Excursions

Supervision

To ensure appropriate and effective levels of supervision, the risk assessment should take into account:

• experience, qualifications and skills of staff (including volunteers, instructors and so on)
• age, maturity, physical characteristics and gender of the students
• ability and experience of the students
• size of the student group
• nature and location of the excursion
• activities to be undertaken
• known or anticipated weather conditions
• requirements outlined in the information for specific Adventure activities
• emergency response planning
• any other relevant factors.

Minimum supervision requirements

This section outlines the department’s minimum requirements for staff-student ratios. When planning the staff-student ratios for an excursion, schools:

• may need to enhance these measures with additional staff or volunteers to ensure student and staff safety
• must take into account the likelihood of circumstances where a staff member may be unable to actively supervise the group (for example, staff illness, staff needing to support a particular student because of illness, behaviour and so on), and the time it will take for a replacement staff member to arrive at the excursion destination
• should apply the information in the chapter on Staffing – roles and responsibilities which sets out the range of adults that can be included in the excursion staff supervision ratios, including parent volunteers and specialist instructors
• should note the section below outlining the exceptions to the minimum supervision requirements
• should note the requirement that all excursions must be under the direct control of a member of teaching staff, unless an exception applies.

Except where otherwise indicated, all excursions and camps must have a minimum of 2 staff members.

Local excursions

Regular class teacher-student ratios with an additional accompanying staff member (as required)

Day excursions

1:20 staff-student ratio with a minimum of 2 staff

Overnight base camps

1:10 staff-student ratio with a minimum of 2 staff

Overnight study camps

1:15 staff-student ratio with a minimum of 2 staff

Victorian government residential schools

1:15 staff-student ratio with a minimum of 2 staff

Interstate travel

1:10 staff-student ratio with a minimum of 2 staff

Overseas travel

The following table indicates how staff numbers should be calculated, noting these ratios are the minimum required.

Adventure activities

Specific ratios for each activity, refer to Adventure activities

The excursion must:

• be under the direct control of a teacher employed by the department or the school council at all times, with at least one other excursion staff member present
• have enough teachers employed by the department or school council to maintain appropriate control of the excursion and of each activity, and to provide for the safety and wellbeing of participating students and staff
• have teachers comprising at least half of the excursion staff.

How to apply the ratios

A minimum of 2 staff must accompany students on all excursions, with additional staff as per the staff-student ratio requirement and risk management planning.

For example:

• if a day excursion involves 16 students, a minimum of 2 staff members must accompany the group
• if a day excursion involves 60 students, a minimum of 3 staff members must accompany the group. This meets both the 1:20 staff-student ratio and the requirement that a minimum of 2 staff accompany students on all excursions.

The need for further staff should be identified through appropriate risk management planning.

Mixed gender groups

When planning for overnight stays for mixed-gender groups on an excursion, schools are encouraged to select supervision staff that reflect the genders of students attending. At times it may not be possible to provide supervision reflecting the genders of students attending. When staffing arrangements are finalised, schools must ensure that parents/carers are informed of the names of staff who will be on duty as part of the camp supervision arrangements. Schools are encouraged to also include the names of volunteers who will be on duty as part of the camp supervision arrangements.

Excursions organised by one school for students from more than one school

For joint school activities involving small numbers of students from more than one Victorian government school, minimum supervision requirements can be assessed based on the total number of excursion staff present from each school, if approved by all relevant principals. For advice on which adults can be included in the supervision ratios as ‘excursion staff’ refer to the guidance chapter: Staffing – roles and responsibilities.

Exceptions to minimum supervision requirements

Excursions in the local area

For small group excursions in the local area, a teacher must be responsible for the excursion. However, with the approval of the principal, a small group can be supervised by one or more excursion staff employed by the department or school council who are not teachers (for example, education support class officers such as integration aides and teacher assistants).

Day excursions for senior secondary students

Schools can consider having less than the minimum supervision ratios for senior secondary students attending local or day excursions, only when student safety will not be compromised.

Consideration should be given to the age, number and individual needs of the students as well as any relevant factors relating to attending staff.

School Sport Victoria events

For events organised by School Sport Victoria involving small numbers of students from individual schools (for example, 1 to 5 students) such as individual competitors in district, division, region or state competitions, schools may consider allowing parents to be responsible for supervision to and from the event, and during the event when supervision is not managed by the event staff. In these circumstances, the school must:

• clearly communicate with the parents/carers of the students attending the event that no school staff will be attending the event and parents/carers must comply with directions from the event coordinators/event staff
• provide full event details to the parents/carers as provided to the school
• ensure parents/carers are aware that they are responsible for supervision arrangements for their children travelling to and from the events, and during the event, if applicable.

Individual students registered with State School Spectacular events

Where individual students have independently registered with the State School Spectacular with parental approval, need to attend rehearsals or performances at the event venue during school hours, and are not attending as part of a school group, the school must:

• clearly communicate to parents/carers of participating students that no school staff will be attending the event and parents/carers must comply with directions from the event coordinators/event staff
• provide full event details to the parents/carers as has been provided to the school
• ensure parents/carers are aware that they are responsible for supervision arrangements for their children travelling to and from the events, and during the event, if applicable.

Note: The involvement of students participating as part of a school group in State Schools Spectacular performances and rehearsals is considered a school excursion and minimum supervision requirements apply.

Unsupervised excursions

For unsupervised excursions:

• the excursion must be approved by the principal, only:
  • in a small number of instances
  • for secondary-aged students
  • for activities involving small groups of students
• the teacher-in-charge must maintain a formal record of:
  • a description of the activity, including locations
  • the names and ages of students involved
  • the time of leaving and returning to school.

The teacher responsible for the activity must ensure that students have appropriate methods of communication in the event of an emergency.

Transport to and from excursions

Schools can consider having less than the minimum supervision ratios when transporting students to and from the excursion venue.

Consideration should be given to:

• distance travelled
• type of transportation
• the age, number and individual needs of the students.

The decision to alter the supervision ratios for transportation to and from the venue should be documented in the risk assessment and controls enacted accordingly.