At TrekCo we hold the LOtC badge; just in case you’re not too aware of it here’s the latest, from their newsletter:

845 organisations have been accredited under the LOtC Quality Badge scheme to date. This autumn CLOtC will be commencing a campaign, region by region, to brief every school about the LOtC Quality Badge and its benefits. The briefing will remind schools that the LOtC Quality Badge is the only accreditation scheme that recognises good quality educational experiences where risk is effectively managed across ALL types of LOtC provision. If you are considering applying for the LOtC Quality Badge or your accreditation is approaching renewal, now is a good time to act to ensure you are listed as an LOtC Quality Badge holder as part of the briefing. The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom is very supportive of the Government’s commitment to reduce health and safety bureaucracy, and supports the recommendations made in Common Sense, Common Safety. Regarding the sun-setting of the Adventurous Activity Licensing Authority, to be replaced by a proposed industry-led, voluntary code of practice, CLOtC is talking to Health and Safety Executive and wider Government to ensure that this is recognised as an opportunity to decrease bureaucracy whilst at the same time assuring safety and educational quality for young people across ALL LOtC sectors. Rather than addressing this issue on a piecemeal basis, sector by sector, CLOtC has proposed that the Government make use of the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge. The LOtC Quality Badge is a non-statutory, industry led assurance scheme which is already in existence, and covers all 10 LOtC sectors used by schools in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.