What is the LOtC Quality Badge?
The LOtC Quality Badge is the only national award assessing both the quality of risk management and educational provision across all types of learning outside the classroom providers including in-school theatre groups and sports coaching, museums and castles, botanical gardens and city farms, theme parks and zoos, field study and adventure centres, and expeditions and study cultural tours abroad. It is recognised by the Department of Education and Welsh Government, and therefore by schools and community groups as an indication of quality. To find out more about the LOtC Quality Badge and ask your questions, join us at a free online session.
Why apply?
The LOtC Quality Badge provides you with a framework to ensure you are meeting the needs of the schools and community group you work with.
The Department for Education’s guidance on Health & Safety on Educational Visits, NEU, NASUWT and other teaching unions recommend that schools look for the LOtC Quality Badge when choosing external providers.
The Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel endorse the LOtC Quality Badge and most Local Authority Outdoor Education Advisers accept it in place of some or all of their checks, so reduces schools’ and your own paperwork. Senedd Cymru endorse the advice provided by OEAP Cymru which includes using LOtC Quality Badge holders.
CLOtC offers opportunities for LOtC Quality Badge holders to promote themselves for free via our website and social media.
How to apply?
Council for Learning Outside the Classroom oversee the certification of the LOtC Quality Badge but due to the wide-range of LOtC opportunities the Badge covers it is assessed by different organisations with expertise in their fields, known as Awarding Bodies. You can also be assessed via your membership of BAPA and AHOEC or as a top-up to your AALA licence.
Each LOtC Quality Badge holder needs to meet the eligibility criteria and demonstrate that they meet the same Quality Indicators but the procedure for assessment and the cost is set by each Awarding Body, overseen by CLOtC.
Scroll down to find out more…….
How to apply?
Select the options below to identify which Awarding Body your organisation will be assessed by and how to apply.
Are you a provider of .......
Do you offer activities that include everyday risks that non-specialist visiting staff could assess for themselves?
Some activities and venues fall within the scope of everyone’s experience, such theatres, art galleries, museums, historic houses, science learning centres, theme parks, zoos, places of worship, parks, woodlands, gardens, allotments, city farms, and some nature reserves/field studies. This also includes cookery classes, theatre groups, environmental activities, mobile planetariums, non-specialist sports coaches going into schools/community groups..
Or
Do you offer activities that require technical knowledge and experience?
Some activities require qualifications and experience to be delivered safely such as adventurous activities, field studies in remote settings, visits to working farms, some sports coaching, swimming pools, trampoline parks and other leisure and recreation facilities, study, sports and cultural visits abroad and expeditions overseas.
Alternative provision with vulnerable children/young people is included here.
Do the activities you offer fit within...
Nature, Countryside & Farming with technical Risk management
alternative Provision, Sports coaching and Others
OTHER
If you do not feel you fit into one of these categories or are unsure, please email our LOtC Quality Badge team.
