range of activities.
With so much to learn and apply, we are extremely grateful to our colleagues around Sandwell Council for helping our service to navigate the current situation. From Public Health, to Educational Visit Advisors, to ideas and resources from Educational Psychology; we are confident in our capacity to open safely, and deliver the most impactful programmes to help our groups to recover.
We will update our Safety and Care pages, and stay in close contact with our partners.
Resources & official guidance
Domestic Residential Visits Guidance
On 10 May 2021 the Department for Education in England updated its guidance to schools on educational visits. We have summarised the key points in our blog below, and you can also see the full guidance from DfE (page 47 from the link below).
What can we currently deliver?
Here is what we can actually deliver today - note that numbers are only offered in line with current national guidelines:
|
Visit type |
Status |
Further information |
|---|---|---|
|
School residentials |
YES |
|
|
School Day Visits - in centre |
YES |
|
|
School Day Visits - at school |
YES |
|
|
Corporate / Staff development days |
YES |
|
|
Corporate / Staff development residentials |
YES |
|
|
Self catering Cottage / Glamping hire |
YES |
|
|
Weddings Receptions |
YES |
Sandwell Council's home page has a page compiling everything that you may need to know, including:
The latest NHS advice on coronavirus
Updates from the council
Advice for parents
Community support
The Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel provide advice, support and monitoring of visits and outdoor learning. They have published a paper summarising current government guidance directly related to educational visits, and guidance for planning and managing off-site visits and learning outside the classroom during the coronavirus.
The Outdoor Alliance Wales Post Covid-19 Recovery Plan is an "at a glance" guide for the outdoor sector in Wales, and highlights how the sector can work together
to alleviate issues arising from the lifting of restrictions.
With good detail about how the sector is seeking to manage its recovery, it could help demonstrate they way participants and providers can recover to deliver outdoor activities.
Our talented teams from around the centres are creating resources and activities that you can use at home or in the classroom.