Sharing the lessons learnt - HSE publishes web report on Glenridding school trip tragedy

HSE Press Release: E034:05 9 March 2005

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published a web report today on the drowning of a 10 year-old boy, Max Palmer, during a school activity weekend in the Lake District in 2002. HSE believes very strongly in the educational value of school trips; it is publishing the report to communicate the lessons learnt and provide practical advice to those who have a role in organising educational visits.

The extensive investigation of this tragedy at Glenridding Beck by HSE and Cumbria Police revealed many important lessons both for those who lead educational visits and those involved in their management. There is a consensus in the educational and outdoor worlds, which HSE supports, that these lessons should be made widely known .

The investigation identified two main causes:

• The inappropriate actions of the party leader before and during the incident

• The weaknesses of the management systems which allowed an unsuitable leader to be in charge of a party of schoolchildren in a high-hazard environment

The main lessons learnt are:

• Leaders of these activities need to be competent and diligent, and should always put the safety and best interests of the young people first

• They should always follow the Department for Education and Skills' (DfES) guidance on educational visits, which can be downloaded free from its website

• Schools and providers of outdoor education/adventure activities need to have effective management arrangements in place to ensure that leaders taking young people into hazardous environments are properly selected and supported

• Effective procedures for assessing and ensuring competence and for monitoring leaders should be in place

These lessons will help inform the debate on the future of educational visits. Many are also applicable to leaders and managers from other bodies, such as youth organisations and independent schools.

Peter Baker, HSE's Head of Operations in the North West, said:

"This tragedy should not cloud the fact that the vast majority of educational visits are excellently run by committed and professional teachers. They are of immense value to children. On the very rare occasions when things go seriously wrong, it is important that we learn the lessons.

"I would urge anybody who has an interest in educational visits, particularly those involving adventurous activities, to read the report, which is at http://www.hse.gov.uk/schooltrips"

HSE Deputy Director General Justin McCracken said:

"HSE believes that school trips are a vital part of a child's education. It would be a sad day if misplaced risk aversion deprived them of such opportunities. On the contrary, adventure activities provide the ideal opportunity to make children 'risk aware' by involving them in practical decision-making in challenging environments.

"HSE's views (and its recommendations following its investigation of the Glennridding tragedy) mirror those of the Commons Education Select Committee. HSE will continue to champion the message that sensible health and safety is about managing risk rather than eliminating it.

"We applaud those teachers and helpers who give their time and energy to follow best practice and do the job safely and properly. Long may well-planned educational visits continue."

Mr and Mrs Palmer, Max's parents, said:

"We, as Max's parents, feel that HSE's Glenridding website is a positive step towards the prevention of further tragedies.

"It has never been our belief that school trips should cease as a result of Max's death. We have always maintained that they form an important part of a child's development and education. However, it is crucial that all the necessary safety and supervision measures should be in place and should be strictly adhered to.

"We are pleased that the report covers not just the events at the pool, but also the wider management issues, so that other people involved in the management of school trips can learn from the organisational shortcomings identified by the investigation.

"Our family is left with special memories of a truly exceptional and brave little boy.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who has contributed to this website. We are also pleased that Lancashire County Council has acknowledged its own shortcomings where it was appropriate and has worked with the HSE to improve the systems for managing educational visits, both within the school and much wider."

Notes to editors

• The Glenridding tragedy occurred on 26 May 2002 when a 10-year-old boy, Max Palmer was drowned while taking part in an activity called "plunge pooling" in Glenridding Beck in the Lake District. His mother, who jumped in to rescue him, suffered from hypothermia and was airlifted to hospital.

• In September 2003 the teacher leading the visit pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was jailed for one year.

• In July 2004 HSE announced that, following a lengthy and detailed investigation of the role of the Local Education Authority, Lancashire County Council (LCC), it would not prosecute LCC.

• The report is being published solely so that lessons may be learnt. HSE considers that naming people will detract from its learning focus. Therefore, apart from the deceased, no individuals are named in the report and neither is the school.

• The DfES guidance on health and safety on educational visits is available at: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/healthandsafety/visits/

• Mr and Mrs Palmer have said that they will not be giving interviews.

Press enquiries

All enquiries from journalists should be directed to the HSE Press Office