Health & Safety

Safety

Safety is the priority for the school and so should be the priority for the Field Trip Leader. To take place, each trip MUST

• have an approved risk assessment
• provide risk assessments for all activities supervised by external agencies
• ensure that any off-site location meets acceptable standards of health and safety
• ensure that all proposed private travel arrangements comply with industry-standard safety codes – often evidenced by professional memberships, certifications.
• make adequate provision for the participation of appropriately trained staff
• make effective provision for the medical needs of all students
• that any potential safeguarding concerns (for example, with student accommodation; or with a high-risk activity) are fully addressed
• have arrangements for teacher supervision that meet all reasonable needs under all reasonable circumstances
• provide a clear code of conduct, either in general terms (for example, for overnight residential trips or for trips outside the UK) or to govern expectations for participation in, and access to, any risky activity (for example, when engaged in the school’s Outward Bound programs)

To have informed consent, parents must be made aware of any potential safety issue and how the school, or an external agency, will manage this. Parents should also be aware that should their child not comply with safety expectations, and put himself/herself at risk, or endanger the safety of others, then their child may be sent home at the cost of the parents.