St Bede’s Catholic School is proud of the variety of trips and activities which are offered to all pupils. School trips are not just outings; they’re immersive experiences that broaden horizons and enhance learning. From historical landmarks to nature expeditions, these trips stimulate the curiosity and critical thinking, enriching our pupils’ educational journey.

We offer a range of visits, from local site visits to overseas trips. We offer a range of trips for each year group. Most of our trips take place in the final week of the academic year, during Activities Week.

School wants to provide this wide-ranging variety of experiences as fairly as possible while at the same time recognising limitations. Sometimes the demand for places on such trips may exceed the number of places available.

The school is committed to Equality of Opportunity for all school trips. This means that initially priority would be given to pupils who have not been on a previous school visit. After this consideration would be given to pupils who would not necessarily have the chance for such a visit outside of school. After this, pupils would be chosen randomly to allocate places. We keep in close contact with parents when difficult decisions need to be made.

The school reserves the right not to allow pupils on school trips if the school has concerns about the conduct of any individual pupil.

Student Trip Selection Protocol (Oversubscribed Trips)

When a school trip is oversubscribed, it is essential that the selection process is fair, transparent, and aligned with the school’s values and expectations. As a Catholic school, we are committed to supporting the most vulnerable in our community and living out our mission, which includes giving preferential treatment to the poor—understood in the most holistic sense of vulnerability. 

When a school trip is designed to develop and enrich curriculum knowledge, the selection criteria will also take into account its relevance to the curriculum. 

The following protocol will be used to determine which students are offered a place: 

Selection Criteria

Students will be prioritised based on the following factors: 

1. Attendance
a. Students with consistently high attendance (typically above 95%) will be prioritised. 
b. Individual circumstances, including medical or pastoral needs, will be taken into account. 

2. Behaviour Record
a. The number of behaviour points a student has received will be reviewed. 
b. Students with low or no behaviour points will be prioritised. 
c. Patterns of behaviour and any recent improvements will also be considered. 

3. Achievement Points
a. A student’s positive contributions to school life, as reflected in achievement points, will be considered. 
b. This may include participation in class, effort, kindness, leadership, or community involvement. 

4. SEND and Other Individual Needs
a. Reasonable adjustments will be made to ensure students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are not disadvantaged in the selection process. 
b. This includes taking into account the context of attendance or behaviour data where appropriate. 

5. Vulnerable Context
a. The pastoral team will consider relevant contextual information about students, particularly in relation to vulnerability. This may include social, emotional, or safeguarding concerns. 
b. All students will be reviewed by the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) to ensure appropriate support and prioritisation where needed. 

6. Curriculum Relevance
a. Where the trip is linked to a specific curriculum area, priority will be given to students who are currently studying that subject, in order to maximise the educational benefit. 

Additional Considerations

• In the event of students scoring equally across the criteria, places may be allocated via a random selection process to ensure fairness. 
• Students who have previously applied for trips but were not selected will be given priority where appropriate, to support equitable access to enrichment opportunities. 
• Where possible, students who have not previously attended similar trips may also be prioritised. 
• Families will be informed whether their child has been offered a place or placed on a waiting list. 

Appeals and Queries

Any parent/carer who wishes to query the outcome or believes that relevant information may not have been considered can contact the trip leader or the relevant Year Team for clarification. 

The decision of the Senior Leadership Team is final. Please note that decisions may be reviewed up until the date of the trip if there are significant changes in behaviour or safeguarding concerns.