Leaders (and helpers)

The DfES good practice guide “Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits” (HASPEV) and supplements provide the main source of guidance for leaders and helpers in connection with adventure activities and for educational visits.

• Department for Education and Skills

For those in Scotland, the Scottish Executive Education Department guidance "Health and Safety on Educational Excursions" should be accessed at:

• http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/hsee-00.asp

The School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document makes clear that teachers are responsible for maintaining good order and discipline among the pupils and safeguarding their health and safety both when they are authorised to be on the school premises and when they are engaged in authorised activities elsewhere.

• Teachernet

The key points for leaders and helpers emerging from, or reinforced by, the Glenridding tragedy are set out under a number of headings below.

It is important that you also look at the 10 vital questions which we believe are the essential things anybody should ask about a visit.

Any references in brackets refer to the paragraph numbers in the Investigation Report.

Competencies

Leaders must be competent in dynamic risk assessment for the activity, so that they can continuously evaluate the implications of changing conditions. Dynamic risk assessments will need to take account of any generic and site-specific risk assessments and good practice (Para A 7).

The level of competence/qualification of leaders and helpers likely to be required should be identified though the risk assessment (Para D 8).

Leaders need to be clear about the scope and limits of the first aid and other qualifications (e.g. lifesaving) held and ensure that they are relevant to any activities being done (Para D 7).

Nobody should lead water/rock (or other adventurous) activities unless they have been assessed as competent, understand the full range of hazards and risks and can implement rescue and emergency procedures (Para A 3).

There is much useful technical guidance on the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) website (Para A 2).

Planning

Identifying objectives

Visits should have clear educational objectives. (Many of the serious accidents to children have occurred on visits not associated with the curriculum) (Para D 4).

Whatever the objectives of the visit, the leader must organise it to the best of their professional ability. There can be no lower standard for “fun trips” (Para D 4).

Leaders need to be careful not to create unrealistic expectations (Para E 3).

Children should be involved in practical risk assessment and decision-making to help them become “risk aware” (Paras D 10, E 4, E 6).

There should always be a viable “Plan B” to provide alternative activities in case the primary activity is undeliverable. A similar standard of risk assessment should be applied as to the main activities (Para D 10).

The leader should have the competence and confidence to implement “Plan B” (Para D 10).

Research

It is essential that prospective leaders are familiar with all relevant guidelines, including relevant guidance on outdoor and open water activities, and seek expert advice if necessary (Para D 3). National Governing Body (NGB) websites and the AALA website may be good starting points.

Leaders should make sure that they have sufficient “local knowledge” (Paras E 1, E 4).

It is extremely important to have the best available information to support dynamic risk assessment (for example in this case, pupil and leader capabilities, water temperatures and rescue options) (Para E 2).

Consents

Informed parental consent is essential. This requires good communication with parents (Para D 1).

There should be prior parental consent for swimming (Para D 9).

It is good practice to hold a meeting for parents before outdoor and residential visits (Para D 2).

Supervision on educational visits needs to be 24 hours per day 7 days per week, the precise arrangements being based on risk assessment (Para B 7). Effective supervision will be a parental expectation.

Staffing

The risk assessment should identify the staffing required to run a visit safely. Staffing should never be decided just by a simple numerical calculation of the ratio of children to adults (Para D 5).

Leaders and helpers who bring additional children will have potential conflicts of responsibility. This may have consequences for supervision levels and the risks must be properly assessed, particularly the implications of any differences in age or experience (Para D 6).

Planning for emergencies

Risk assessments should consider how the party might respond to a serious incident, including identifying any procedures for contacting sources of help (Para E 13).

Risk assessments for outdoor water-based activities should take account of the possibility of a panicking casualty (Para E 10).

Emergency equipment is of limited use if people have not been trained to use it correctly, and must be fit for purpose (Para E 7/E 12).

On-site

Parties should be properly equipped for the environmental conditions according to the findings of the risk assessments, including dynamic risk assessments (Para E 5).

Leaders should not allow participant pressure to cloud their judgement (Para E 3).

Reluctance of participants to do a planned activity on safety grounds should lead to a reassessment of the risks (Para E 5).

Any warnings should lead to an immediate reassessment of the proposed activity and the likely risks (Para E 7)