GET READY GET SET
School excursions and activities outside the school gate give students and teachers a fantastic opportunity to bring the classroom curriculum alive with a unique learning experience in a novel setting.
Whether you’re visiting a local museum or planning an overnight bush walk, like most expeditions the success of a school excursion relies on thorough planning and preparation.
But, more importantly, all states in Australia have strict guidelines covering school activities that take place away from the school campus. Here’s a rundown, state by state, of website links pointing to detailed information about what to consider when planning school excursions:
South Australia
As educational worksites, school camps and excursions fall under the Occupational Health, Safety & Welfare Act (1986) in SA.
The Camps and Excursions Guidelines for Schools and Preschools is available as a PDF document at the Department of Education and Children’s Services (DECS) website at www.decs.sa.gov.au/policy.
The 140-page document outlines in detail health and safety guidelines for camps, excursions and related sporting and recreational activities, including the qualifications and experience of leaders, the nature of the student group, individual needs such as health care, local terrain and weather conditions, communication facilities and emergency action plans.
Victoria
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has a dedicated Safety Guidelines for Education Outdoors website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/management/schooloperations/edoutdoors/default.htm
The website outlines the full planning and approval process for overnight excursions, camps, interstate and overseas visits, excursions requiring sea or air travel; involving weekends or vacations; and adventure activities.
The website includes information about understanding the responsibilities of your role as a teacher, an overview of the four issues that should be considered before undertaking detailed planning of an outdoor or adventure-based program, guidelines for adventure activities, and a step by step guide to risk management.
New South Wales
The policies and procedures which apply to excursions in New South Wales are found at the New South Wales Department of Education & Training website at https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policiesinter/category.do?level=Schools.
More specifically the Excursions Policy Implementation Procedure (available as a PDF document at the site) has detailed information about the principles found in the department’s Excursions Policy, including educational value, inclusivity, duty of care, teacher to student ratios, parents, caregivers and volunteers, child protection, risk management, consent and transport, student behaviour. The implementation procedure includes additional information about overseas excursions, accounting and administration, briefing students and billeting.
Tasmania
The Department of Education in Tasmania website has a dedicated Outdoor Education Guidelines section on its website at http://www.education.tas.gov.au/outdoor/outdoors.
The guidelines, which are designed to help schools develop and implement outdoor education programs, including excursions, include extensive information about safety and risk management; leader qualifications and experience; student supervision; first aid; choice of venue; program preparation; professional development and equipment. There are also guidelines for specific water and land activities including fishing, diving, rock climbing and horse riding.
Australian Capital Territory
The Department of Education and Training in the ACT has an Excursions Policy on their website at http://www.det.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/17635/ExcursionPolicy.pdf
The policy, which covers local and overnight excursions, except overseas excursions, outlines the principal and teacher’s responsibilities and sets out requirements to help ensure the health and safety of students.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory Department of Education and Training policy and guidelines for educational excursions are found on their website at http://www.det.nt.gov.au/about-us/policies/documents/schools/school-management/educational-excursions
The guidelines include guidelines for police checks of accompanying adults, use of private vehicles, insurance, duty of care, safety and risk assessment, a checklist of excursion paperwork and a guidelines for overseas travel.
Western Australia
The West Australian Department of Education’s policy and guidelines for educational excursions are found at http://policies.det.wa.edu.au/.
The policy covers the responsibilities of the principal and teacher-in-charge; supervision; risk factors; communication requirements (consent forms); an emergency response plan and insurance and liability.
There are also samples of forms including duty of care requirements; an excursion planning checklist; parent or guardian consent form; facility or venue hire; confidentiality declaration and information for parents or guardians about excursions and school camps.
Queensland
The procedures for school excursions in Queensland are found at the Department of Education and Training website at http://education.qld.gov.au/strategic/eppr/schools/scmpr002/
The procedures cover records management; injury, illness and dangerous event recording and reporting; workplace health and safety; student protection; risk management and first aid.
