A group of students walking in a line through a red sandstone environment, with rocky outcrops and small bushy green plants

Using fieldwork providers

Working with external providers

The National Guidance documents explain the use of the LOtC quality badge, AALA licence, and what questions to ask a provider and where the responsibilities lie. The norm is that all technical and activity specific responsibility lies with the provider, and School staff assist with supervision and have pastoral responsibility.

Find out more:

OEAP: .4g Selecting External Providers and Facilities
OEAP: 4.4h Using External Providers

Quality Badges

A provider holding a quality badge can be seen as part of the risk management process. This may be financial risk in the case of bonding or safeguarding and safety assurance through the award of other badges.

There are a number of relevant badge schemes.

The AALA licence is required in law in the UK for certain adventure activities

The Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge is held by a wide range of providers and venues

Adventuremark is a non-statutory safety scheme devised by the Adventure Activity Industry Advisory Committee (AAIAC) for providers of adventurous activities that are outside the scope of the Adventure Activity Licensing regulations.

There is very little to be gained by asking badge-holding external providers for copies of their risk assessments. This OEAP document explains the reasons for this and gives better questions to ask.