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Health and Safety on Educational Excursions

Chapter 4 Preparing participants

General

81. Participants who are involved in an excursion's planning and organisation, and who are well prepared, will make more informed decisions and will be less at risk. Providing information and guidance to participants is an important part of preparing for an excursion. Participants should clearly understand what is expected of them and what the excursion will entail. Participants must understand what standard of behaviour is expected of them and why rules must be followed. Lack of control and discipline can be a major cause of accidents. Participants should also be told about any potential dangers and how they should act to ensure their own safety and that of others.

82. Participants should also be involved in planning, implementing and evaluating their own contribution to the excursion, including where appropriate, curricular work and have opportunities to take different roles within an activity. This should include considering any health and safety issues.

Participation

83. The group leader should ensure that the participants are capable of undertaking the proposed activity. Participants should be encouraged to take on challenges during adventure activities but should not be coerced into activities of which they have a genuine fear.

84. Participants whose behaviour is such that the group leader is concerned for their safety, or for that of others, should be withdrawn from the activity. On residential visits the group leader should consider whether such participants should be sent home early. Parents and participants should be told in advance of the excursion about the procedures for dealing with misbehaviour, how a participant will be returned home safely and who will meet the cost.

Equal opportunities

85. Every effort should be made to ensure that excursions and activities are available and accessible to all who wish to participate, irrespective of additional support or medical needs, ethnic origin, sex, religion etc. All young people should be encouraged to participate in as wide a range of activities as possible. If an excursion is to cater for participants with additional support needs, a suitable venue should be selected.

Information to participants

86. The group leader should decide how information is provided, but must ensure that the participants understand key safety information. For some young people on overnight visits it may be their first experience away from home on their own and in the close company of others. Participants should understand:

• the aims and objectives of the excursion/activity;
• the background information about the place to be visited;
• basic foreign words where appropriate;
• relevant foreign culture and customs. See Chapter 9 Visits abroad;
• how to avoid specific dangers and why they should follow rules;
• why safety precautions are in place;
• why special safety precautions are in place for anyone with disabilities;
• what standard of behaviour is expected from participants;
• appropriate and inappropriate personal and social conduct, including sexual activity;
• who is responsible for the group;
• what not to bring back either within the UK or from abroad, such as drugs, knives etc;
• what to do if approached by anyone from outside the group;
• rendezvous procedures;
• what to do if separated from the group;
• emergency procedures.

87. A checklist to give to pupils is at Model form 6 in Chapter 11.

88. For residential visits all group members should carry the address and telephone number of the accommodation in case an individual becomes separated. This applies to exchange visits when participants will also need to know about any ground rules agreed between the group leader and host family.

89. Where excursions involve multiple activities with differing requirements, each activity will need to be assessed and separate information provided. Participants should be aware of who is responsible in any instances where the group leader has delegated responsibility to another member of staff or instructor.

90. If at any time there is change in the planned schedule new activities should be assessed and participants provided with the appropriate information.

Preparing participants for remote supervision

91. During any time that remote supervision takes place the group leader must ensure that participants are aware of the ground rules and are adequately prepared for remote supervision. The size of each group should also be considered. As a minimum, participants should have the following:

• telephone numbers and emergency contacts if lost;
• money;
• maps and plans and any other information for them to act effectively;
• location of local telephones and the appropriate coins;
• a knowledge of how to summon help;
• a knowledge of out of bounds areas or activities;
• identity cards and a rendezvous point.

92. It is important that participants are told not to become separated from their group, are given clear instructions about permitted remote supervised activities and understand and accept the ground rules. See Remote supervision in Chapter 3 paragraphs 78 - 80 and for Remote supervision during adventure activities see Chapter 8 paragraphs 171 - 175.

Transport and participants

93. Participants using transport on an excursion should be made aware of basic safety rules including:

• arrive on time and wait for the transport in a safe place;
• do not rush towards the transport when it arrives;
• wear your seatbelt and stay seated whilst travelling on transport;
• never tamper with any of the vehicle's equipment or driving controls;
• bags must not block aisles or cause obstructions;
• never attempt to get on or off moving transport;
• never lean out of or throw things from the window of the transport;
• never get off a vehicle held up by traffic lights or in traffic;
• never leave a vehicle without the permission of the leader;
• never run about or pass someone on steps or stairs while transport is moving;
• never kneel or stand on seats;
• never distract or disturb the driver or impede the driver's vision;
• stay clear of doors after boarding or leaving the transport;
• after leaving the vehicle, always wait for it to move off before crossing the road;
• if you have to cross roads to get to the transport in the UK always use the Green Cross Code;
• if you feel unwell tell a leader or supervisor.

94. The group leader should ensure that participants know what to do if they miss the scheduled departure time.

Participants with additional support and medical needs

95. Establishment heads should make every effort to include participants with additional support or medical needs in excursions, whilst maintaining the safety of everyone in the group. They should ensure that consideration is in compliance with the duties under Part IV of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001. Special attention should be given to appropriate supervision ratios and additional safety measures may need to be addressed at the planning stage.

Participants with medical needs

96. Additional safety measures to those already in place in the establishment may be necessary to support participants with medical needs during excursions in line with the local authority's policy on the administration of medicines. Arrangements for taking medication and ensuring sufficient supplies for residential visits may be required, including safekeeping.

97. All leaders supervising visits should be aware of participants' medical needs and any medical emergency procedures. Summary sheets held by all leaders, containing details of each participant's needs and any other relevant information provided by parents, is one way of achieving this. If appropriate, a volunteer leader should be trained in administering medication, if they have not already been so trained, and should take responsibility in a medical emergency. If the participant's safety cannot be guaranteed, it may be appropriate to ask the parent or a care assistant to accompany a particular participant.

98. The group leader should discuss the participant's individual needs with the parents. Parents should be asked to supply:

• details of medical conditions;
• emergency contact numbers;
• the participant's GP's name, address and phone number;
• information on whether the participant has spent a night away from home before and their ability to cope effectively;
• written details of any medication required (including instructions on dosage/times) and parental permission to administer;
• parental permission if the participant needs to administer their own medication or agreement for a volunteer leader to administer - parents should provide advice/information to assist with the preparation of an emergency plan;
• information on any allergies/phobias;
• information on any special dietary requirements;
• information on any toileting difficulties, special equipment or aids to daily living;
• special transport needs for participants who require help with mobility.

99. Enquiries should be made at an early stage about access and facilities for securing wheelchairs on transport and at residential centres etc, if appropriate. If ramps are not going to be available in certain places, the organisers may wish to arrange to take portable ramps with them. The group leader should at an early stage assess whether manual handling skills will be needed and, if so, whether training should be sought.

100. All leaders supervising the excursion should be given the opportunity to talk through any concerns they may have about their ability to support the participant. Extra help should be requested if necessary, e.g. a care assistant.

101. If leaders are concerned about whether they can provide for a participant's safety or the safety of other participants on a trip because of a medical condition, they should seek general medical advice from the School Health Service or further information from the participant's parents. For further SEED guidance see The Administration of Medicines in Schools ( see Annex A on how to obtain a copy).

102. The group leader should check that the insurance policy covers staff and participants with pre-existing medical needs.

Participants with additional support needs

103. Establishments will already be familiar with the nature of a participant's additional support needs. They should use the planning stage and the risk assessment to consider how the needs of the participants who require additional support can be met. In particular, they should take account of their duties under Part IV of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001. The duties make it unlawful to discriminate, without justification, against disabled pupils and prospective pupils, in all aspects of school life, including school excursions, clubs and activities. The principle behind the legislation is that, wherever possible, disabled people should have the same opportunities as non-disabled people in their access to education. The following factors should be taken into consideration:

• how might the participant best be able to take part in and benefit from the activity?
• does the activity need to be adapted to enable the participant to take part to the best of their ability at a suitable level?
• what additional/different resources are necessary?
• who will be responsible for ensuring that instructions are clearly explained to the participant?
• will additional supervision be necessary?

104. It may be helpful to the participant if one of the supervisors already knows them well and appreciates their needs fully. The group leader should discuss the visit with the parents of participants with additional support needs to ensure that suitable arrangements have been put in place to ensure their safety.

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