Safety & Support - Frequently Asked Questions | Educational Trips from Rayburn Tours

Leading a Tour... what do I need to do to comply with safety?

For school and youth groups the DfE's guidance highlights the need for all those involved with the organisation and running of a tour to work together as a team. This is our aim at Rayburn Tours, to work together with our party leaders to ensure our groups safety and peace of mind.

Information is available from your Local Authority on what is expected from party leaders leading a school tour; in addition we are happy to assist you in ensuring that you have all of the necessary information.

By completing and following the guidance laid out by your Local Authority, with our assistance, you are showing that you are taking safety seriously and are demonstrating that you are taking all reasonably practicable steps to ensure your groups safety on tour.

What safety support does RT have in place for clients choosing to tour with them?

At Rayburn Tours we are proud of our continual commitment to safety. Clients who tour with us can be assured that we have the following support services and systems in place:

• Safety Management System
• Member of the School Travel Forum
• ATOL Licensed
• ABTA Bonded
• Insurance
• Risk Assessments
• 24 hour emergency contact system
• Hotel Audits
• Coach Audits
• Activity Audits
• Crisis Management System

What is Rayburn Tours Responsible for?

Safety is everyone's responsibility - Our commitment to you is highlighted in our Safety Management System.

Do you provide risk assessments?

All schools are expected to complete risk assessments for tours.

At Rayburn Tours, we appreciate how time consuming completing risk assessments can be when organising a tour, however we realise their importance and how integral they are to help ensure your groups safety.

Therefore, we are pleased to be able to provide our groups with risk assessments to support their tours. Our current tour risk assessment portfolio covers ‘Generic Risks on Tour’. These can be used as an aid to completing your own assessments, or, dependant on your individual LA’s requirements, submitted in conjunction with your own as supporting evidence that risks have been identified and considered.

Group leaders are advised that whilst almost any activity carries some inherent risk, particularly where children and young persons are involved it is important to be realistic and not to let it detract from the purpose of your tour.

We all have a responsibility to participate in risk assessments to help ensure that students stay safe – at Rayburn Tours we are proud to offer you this support.

What should be included in my risk assessment?

A risk assessment is simply an examination of possible risks involved within activity/surroundings. Everyone should take responsibility for their own safety and that of those around them by ensuring that they are behaving appropriately and that they highlight any potential risks should they encounter them.

• Identify the potential hazards
• Decide on precautions to alleviate potential hazard
• Record your findings and implement the precautions

Specific requirements are available from your LA.

What do your generic risk assessments include?

Our generic risk assessments include information on:

• Travel
• Excursions
• General "Out and About"

Download our generic risk assessment handbook.

Do you provide risk assessments for hotels?

Rayburn Tours have individual audits which are completed on every hotel/accommodation centrewhich we use, these are available for you to see, and areas covered by our audits include:

• Fire Safety
• Means of Escape
• General Safety

I am required to complete an Educational Visits (EV) form by our LA and I cannot answer all of the questions?

We are happy to assist you in completing your EV4 forms and to return them directly to your LA on your behalf.

Do hotels comply with our LA guidelines?

All hotels are audited to standards set by the School Travel Forum (STF), the criteria is based on information and guidance from educational authorities. Whilst local laws and standards have to be taken into consideration as they may differ from country to country our standards do not. We are happy to provide copies of our hotel audits should you wish to see them please feel free to request a copy.

Is all of your accommodation audited in advance?

Yes, all of our accommodation is audited prior to our groups staying there. The criterion of these audits is governed by the School Travel Forum (STF). We therefore have specific standards to attain and following the criteria set within these standards we have to classify our hotels.

It is important to remember that each country is governed by their own standards and laws and these may differ from UK law. However, we require our accommodation to meet our standards as a minimum. We work with the hotels and agents to endeavour to ensure that our standards are met.

Are all of your UK coaches audited?

All of our UK coach companies are audited by our in house Transport Manager. Copies of which can be made available to you.

Are all of your foreign coaches audited?

It is important to remember that each country is governed by their own standards and laws and these may differ from UK law. We request that an audit is completed by the foreign coach company which includes confirming the following:

• General information on the coach company
• They will comply with all national, local and other laws, rules and codes of practice, and that all services contracted shall be performed with all due skill, care & diligence.
• The vehicle is fully insured for the duration of the tour.

Are all of the coaches you provide fitted with seatbelts?

All UK coaches are fitted with seatbelts by law.

Unlike within the UK it is not currently law in foreign countries for coaches to be fitted with seatbelts, wherever possible we will request that foreign coaches are supplied to us with seatbelts however we cannot guarantee this.

Do you CRB check your drivers?

As part of our coach audits we request that all UK coach drivers are CRB checked by their employer prior to driving on one of our tours. We can request confirmation of your specific driver’s compliance if deemed necessary.

Do you CRB check your Couriers?

All Rayburn Tours staff accompanying any of our groups on tour have been subject to a CRB check, again we are happy to confirm individuals as required.

Do you CRB check foreign drivers and foreign tour couriers?

At present CRB checks are not valid for non UK residents and therefore we cannot legally insist that these checks are carried out. Where possible we can ask our agents for local equivalents, if available,, for further clarification please speak to your Tour Coordinator.

What happens if our flight operators/transport providers cease to trade whilst we are on tour?

By booking your tour package with us you are fully covered in the event that you are unable to return home should your transport provider fail to operate i.e. it goes into liquidation. As your operator it is our responsibility to ensure that alternative arrangements are made to repatriate you and your group to the UK.

Rayburn Tours is a member of ABTA and bonded as such and is fully ATOL licensed.

What support is there if my group is involved in an emergency whilst on Tour?

As part of our commitment to ensure our clients have continued support and a high level of service we offer a 24 hour emergency phone line available to all Party Leaders during their tour (details of which will be in your final documents). A fully trained member of our staff will assist you, should you encounter any issues during your tour.

What support do you have in place in the event of a Crisis situation?

In the unlikely event that your group is involved in a crisis situation during your tour, you can be assured that Rayburn Tours have a Crisis Management System in place which is fully supported by ABTA, ATOL and FOGG (our insurance).

In 2010 our robust crisis management system was successfully implemented following the volcanic eruption in Iceland and 290 passengers were quickly and efficiently repatriated – this gives you the reassurance that support is on hand in exceptional circumstance.

Details of our Crisis Management procedures can be made available to you on request.

What does our Insurance cover?

Our insurance company FOGG Insurance offers comprehensive cover to our groups. As with any insurance cover it is vital that you read through the terms and conditions and that you declare any relevant information as requested.

For further information and to see what is covered please read a copy of our policy:

For groups opting to take their own insurance, we highly recommend that you read all inclusions and exclusions prior to departure.

• Full Policy
• Key Facts