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Visits
On this page: Guidance | Before the
visit | During the visit |
After the visit | Resources
Guidance
Guidance on educational visits
can be found in the Department for Education Circular
22/94, section 2.
In addition, the following
should be considered when visiting places of worship:
- For many Church schools visits to church will be
highly significant. It may be for a service at a
special time; for a period of quiet reflection; or as
part of a class activity.
- Whatever the purpose of the visit, it is helpful
for the pupils to have a short time in order to capture
some sense of the building. All churches can be places
of reflection, it is important therefore for pupils to
experience sacred space.
- Visits to other religious places of worship should
also be conducted with respect. Pupils will need, on
some occasions, to be instructed what to wear and how
to behave. The attitude to be encouraged is that as we
believe 'our' church will be a special place and we
treat it with reverence so we should respect places of
worship for people of different faiths.
The following guidelines
should be followed if you are inviting a visitor
into your school.
Before the visit
It is helpful if
visitors
- are familiar with the school and class, e.g.
through a prior visit;
- are clear about their brief, and able to speak to
it;
- have prepared their material thoroughly;
- arrive promptly.
It is helpful if the
teacher
- knows the status of the visitor in relationship to
other members of their community
- has met the visitors in order to plan the
lesson/act of worship in the light of their language
and communication skills, and their particular
expertise;
- has provided the visitors with a clear written
brief, and with an idea of the number, age,
gender-balance, religious and cultural background, and
ability of pupils in the class they are visiting
(perhaps through a prior visit);
- has given the visitors directions to the school,
the school's telephone number, details of resources and
equipment available to them, and offered hospitality
and expenses;
- has discussed classroom management with the
visitors, e.g. furniture, carpets, tables for
artefacts, use of television or video;
- has ensured that equipment is available and
working;
- has encouraged the visitors to speak from their
personal perspective of faith, and not necessarily on
behalf of the religious community to which they belong
(e.g. a visitor is able to say negative things about
their own tradition that a teacher cannot);
- has prepared the visitors for challenging questions
from pupils;
- is aware of the demands on the visitors (e.g.
whether they have taken time off work in order to make
the visit);
- is well aware that visitors are never to be used in
order to 'patch up' a lesson or subject;
- has an alternative act of worship/lesson prepared
in case of an emergency.
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It is helpful if the
pupils
- know who the visitors are and are aware of their
background;
- understand the purpose of the visit, and how it
fits into the lesson;
- have framed some questions for the visitors (e.g.
arising from previous work);
- have briefed a 'welcome' for the visitors, and
pupil hosts for the visit.
During the visit
It is helpful if the
visitors
- are articulate and easily heard, use words and
materials at a level appropriate to the age ranges, and
pause at various points to allow pupils to ask
questions;
- are 'pupil friendly', i.e. not patronizing, aware
of the cultural sensitivities of some pupils about
touch, gestures or eye-contact, are visible to all
pupils, convey a sense of enjoyment and a sense of
humour, and use artefacts and visuals;
- keep to the brief given by the teacher;
- are prepared to receive questions from pupils, some
of which might be challenging, and are sensitive to the
response of the class to what is being taught;
- do not use the opportunity to influence pupils
unfairly, or to attempt to win them over to their faith
stance;
- are aware of, and help to break down, some of the
stereotypes about their community.
It is helpful if the
teacher
- is the guardian of the relationship between class
and visitors, and is ready to interpret or intervene if
necessary.
It is helpful if the
pupils in the school or class
- are hospitable and well-behaved and show proper
respect.
After the visit
It is helpful if the
teacher
- offers feedback to the visitors on positive points
of the visit, and those which might be developed or
altered.
It is helpful if the
pupils
- follow up the visit appropriately, and relate it to
longer-term education in the subject area; · are
appreciative of the visit (perhaps through letters or
drawings sent to the visitor).
Resources
