Bryan Slater Director of Education	Distribution
	To headteacher of all schools

This document needs your action as detailed below:

ACTION	Title	New LEA requirements regarding skiing trips
	Summary of contents	Letter informing schools of LEA requirements for Group Leaders to hold English Ski Council’s Ski Course Organiser Award and giving details of forthcoming courses
	Associated documents	None
	Date	13 September 2002
	Summary of action required	Schools must ensure that Group Leaders planning skiing trips from November 2002 hold this Award
	To be completed by	November 2002
	LEA Contact	Martin Radmore	(	01603 433276
	E-mail address	martin.radmore.edu@norfolk.gov.uk
	Norfolk Self Review reference	1. How high are standards? 5. How well does the school care for its pupils? 7. How well is the school led and managed?
	Document reference	MI 197/02

This Management Information sheet may be found on ESINET at the following address:

http://www.esinet.norfolk.gov.uk/cadmin/misheet/

To all Schools

Dear Headteacher

Re: Ski Course Organiser Award – new LEA requirement

As you will be aware, the DfES has produced new guidelines for LEAs and schools regarding the health and safety of pupils on educational visits and journeys. The LEA is currently preparing detailed procedures, guidelines and policies to deliver the new national requirements.

The new guidelines from DfES place a responsibility on the LEA and Educational Visits Coordinators (EVCs) to assess the competence of the group leader of the proposed trip. This, they suggest, can be through qualification or experience. In terms of those group leaders taking skiing groups abroad, or to Scotland, the LEA has taken the step of requiring all group leaders to hold the English Ski Council’s Ski Course Organiser Award. Therefore if your school is proposing a skiing trip in the future, the group leader will need to hold this award or the LEA will not approve the visit.

In order to facilitate teachers gaining this award the LEA is providing courses at no cost to schools.

The theory component of the course, for experienced skiers, has been arranged for:

18 November – Norwich PDC – 9:00am – 4:30pm

or

19 November – Kings Lynn PDC – 9:00am – 4:30pm

Those group leaders who have no previous skiing experience will be required to undertake a practical component in addition to the theory. These will take place at the artificial slopes of Trowse Ski Centre and will be held during the October half term. Please note that this was the only mutually convenient time when both the Centre and an instructor were available.

It is essential that all teachers who are going to assume responsibility for leading skiing trips contact me to secure their place on the theory course and, if required, the practical course. Full details, including course outline and syllabus, are available and will be sent to all participants. Schools will be limited to one place only but may ask for additional colleagues to be placed on a reserve list should places be available. There is a maximum course number of 24 persons.

Should you require any further details or wish to discuss this letter please contact Martin Radmore on 01603 433276.

Yours sincerely

Bryan Slater

Director of Education