1. Purpose & scope
This Policy sets out how the HEADTURNED Foundation works with schools, colleges, universities and other formal education providers. It covers curriculum-linked visits, workshops, placements, research collaborations, outreach initiatives and digital learning partnerships connected to the Foundation’s work.
The Policy applies to activities taking place on Foundation sites, in partner education settings, and online.
2. Partnership principles
All education partnerships are guided by the following principles:
- Mission alignment – activities support conservation, animal welfare, sustainable food systems, community wellbeing, or ethical innovation.
- Educational value – experiences are purposeful, age-appropriate and linked to meaningful learning outcomes.
- Safety & safeguarding – the welfare of learners, staff, animals and ecosystems is paramount.
- Inclusion – programmes consider accessibility, fair access and diverse needs.
- Transparency – roles, responsibilities and expectations are clearly defined in advance.
3. Types of partnership activity
Education partnerships may include, for example:
- curriculum-linked visits to the Sanctuary, farms or conservation sites;
- on-site or online workshops and project days;
- student placements, work experience or project-based learning;
- co-designed modules or project briefs with FE/HE partners;
- research collaborations or dissertations related to our work;
- teacher CPD sessions, talks or guest lectures;
- joint community or outreach events.
4. Roles & responsibilities
Before activity begins, the Foundation and the education partner agree who is responsible for:
- overall safeguarding and designated safeguarding leads;
- health and safety risk assessments and control measures;
- supervision ratios and staff-to-learner responsibilities;
- transport, permissions and parental/guardian consent (where relevant);
- insurance and liability coverage for activities;
- handling, storage and sharing of any data collected.
These arrangements may be recorded in partnership agreements, MOUs or project briefs depending on the scale and nature of the collaboration.
5. Safeguarding, welfare & conduct
All education activity involving children, young people or adults at risk is delivered in line with the Foundation’s safeguarding framework and the partner organisation’s own duties. Where policies differ, the higher or more protective standard will normally apply.
Staff, volunteers and visiting professionals must follow agreed codes of conduct, including boundaries around one-to-one contact, photography, social media and appropriate language and behaviour.
6. Curriculum alignment & co-design
Where activities are designed to support formal curriculum goals, the Foundation works with teachers and lecturers to ensure:
- content is age-appropriate and mapped to relevant frameworks;
- learning outcomes are realistic and clearly communicated;
- assessment or follow-up tasks are agreed where needed;
- additional context is provided around sensitive topics (e.g. injury, neglect, end-of-life decisions) in an age-appropriate way.
7. Research projects & data use
For research collaborations or projects involving student-led data collection:
- ethical and ecological risks are assessed in advance;
- data protection requirements are identified and followed;
- sensitive information (e.g. precise locations of vulnerable species) may be restricted or anonymised;
- publication or sharing of findings is agreed in advance, including attribution and acknowledgement.
Where formal ethical approval is required (e.g. at university level), no research begins until the necessary approvals are in place.
8. Access, inclusion & costs
The Foundation seeks to prioritise partnerships and activities that support fair access and inclusion, especially for learners who are under-represented in conservation, agriculture, STEM, creative or environmental careers.
Where charges are applied (for example, to cover specialist staffing or equipment), pricing structures aim to be transparent and proportionate. The Foundation may, where resources allow, offer bursaries or subsidised access for schools and groups who could not otherwise take part.
9. Communications, branding & media
Use of the HEADTURNED Foundation name, logo, imagery or visual identity within education partnerships must follow our Brand & Visual Identity Use Policy.
Photography, video or media coverage involving learners or staff must only take place with appropriate consents and in line with both the Foundation’s and the education partner’s safeguarding and data protection requirements.
10. Evaluation, feedback & continuous improvement
Education partnerships are reviewed regularly to understand their impact on learners, staff, the Foundation and the wider community. Feedback from teachers, learners and partners is used to refine future activity, improve accessibility and strengthen learning outcomes.
Significant or long-term partnerships may involve more formal evaluation or jointly agreed success measures.