The EVC Magazine Spring 2025 - Flipbook - Page 36
lotc Quality badge
up to the mark
The Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge
has been a mark of high-quality outdoor provision since
2008. Many of the providers you use for your educational
visits will hold or be working towards a Quality Badge,
which is great news for schools.
Choosing a badged provider means you have assurances
about their safety, safeguarding and learning provision.
But do you know what providers need to do to gain the
LOtC Quality Badge?
Stage 1: Gathering the evidence
In the first stage, providers must prove that they meet
six quality indicators. This means providing copies of
risk assessments, planning documents, staff records,
insurance documents, facilities and equipment records
and more. They also need to demonstrate how they
communicate with schools to meet a group’s needs and
to ensure the quality of their education provision.
Providers submit their evidence to the Council for
Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtC), where it
is reviewed by a nominated assessor. If applicable,
the assessor will then arrange to visit for an on-site
assessment.
Quality indicato
rs
Providers are asse
ssed in six areas:
1. Risk managem
ent
2. Safeguarding
3. Food safety
4. Safe transport
5. Educational ou
tcomes
6. Communicatio
n
6
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Stage 2: The walkaround
The Quality Badge assessor arranges to visit the site when
a group is visiting, to review the facilities and see how the
provider implements their policies and plans.
Assessors are usually experienced Outdoor Education
Advisers or Educational Visits Advisers; these are the
people who support you with your planning and risk
assessments, and in some cases sign off your overseas,
adventurous and residential visits.
After the tour, the assessor writes up their report and
submits their assessment to CLOtC. If the provider has
met the indicators, they’ll be awarded an LOtC Quality
Badge to display proudly on their website.
“The Quality Badge is a highly regarded
mark that shows visiting schools that we
have high standards of safety and learning
here at Earth Trust. Gaining the award is a
fantastic recognition of the hard work of
all our staff and volunteers.”
Stuart Ritchie,
Environmental Education Manager
Safety assurance
Schools and settings use the LOtC Quality Badge as an indicator
of quality and safety standards. It means you can have greater
confidence in your provider and, in many cases, can cut the
amount of risk assessment and documentary evidence you need
to supply in your approvals process. Also, if you have concerns
about a badged provider, you’ll be supported by CLOtC as part of
its commitment to the integrity of the Quality Badge.
The LOtC Quality Badge is managed by the Council for
Learning Outside the Classroom. Learn more: →lotc.org.uk
DID YOU KNOW?
Some providers will be assessed as part of their inspections by other organisations such as the Association of
Heads of Outdoor Education Centres (AHOEC) and School Travel Forum. These are official awarding bodies for the
Quality Badge, and providers must still meet the same quality indicators. See page 32–33 for more information.
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