UWC Atlantic Visits and Activities

Dear Student,

At the core of students' experience at UWC Atlantic is the opportunity to participate in a wide and diverse range of activities and visits. Some of these will be part of the co-curricular programme, some will form part of additional learning opportunities and others part of key college programmes such as Camp, Orientation and Project Week.

UWC Atlantic follows national guidance on the provision and leadership of activities and visits. Staff receive training to undertake the activities and visits and take the necessary action to manage the risks associated. This includes a robust approval process prior to any adventure activity or visit commencing.

UWC Atlantic has a range of onsite facilities (e g climbing wall, swimming pool, sports centre). For a broader description of UWC Atlantic’s co-curricular activities, project week, curriculum based learning and other experiences please refer to the website.

ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES

By definition adventure activities focus on engaging with the natural environment in a physically challenging manner; where skill and an element of risk are central to the experience and the participant seeks to appreciate the aesthetic qualities of the natural environment in a peaceful manner.

Our adventure activities can include land, water, underground, and sea based activities which take place both on and off campus. UWC Atlantic holds an Adventurous Activities Licensing (License number R0118) and is an approved training centre for the Royal Lifesaving Society. The management of adventure activities is carried out by experienced staff who hold national governing body qualifications and/or have evidenced their competence by a Technical Expert.

The range of activities offered can be grouped into the following categories with some examples listed:

Land Based

Hill Walking, Rock Climbing, Abseiling, Mountain Biking, Caving, Camping Water Based

Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddle Boarding, Open Water Swimming Sea and Surf

Sea Kayaking, Board Surfing, Lifesaving Combined Water and Rock Coasteering, Gorge Scrambling Other Adventure Activities

Archery, Problem Solving and Team Tasks/Games, Pool Activities, Bush Craft, Field Work

NOTE: this list may change and not all students will be offered all of these activities

Acknowledgement of Risk

UWC Atlantic recognises that the effective management of activities and visits reduces the risk of serious injury or death to an acceptable level It does not remove it entirely Students and their parents / guardians should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement. The management of safety is the shared responsibility of the participant and staff / other appointed staff. Where the risks are managed effectively, a balance is achieved between having fun, learning and everyone’s safety

First aid will be administered, if required, by first aid trained and qualified staff. In the event of serious injury and/or illness medical care will be provided by local medical facilities or hospital services. On occasions we may use external providers to deliver our activities, in this case we will ensure that any relevant checks and safety systems are in place and meet the regulatory standards.

Our Commitment to Safety

UWC Atlantic commits to sharing regular information with parents / guardians throughout the year regarding its student programmes. Should you wish to discuss any aspects of the safety of our activities programmes or wish to withdraw consent for any aspect of our services / activities please contact the Head of Atlantic Experience - Tom Partridgetom partridge@uwcatlantic org

Copies of our safety management systems, documents, procedures and risk assessments are available on request.