Excursions and other variations of routine may be planned as part of quality teaching and learning programs. The planning and management of excursions and other variations of routine must meet the requirements of these procedures.

It may be useful for teachers to provide their principal with the following information:

• the excursion purpose, its link to the curriculum and anticipated learning outcomes
• dates and times, including number of school and non-school days
• the student group attending the excursion
• student learning and support needs, including any reasonable adjustments
• the staff and any volunteers needed and their roles
• the excursion destination and relevant information such as venue and accommodation
• any transport needs
• estimated cost per student
• plan for non-participating students.

To help prepare this information, see the sample form, Application for domestic excursion to plan for domestic excursions.

Consider:

• the type of excursion and planned activities
• student age and learning and support needs (see below)
• whether there is more than one school involved (in this case, the principals of all participating schools approve domestic excursions and endorse overseas excursions)
• where the excursion will take place (the venue)
• whether excursion or camp venue staff have qualifications and/or training relevant to the activities and services they offer.
• how students will get to the venue (transport options)
• local practices and experience (schools implement their own procedures to provide for the safe conduct of excursions in accordance with this procedure)
• advice of specialised services and other department support officers to support or assist in developing appropriate risk management strategies
• implications for transporting Schedule 8 medicines either interstate or overseas (information on taking medication overseas is found on the Smartraveller website)
• infection control measures – for further information, refer to Infection control
• risks of COVID-19 and other illnesses. For the latest advice on COVID-19 refer to Health, safety and staff wellbeing (staff only) or contact your local Work Health Safety Adviser.
• Bureau of Meteorology weather warnings
• possibility of car accidents – NSW Police has resources on actions to take if an accident occurs (refer to What to do after a car crash [PDF 112 KB])
• sport and physical activities – consult the Sport and physical activity procedure, Specific sport and physical activity guidelines and Principal-endorsed activities for activities with specific risks – identify and manage issues accordingly
• refer to Table 2 in section 2.5.2 for activities with specific risk as a guide for indoor and outdoor activities, water-based activities, contact with animals, food consumption, science and industry activities, viewing films, exhibitions and live performances.

Consult the Sport and physical activity procedures and the Specific sport and physical activity guidelines for the chosen activity to help identify and mitigate risk.

Risk assessment plans are not always required for incursions. Incursions that involve additional risk because of unfamiliar equipment, staff or activities require a risk assessment plan. Examples of these include:

• science day
• colour run or fun run
• interactions with animals – mobile zoo
• student-organised fete with multiple activities in the playground and oval
• virtual excursion (involving activities with equipment or controversial content).

Schools should consider specific risks where students might be tempted to acquire dangerous or illegal items such as replica guns, slingshots, nunchucks and lasers.

Where appropriate, staff must inform parents or carers in writing that students are not allowed to acquire these items. Parents or carers should sign an acknowledgement (included on the consent form) that they are aware of the directive and have explained this to their child, including the consequences if not adhered to.

For overseas excursions, the prohibition warnings should cover:

• the risks of fines and penalties associated with illegally importing these items into the destination countries
• the risk of serious injury to the student and others associated with the use and misuse of these items.

As part of planning for an excursion, an excursion risk assessment must be conducted (Regulation 100). The excursion risk assessment must identify risks which the excursion may pose to the safety, health or wellbeing of the children and detail strategies for minimising these and include all items required under Regulation 101: Conduct of risk assessment for excursion.

Preschools do not need to submit a new risk assessment plan for regular outings that have a plan developed in the last 12 months. Further information, including the definition of a regular outing, is available in the Leading and operating public preschool guidelines.

The department does not hold personal accident cover for students involved in school activities.

For further advice on the following, refer to Accidents (staff only):

• accident insurance for students
• information for parents and carers wishing to insure their child.

Where a student is injured on an excursion, staff must follow the process set out in section 5.2 and 6.1 of these procedures. Refer to legal issues bulletin 39, Accident reports – preparation and use in school.

Staff on excursions are considered ‘on duty’ and therefore covered by the following provisions:

• workers’ compensation insurance – for injury while on the excursion. Staff on overseas excursions are covered by a policy with benefits equivalent to that provided by the workers’ compensation insurance. Refer to Workplace Health Management (Health, Safety and Staff Wellbeing directorate) for more information.
• miscellaneous insurance policy – includes staff essential personal belongings and baggage (coverage limits apply). The Insurance, Risk and Claims Management team manages this cover (contact via EDConnect on 1300 32 32 32, or EDConnect.InsuranceClaims@det.nsw.edu.au).

All lodged claims will be assessed in accordance with department policy and Treasury Managed Fund coverage guidelines. The Fund Manager will make the final determination.

Staff will require travel insurance on overseas excursions.

Students require travel insurance for overseas excursions (see Overseas Travel – COVID-19 (PDF 182 KB) for further information about travel insurance and COVID-19).

Excursion organisers:

• Need to decide whether to obtain insurance as a group or as individuals – for overseas travel, organisers should consider a group insurance policy that covers all attendees and all activities. This will help manage student information and may decrease costs
• include appropriate cover for medical costs and personal property loss and clearly indicate whether there is coverage for any pre-existing medical condition/s
• provide details of the insurance policy to the principal before the excursion begins.

Parents and carers:

• are primarily responsible for arranging their child’s travel insurance for air travel (domestic or international)
• make independent enquiries to their insurer of choice about insurance when travel is not by air – in this case, insurance is optional but strongly encouraged. The same applies to volunteers and parents and carers who accompany staff and students on excursions.

The department cannot provide advice in relation to commercially arranged or commercially available insurance products to members of the community.

Where travel involves the use of a private motor vehicle for transporting students for departmental activities, refer to Legal issues bulletin 8 (Claims for loss of or damage to personal property and use of private motor vehicles by staff, parents and students) and Legal issues bulletin 24 (Cars at work).

Claims for damage to private motor vehicles are the approving school’s responsibility and cannot be lodged under the department’s insurance arrangements with the NSW Treasury Managed Fund.

The department will not accept liability for the loss of, or damage to, any personal property taken on excursions or for personal items purchased while on excursions.

Schools should communicate to students, parents and carers or volunteers that if they take such items, they do so at their own risk. For items of significant value, it is recommended they hold privately arranged insurance to cover any loss and/or damage.

Parents and carers or volunteers should check with their own insurer for any specific exclusions or limitations of their cover.

The NSW Ambulance Schools and Group Cover Scheme provides coverage for emergency ambulance services to NSW public school students attending approved, fully supervised school activities. It ensures that a decision to call an ambulance for any student who has an accident or falls ill is not hampered by cost considerations.

Incidents requiring an ambulance in SA or QLD are not covered by the scheme. It is recommended that travel insurance is obtained for any excursion or travel to SA or QLD.

For full details of the policy inclusions and exclusions, refer to Ambulance cover.

Parent and carers of students without cover are responsible for the cost of emergency ambulance services if they are injured while on excursions.

Principals:

• must ensure, in accordance with the Student health and wellbeing policy, that individual health support plans for students with health support needs include provision for managing such conditions while on excursions
• should also consider information about students with disabilities and additional learning and support needs that may impact on overall management of the student’s health on the excursion. Staff and volunteers on the excursion should be briefed about students with particular health support needs and the role they may have in supporting those needs.

Excursion organiser:

• consults students and parents or carers as needed to make reasonable adjustments, where appropriate, to enable access and participation of all students (refer to Legal issues bulletin 60, Disability discrimination and Inclusive education for students with disability policy)
• should consult and brief, in advance, students with health support needs and their parents or carers about how the school will meet the student’s needs
• includes any reasonable adjustments in the risk assessment plan
• advises parents or carers and students that staff, parents or carers and volunteers attending the excursion will be briefed on student needs and staff roles in supporting student needs
• considers legal rights for, and responsibilities to, a student at risk of anaphylaxis (for further information, refer to Legal issues bulletin 52, Anaphylaxis in schools, Anaphylaxis and allergy management procedures, local work health and safety adviser and the Anaphylaxis web page).

Ensure student medical information is up to date

For many excursions, it will not be necessary to collect a new medical information form. The school will use the medical information it currently holds to assist staff organising excursions.

To ensure information is current, consent forms should instruct parents and carers to inform the school where the information has changed.

Schools should update medical information at least annually and as required, and take account of activities proposed for the excursion.

Plan for the administration of medication

The principal determines whether students may self-administer medication while on excursions. Students must not self-administer or carry medications unless there is a written agreement between the school and the student’s parents or carers. The principal's decision will be dependent on the student’s maturity, parental consent and any other issues that could affect the safety of the student or others.

Parents and carers:

• must complete a written request form (refer to Student Health Condition Support [DOCX 82 KB]) and provide consent for administering medication, both prescribed and over-the-counter
• are responsible for providing prescribed medication and consumables to the school in a container clearly labelled with the student’s name and required dosage.

Take an appropriately equipped first aid kit

For all excursions, this must include a general use adrenaline injector, a general Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis (Orange), and an asthma reliever inhaler and spacer.

For overseas excursions, principals should:

• check with the relevant embassy (via website or email) to identify any international requirements for bringing medication into the country
• retain a copy of any information or advice provided and ensure it is stored with the general use adrenaline injector
• check with the airline carrier whether the adrenaline injector can be in hand luggage – ASCIA advises it should be in hand luggage so it is within reach and not exposed to fluctuations in temperature and pressure (for more information see Legal issues bulletin 52, Anaphylaxis in schools).

As noted in the risk management section, when travelling with medicines and medical devices (refer to Australian Government’s information for Travellers), risk assessment plans must consider implications for transporting Schedule 8 medicines either interstate or overseas (information on taking medication overseas is found on the Smartraveller website).

Ensure staff first aid training is current

All school staff are required to have current first aid training recognised by the department (for further information on mandatory training, refer to First Aid, CPR and Anaphylaxis training). This includes mandatory first aid training such as the anaphylaxis e-learning and e-emergency care for school-based staff.

Any excursions:

• involving water, must adhere to the supervision and accreditation requirements in the Specific sport and physical activity guidelines for Swimming and water safety
• involving overnight stays, must include a member of staff who possesses a nationally recognised competency in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
• where food is purchased or provided at an excursion venue, must have at least one supervising teacher with current CPR and anaphylaxis training
• where administering medication is required for students with a completed Student Health Condition Support (DOCX 82 KB) form, must have at least one supervising teacher with current Administration of medication in schools training.

Schools should also consider whether staff may require additional training such as rescue competencies or lifesaving qualifications.

Plan for students with anaphylaxis

Parents or carers must provide information, in writing, to the school on food or other allergies. This will assist with planning to minimise the risk of exposure to allergens for these students. Further information is available:

• from the Anaphylaxis and allergy management procedures
• on legal rights for, and responsibilities to, a student at risk of anaphylaxis in Legal issues bulleting 52, Anaphylaxis in schools
• from your local work health and safety adviser.

For excursions, camps or incursions where food is provided by the venue or a third-party supplier, excursion organisers should consider whether venue or third-party staff have qualifications and/or training in food allergen management and anaphylaxis response (see National Allergy Council’s Food allergy training website for more information on available training courses).

Ensure correct immunisations for overseas excursions

Students travelling overseas should consult a health professional and have the correct up-to-date immunisations for the destination. The World Health Organization has information on preventable diseases and areas at risk, vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccines.

School staff retain the ultimate responsibility for student supervision but may be assisted by appropriate adults, parents or carers, volunteers, specialist instructors and venue staff. Staff may not bring partners or children who are not part of the excursion cohort.

Students no longer enrolled at the school are not part of the excursion cohort and should not attend the excursion.

To satisfy the department’s duty of care, schools must ensure excursions are appropriately staffed. Students on excursion should be subject to direct adult supervision, unless prior approval for unsupervised activities has been obtained in accordance with section 2.5.1 Consider unsupervised activities.

For overseas excursions, staff must not extend their overseas stay or leave the planned excursion for personal reasons, unless there is an emergency.

Teacher/student ratios

There are no set supervision ratio requirements for Kindergarten to Year 12. Principals determine the number of teachers (and volunteers) required to supervise an excursion using average class sizes as a guide. For teacher/child ratios for preschools, refer to section 2.2 Preschool excursions above.

In addition to the risk assessment plan, a higher teacher-to-student ratio will be necessary for water activities or some outdoor activities such as bushwalking. Further information can be found in the Specific sport and physical activity guidelines.

To ensure appropriate and effective levels of supervision, the principal will consider:

• staff experience, training and skills to respond in emergency situations (including volunteers and instructors)
• students’ age, maturity, physical characteristics and gender
• the nature, location and duration of the excursion
• the activities to be undertaken
• students’ ability and experience
• students with disability and additional learning and support needs
• the size of the group
• the requirements outlined in the Sport and physical activity procedures and the Specific sport and physical activity guidelines any other relevant factors.

The cost of excursions is to be met by the parent or carer. As no student is to be disadvantaged by the inability of a parent or carer to pay, costs may be subsidised from school funds at the principal’s discretion. They may also be charged to a grant or be externally subsidised.

Excursion costs should be managed to minimise the financial burden imposed on students and their families.

On limited occasions, activities involving mature students may occur without direct supervision, on an individual or small group basis.

The principal and teachers must:

• ensure the safety and welfare of the unsupervised students
• inform parents and carers, who must agree to unsupervised activities.

Incidents that occur at non-approved, unsupervised activities are not covered by the NSW Ambulance Schools and Group Cover Scheme (ASGCS) (PDF 8 MB). See section 2.3.5 above (Ambulance Group Cover Scheme – schools).

Excursion organisers must check whether excursion venues are restricted or banned. Staff must not use the venues listed on the Health and Safety school camp venue warning (refer to Safety Alert 86 [PDF 82 KB] ).

Note that visiting abattoirs and meat processing plants is not generally encouraged due to risk of contracting Q fever and other zoonotic diseases. Further information can be found at Student workplace learning (Keeping students safe – Horses and livestock). Students completing Agriculture and HSC VET courses are permitted to visit these venues as livestock and carcass assessments are integral to the program for students over 15 years of age.

Principals:

• must ensure that all staff have up-to-date training in child protection and are aware of the need to be vigilant in all matters relating to student safety and welfare.

Excursion organisers:

• consider the purpose of the excursion, cost, capacity, facilities, accessibility, supervision and security when selecting accommodation
• consider the most appropriate form of accommodation, which could include hotel or motel accommodation, caravan parks, camping in tents, residential camps or billeting
• ensure that accommodation arrangements meet the needs of all staff and students attending the excursion, including LGBTQIA+ staff and students. For further guidance refer to Legal issues bulletin 55, Transgender students in schools
• inspect accommodation facilities for suitability before planning the excursion, where possible
• ensure no accompanying adult is placed in a position where there is potential for allegations of improper conduct
• ensure sleeping and bathing arrangements do not place any adults in a situation where the propriety of their behaviour can be questioned
• ensure there is no sexual contact between students.

Billeting involves students staying overnight in the homes of volunteer host families. It is sometimes referred to as ‘homestay’ and is a component of some excursions. Billeting relies on the goodwill of host families offering to accommodate visiting students, usually without financial compensation.

Billeting has an important role in overseas excursions. It is not required but it can make the excursion more affordable and accessible for families.

This can sometimes be a sensitive issue. Many parents and carers will appreciate the department’s obligation for the welfare of students and the measures that need to be in place to fulfil that obligation.

While homestays are a rewarding and successful experience, students might be placed in situations where they are unsafe or vulnerable to inappropriate behaviour.

Principals and school staff:

• must ensure that all staff have up-to-date mandatory training in child protection and are aware of the need to be vigilant in all matters relating to the safety and welfare of students involved in billeting
• must discuss the department’s requirements for child protection with the host school, including:
  • the need for a Working with Children Check or a local equivalent from the host families for domestic billeting
  • obtaining a Working with Children Check or its local equivalent from the host families for overseas billeting, where available. If this is not possible in overseas countries, this condition is not required for approval.
• ensure that non-government agencies or school personnel from interstate or overseas are aware of department requirements in relation to child protection
• must appoint a coordinator at both the visiting school and the host school and ensure coordinators establish mechanisms for collaboration and communication. Schools visiting from overseas usually use an agent to arrange visits who can undertake the role of coordinator
• must establish a clear timeline for the billeting process
• should provide details of billeting families and allocated students to the coordinator of the visiting school at least 7 days before the activity begins. This information is usually required at least 4 weeks in advance for visiting overseas schools
• ensure requirements and expectations about transporting students to and from group meeting places are communicated clearly to adults in billeting families
• consider establishing a meeting time each day for billeted students so they can raise issues
• communicate to all participants that the coordinator must approve any unplanned alterations to billeting arrangements
• before the billeting activity begins, provide all participants with a program of events that includes
  • the agenda
  • venues
  • meeting times, places and addresses
  • group travel arrangements.
• must carefully screen potential billeting accommodation. If screening is difficult, alternative accommodation may be more appropriate
• arrange suitable alternative accommodation if there are not enough families volunteering to host the visiting students
• determine how many staff supervisors will be required for the particular activity and ensure each billeted student has ready access to a supervisor
• billet 2 or more students of the same sex together, where possible. This allows for increased comfort and safety of students
• must provide host families with the Billeting form (staff only) (DOCX 184 KB) to complete (provide the form in the host family’s language if the adults in the home do not speak or read English)
• retain a copy of the signed billeting form

Concerns about a student’s safety must be taken seriously and appropriate action taken to protect the student.

If the student’s wellbeing or safety is at risk, or there is a suspicion of risk, staff must:

• relocate the student to another approved accommodation arrangement
• inform the student’s parents or carers
• meet their department reporting obligations as well as obligations of the local jurisdiction, such as reporting to local police.

Teacher checklist

The excursion organiser must ensure that, where students are required to be billeted on an excursion, the following conditions are met.

Table 4 Teacher checklist – Billeting

Incursions that involve a cost and/or additional risk due to unfamiliar equipment, staff and/or possible controversial content require consent. For example:

• science day
• fun run or obstacle course
• interactions with animals – mobile zoo
• a visiting speaker discussing environmental issues.

Written and digital consent

Excursion organisers:

• prepare consent forms for parents and carers for principal approval
• arrange the distribution and collection of consent forms.

Consent forms must contain:

• details of all planned activities
• educational value of all planned activities
• controversial issues likely to be addressed on the excursion (refer to the Controversial issues in schools procedures for more information)
• method of transport
• accommodation
• level of supervision
• payment methods
• a notice about privacy and the use of personal details – for a sample notice, refer to the privacy bulletin 2, Collecting personal and health information.

To ensure excursion organisers can accommodate student needs and minimise risks, consent forms must request the following from parents and carers:

• any medical information about their child that may have changed since the parent or carer last provided the information to the school, including current medical conditions or recent medical procedures
• medical information that may be relevant to the activities proposed for the excursion
• consent around the risk of COVID-19 – consistent with the Consent and Excursions advice
• where food will be served, information about food or other allergies, special dietary needs, cultural or religious dietary needs
• where students might acquire dangerous or illegal items such as replica guns, slingshots, nunchucks and lasers, acknowledgement that they understand that students are not allowed to acquire these items and that they have explained this to their child.
• consent for Years 11 or 12 students to travel to or from the excursion venue without teacher supervision (if relevant).

Schools may use the proforma information and consent forms for domestic excursions (refer to the supporting tools and templates section below), which provides the minimum information required. Staff may need to collect additional information for specific activities or types of excursions.

Information and consent forms are available in many languages other than English on Translated documents.

Digital consent

Schools can develop digital consent forms using department-approved software. When making this decision, schools will need to consider the needs of their parent and carer community and ensure this is suitable to the school environment. For further information and advice, including quick reference guides to set up digital forms, refer to Parent and carer communication - simple consent.

Follow the Sport and physical activity procedures and Permission guidelines for the chosen sport or physical activity to seek permission or notify parents and carers.

Schools should limit the use of excursion consent forms covering multiple excursions.

Schools may use one consent form for regular excursions (for example each week for a term) involving the same or very similar activities.

The consent form should remind parents and carers to notify the school either:

• if the student develops health support needs
• if there are changes to an existing medical condition.

Schools must distribute a new consent form if there is a significant variation in the activities.

Students whose parents or carers have not completed a consent form are usually not permitted to participate in a school excursion.

Principals:

• may accept verbal consent for a local excursion where it is not possible to obtain completed consent forms from parents or carers
• must keep a written record of any parental verbal consent

should consider confirming with the parent or carer, in writing, the verbal consent.

Principals:

• may approve consent from any other person they consider appropriate where parental consent cannot be obtained
• must obtain written agreement to participate in an excursion from a student who is independent of parents and carers
• may seek advice from Legal Services (staff only) in particularly contentious situations.

Written authorisation must be provided by a parent or other person named in the child’s enrolment record as having authority, given by a parent, to take a child outside the preschool premises for an excursion. Authorisation must state all items required under Regulation 102: Authorisation for excursions.

Further information and sample authorisation forms can be found in the Leading and operating public preschool guidelines.

Authorisations must be kept with each child’s enrolment form (refer to Regulation 161).

As part of their induction before the excursion, parents, close relatives, and volunteers must be appropriately briefed on:

• safety and behaviour measures
• student health
• additional learning and support needs and their role in supporting these requirements where relevant.

The student and his or her parent or close relative must be advised that this is being done.

Parents and close relatives of the student and volunteers cannot bring partners or children who are not part of the excursion cohort.

Parents and close relatives of the student or volunteers on overnight excursions must have a Working with Children Check clearance.

Specialist instructors, contractors and venue staff providing services on the excursion must have a current Working with Children Check clearance if supervising students. This must be verified by their employer and confirmation provided to the school.

On overnight and extended excursions, excursion organisers need to ensure that no staff member or accompanying adult is placed in a position where there is potential for allegations of improper conduct, or where the propriety of their behaviour could be questioned. This includes supervisory and accommodation arrangements, such as sleeping and bathing arrangements.

There is to be no sexual contact between students.

Including male and female staff supervisors is a consideration for risk management on overnight supervision and not a requirement. Schools make appropriate risk management judgements based on the needs of the student cohort and staff.

Ensure that accommodation arrangements meet the needs of all staff and students attending the excursion, including LGBTQIA+ staff and students. For further guidance refer to Legal issues bulleting 55, Transgender students in schools.

Staff cannot bring partners or children who are not part of the excursion cohort or extend their overseas stay or leave the planned excursion for personal reasons, unless there is an emergency.

Children (other than those in the cohort) or partners of staff members will not be allowed to attend the excursion as overseas excursions are a work-related activity and staff are on duty as department employees.

Schools often need to administer funds for excursions, school performances, concerts, sporting visits and other events where money is received from students for attendance. The correct account assignment details must be used when receipting excursion fees and making excursion payments.

Refer to:

• Excursions and extra-curricular activities (Financial management (schools) procedures) for the mandatory requirements for managing excursion expenses.
• Managing excursions for information about processing excursion, extra-curricular and sporting activity funds.

Principals:

• must be satisfied that the excursion organisers comply with the Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality procedures in relation to benefits, subsidies and gratuities
• may consult with members of the school community to determine whether any benefits received are reasonable.

Excursion organisers:

• who have an actual or potential conflict of interest (pecuniary or non-pecuniary) must disclose that interest to their supervisor, who will determine what action will follow. Refer to the department's Code of ethics and conduct policy procedures
• are not allowed to gain extra customer loyalty scheme points, rewards or commissions when booking or travelling on excursions.

Schools must disclose all sources of funding, gratuity or subsidy, including free airline tickets, donations, rewards or commissions, in the approval submission. These must be used for the relevant event and not for personal purposes.

In some circumstances, it may be appropriate for students attending an excursion to bear the reasonable travel, accommodation and admission costs of employees and volunteers. There should be a clear benefit for the excursion, such as allowing a supervising teacher to attend. The teacher in charge must declare the subsidy’s market value to the principal, who will decide whether to approve it. The subsidy:

• may be direct subsidisation by students attending or in kind by the travel provider
• must not be used to cover staff salary costs for the excursion.

Refer to Managing excursions in section Excursions and extra-curricular activities of Financial management (schools) procedures) for further guidance.

Principals must seek approval from the Director, Educational Leadership if overtime payments are required for school learning support officers who are attending an excursion.

If approved, schools must use the ‘Record working time’ service in SAP for performing approved duties, for example assisting the students, feeding and monitoring. It is not normally paid when students are at rest or for travel.

Principals must ensure appropriate rest breaks are taken during excursions.

If the employee resumes or continues to work without having an 8-hour break, the appropriate overtime rate will apply until the employee has 8 hours off duty. In these circumstances, principals will need to complete the form for Excursions – Overtime Payments for SASS Staff (PDF 115 KB) form, which EDConnect will process.

For further information, refer to Timesheets and work schedules.

Principals must not sign any indemnity or waiver releasing an external provider from liability for injury, loss or death if requested to by an external provider. For further information, contact Legal Services (staff only).

On limited occasions, teachers may identify an opportunity for students to take part in brief, local, spontaneous educational activities that require them to leave the school grounds. In these cases, there may be insufficient time to obtain parental permission before the visit.

After considering the safety, welfare and wellbeing of students and being satisfied of the activity’s educational value, principals can approve students leaving the school grounds for this purpose.

Unscheduled activities must not involve vehicle travel.

Preschool children cannot participate in unscheduled activities without prior parental authorisation.

Example of an unscheduled activity:

The local primary school has a sporting activity that was being run by an external provider. The external provider has cancelled at the last minute due to illness. The primary school contacts the local high school to see if the sports coaching class can assist as they have previously worked with these students. There is an educational benefit for the high school students as this provides an opportunity to apply students’ learning in a practical setting. As the primary school is within walking distance and a teacher is available to escort and supervise the students, the principal may determine that the unscheduled activity can be approved.

The excursion organiser should brief staff, volunteers and assistants (including parents and carers who are assisting) on excursion details, including:

• the risk management plan that includes control measures and responsibilities
• safety and behaviour measures, student health, additional learning and support needs and their role in supporting these requirements where relevant (after informing the student and his or her parents or carers that this will be done)
• about students with particular health support needs and their role in supporting those needs
• students with disability or additional learning and support needs
• first aid, including emergency first aid response
• expected standards of behaviour
• communication strategies
• supervision strategies, including grouping, name tags, meeting points
• equipment
• venue expectations
• travel arrangements, including safe road user behaviours
• incident reporting
• any other matters relevant to the excursion.

Staff are on duty during excursions and must conduct themselves in line with the Code of ethics and conduct policy procedure. This includes maintaining professional boundaries with students, not consuming alcohol or illicit substances and taking all reasonable action to protect students from foreseeable risks.

Excursion organisers should brief students participating in an excursion on:

• the plan for the excursion
• expected standards of behaviour and safety strategies for students in Years 11 and 12 who have been approved to travel without teacher supervision on travel routes
• rights and obligations specific to the excursion including
  • right to be safe and protected
  • the risk assessment plan including control measures, monitoring and reporting
  • expected standards of behaviour, including Behaviour code for students for students and the school’s Behaviour support and management plan or school rules
  • communication strategy
  • cultural sensitivities and appropriate communication in cross-cultural contexts for students participating in excursions to communities that are culturally different to their own
  • incident reporting
  • court etiquette for students visiting courts of law.

Excursion organisers should consult and brief students with health support needs and their parents or carers about how the school will meet the student’s needs.

The excursion organiser should:

• check the list of court matters to be heard on the day of the excursion and consult with court officers and any police officers involved
• in consultation with the principal, assess the particular court matter to ensure it is appropriate to students’ age, maturity and experiences
• develop strategies to minimise exposure to any potentially traumatising material/events.

Senior departmental officers may instruct principals to cancel excursions in response to issues or events impacting on the health, safety and wellbeing of excursion participants. This may include health emergencies, travel advisories or local emergencies.

For further information on issues related to overseas excursions, refer to Overseas Travel – COVID-19 (PDF 182 KB).

Schools must provide a health and safety induction for all workplace visitors and volunteers that includes a Health and safety induction briefing (DOCX 192 KB) populated with local safety information.

Visitors and volunteers must complete the school’s sign in and out register. Further resources are available at Contractors, volunteers and visitors safety.

All staff and assistants:

• provide immediate and effective first aid to excursion participants who have become injured or ill during excursions
• should follow the same procedures for administering all medication as for prescription medications (refer to Administration of medication procedures) including:
  • only staff who are trained can administer medication – except in an emergency (see below). Staff required to administer medication must complete Administration of medication in schools (staff only) on MyPL
  • in an emergency, all staff have a duty to respond and administer medication if required
  • students must not self-administer or carry medication unless there is a written agreement between the school and the student’s parents or carers – the principal's response will be dependent on the maturity of the student, parental consent and any other issues that could affect the safety of the individual student or others
  • parents or carers must complete a written request form (refer to Student Health Condition Support [DOCX 82 KB]) and provide consent for administering medication, both prescribed and over-the-counter
  • non-prescribed (over-the-counter) medication must be in the original packaging with the manufacturer’s instructions on how to administer the medication
  • prescribed medication must be in the original packaging provided by the pharmacy and include a pharmacy label detailing the student’s name. Examples include manufacturer’s packaging, blister packs, plain pharmacy packaging with pharmacy label
  • prescribed medication must have the instructions for administration included on the pharmacy label or provided in writing or verbally by the medical practitioner to the school
  • schools should not supply medication for administration to students (except for first aid where necessary)

Refer to the Health support planning and student safety procedures for more information.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) provides advice regarding travel to particular countries, including safety and security issues, practical tips on health, local laws, local customs and entry and exit requirements. If DFAT has recommended against travel, the excursion will not proceed, regardless of the proximity to the date of departure and other organisational matters. Check DFAT advice regularly through the planning process, including just before departure. DFAT provides most of the service relevant to schools through Smartraveller.

Excursions may be cancelled or varied in accordance with instructions provided by senior department officers in response to issues or events impacting on the health, safety and wellbeing of excursion participants. This may include health emergencies, travel advisory or local emergencies.

Instructions may be provided via email, online or other communication channels.

COVID-19

The fact sheet, Overseas Travel – COVID-19 (PDF 182 KB) provides advice and risk management information for department-approved overseas travel.

Timeframe – minimum 12 months before the excursion.

Organising teacher:

• determines the educational value of the proposed overseas excursion
• completes the overseas excursion proposal form and discusses the planned destination and intended activities with the principal.

If supported, the principal:

• refers the organising teacher to these procedures and Overseas excursions planning
• provides advice or direction to the teacher on the intended activities
• signs the completed proposal form and forwards to the Director, Educational Leadership, including application for a travel grant or endowment to attend an overseas activity if required.

Director, Educational Leadership either:

• endorses the proposal and forwards it to the operational directorate office for approval by the appropriate Executive Director
• delegates network staff to work with school staff to rectify any deficiencies in the proposal, and if the proposal is accepted, forwards it on to the operational directorate office for approval
• declines the proposal and provides the school with reason/s for the decision.

Executive Director, either:

• provides approval to plan the overseas excursion and nominates operational directorate staff to organise the roundtable planning meeting with the Director, Educational Leadership (or nominee) and the principal and/or organising teacher
• delegates operational directorate staff to work with school or network staff to rectify any deficiencies in the proposal, and if proposal is accepted, forwards it on to the operational directorate office for approval
• declines the proposal and provides the school with reason/s for the decision.

The approval to plan may be withdrawn because additional activities are introduced or following the emergence of unforeseen events or unfavourable circumstances.

Timeframe – minimum 11 months before the excursion.

Organisers and approvers discuss and document mitigations for any concerns raised by the proposal, early in the planning process to minimise administrative workload.

Operational directorate staff may initiate and conduct the roundtable meeting at the Executive Director’s discretion. If operational directorate staff opt to not participate, the Director, Educational Leadership (or nominee) sets the meeting date.

The local work health and safety (WHS) adviser should be invited to attend the meeting as needed.

Meeting actions:

• organisers and approvers go through the OEx requirements for the 2. Roundtable planning meeting
• approvers make their expectations clear before detailed planning commences
• organisers and approvers support organising teachers particularly those with limited experience in organising overseas excursions
• participants discuss and prepare a checklist to guide organisers when planning the overseas excursion, taking into account previous experience of school staff in conducting similar excursions
• organisers and approvers use the checklist in OEx – Roundtable checklist form (staff only)(DOCX 180 KB) to document their agreed actions. The checklist must complement the requirements detailed in OEx. It must not limit information to be provided or impose additional requirements on parents and carers or schools

Sample roundtable scenarios are available on the Overseas excursions planning website.

Timeframe – minimum 10 to 6 months before the excursion.

Organisers and approvers use a mandated application and approval pack for consistency of requirements across the department.

Organising teacher:

• completes the required forms as detailed in OEx, Detailed planning using OEx
• ensures agreed checklist items are addressed
• liaises with the principal network if activities not included in the approved proposal are introduced
• seeks advice from the principal or network office on local issues
• seeks advice from their local WHS adviser on the risk assessment plan and management
• communicates to all staff planning to travel overseas the need to apply for approval if they would like to take or access department digital devices, services or information while overseas. Information on how to apply is detailed in section 4 (Taking or accessing department digital devices, services and information from overseas) of the Digital devices, services and information - staff procedures (staff only).
• seeks advice from Curriculum and Reform for policy-related enquiries.

Timeframe – minimum 5 months before the excursion.

Actions:

• The organising teacher provides the completed application pack to the Director, Educational Leadership.
• The Director, Educational Leadership provides the pack to the local WHS Adviser to review and provide corrective feedback on the risk assessment plan.
• The principal network staff review the application pack and check agreed checklist items or specifications are met.
• The organising teacher makes required changes to the application pack.
• The Director, Educational Leadership endorses the completed overseas excursions application pack.

Timeframe – minimum 3 months before the excursion.

Actions:

• The principal network forwards the endorsed application pack to the public schools directorate office.
• The designated public schools directorate staff verifies the application pack is complete and agreed checklist items from the roundtable meeting are met.

Timeframe – minimum one month before the excursion.

The appropriate Executive Director approves the completed overseas application pack via email at least 28 days before departure to allow staff to apply for international access to digital devices while oversees (see below).

Depending on the circumstances, the appropriate Executive Director may be:

• Executive Directors, Public Schools
• Executive Director, Connected Communities
• Executive Director, Student Support and Specialist Programs.

If copies of items such as passports or personal travel insurance cannot be provided one month before the excursion, conditional sign off may be granted, specifying the items that the organising teacher must provide prior to the excursion.

Conditional approval will not be granted if one or more of the following is not included in the excursion application:

• risk assessment plan
• itinerary
• list of attendees
• billeting information.

Approval or conditional approval may be withdrawn at any time if additional excursion activities are introduced or following the emergence of unforeseen events or unfavourable circumstances.

Different approvals and lead times may be required when specific groups of students are selected to travel overseas, for example tours conducted by, or with the assistance of, the Arts unit and the School Sports unit. Principals should discuss delegations and approvals with the appropriate senior officer – the relevant director in accordance with the reporting line.

Once approval for the excursion is granted, staff attending the excursion must submit an International access (Working from overseas) (staff only) SAP form at least 28 days before departure and obtain approval to access department devices, services and information from overseas, as per section 4 of the Digital devices, services and information- staff use procedures.

• Overseas excursions planning website
• For domestic excursions, incursions and other variations of routine refer to checklists, forms and templates and the Variation of routine website
• Consult common hazard fact sheets, including Excursions – domestic (PDF 128 KB) and Excursions – overseas (PDF 160 KB) as needed.
• Excursion information and sample consent is available in many languages at Translated documents.
• COVID safe advice for Excursions.
• Leading and operating public preschool guidelines
• ACECQA risk assessment and management template - excursions
• ACECQA’s policy and procedures guidelines – Excursions [PDF 203 KB]
• Principal endorsed activities
• Road safety education – Promoting safe travel
• Child Car Seats – approved child restraints
• Regional and intercity group travel bookings – NSW Trainlink
• NSW Police – What to do after a car crash (PDF 112 KB)
• NSW Rural Fire Service Fire Danger ratings and total fire bans
• Advice on types of mentoring arrangements and key considerations for developing a formal mentoring program – Mentoring programs.

• Behaviour code for students
• Child Protection – responding to and reporting students at risk of harm policy
• Controversial issues in schools procedure
• Employment screening procedures
• Financial management (schools) procedures
• Gifts, benefits and hospitality procedures
• Health support planning and student safety procedures
• Incident notification and response procedures (staff only)
• Inclusive education for students with disability policy
• Specific sport and physical activity guidelines
• Sport and physical activity procedure
• Student health and wellbeing policy
• WHS risk management procedures (staff only)
• Work health and safety (WHS) policy
• Children (Education and Care Services National Law Application) Act 2010 (NSW)
• Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW)
• Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cth)
• Education Act 1990 (NSW)
• Part 5 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW)
• Education and Care Services National Regulations (2011 SI 653) (NSW)