Excursions

Student preparation and behaviour

Schools must ensure that:

• students are adequately prepared for excursions
• disciplinary measures for students on excursions are appropriate and consistent with the Student Engagement Guidance and the school’s student engagement policies
• reasonable adjustments are made for students with disabilities, including students with medical or health conditions that may have an impact on the student's ability to meet expected standards of behaviour
• preparation also includes supporting the mental health and wellbeing of students.

Student preparation

In preparation for excursions, and in addition to the information required in the consent documentation, schools should advise students and parents/carers of:

• organisational arrangements
• roles of each staff member supervising the activity or excursion
• risks involved in the activity or excursion
• relevant safety arrangements or emergency procedures (as appropriate)
• expected standards of behaviour
• prohibition of alcohol and smoking for all students on all school camps and excursions, and the consequences of non-compliance with this instruction (refer to: Alcohol and Other Drug Use – Students and Smoking Ban)
• that in extreme cases, students may be sent home from an excursion at the cost of the parents.

In some cases, students may require specific skills or training before going on excursions, particularly when undertaking swimming and water-based activities. Staff should utilise the Student skills swimming and water-based activities template (DOCX) to assess students’ suitability to undertake the activity and what support they may need.

Returning a student home

In extreme cases the excursion staff, following consultation with and the approval of the school principal, may decide to return a student to their home from an excursion. Excursion staff should:

• advise the student’s parent or carer of the:
  • circumstance associated with the decision to send the student home
  • time and location for the parent or carer to collect their child from the excursion or the anticipated time that the student will arrive home
• consider the age and maturity of the student when making travelling arrangements.