Excursions: Resources

Resources

Excursions e-learning module

School staff with primary responsibility for organising a school camp and/or water-based activity must have completed the mandatory excursions e-learning module (located in eduPay(opens in a new window) – search for 'excursions') and are encouraged to repeat the model annually. Staff responsible for organising excursions of any other type are also encouraged to complete the module.

The forms below have been developed by the department to ensure that schools’ legal obligations with regard to the duty of care towards students are met.

Schools are not required to use these exact forms if they have other communication methods for seeking consent and collecting information for excursions. However, schools should ensure that they do not make substantive modifications to the key information, or remove questions contained in these forms, without seeking advice from the department’s Legal Division.

Schools are also reminded that privacy legislation covers the collection of personal information by schools. Further information about the collection of personal information may be found at Privacy and Information Sharing.

Planning documentation – mandatory

Schools must complete the following documents as part of excursion planning:

Excursions: principal approval form (DOCX)(opens in a new window) – this must be completed and submitted to the principal for all excursions that involve overnight, adventure activities, interstate travel, overseas travel or travel by air or water
Camps, excursions, swimming and water-based activity checklist (DOCX)(opens in a new window) – checklist in line with department policy to assist staff and principals in planning excursions
Pre-activity check template (DOCX)(opens in a new window) – schools must complete a pre-activity check before any outdoor adventure activity. Schools can use this template for other activities
When conducting swimming and water-based activities: Student skills swimming and water-based activities template (DOCX)(opens in a new window) – to assess and document students’ experience, skills and preparation pertaining to the activity
Communications plan template (DOCX)(opens in a new window) – required for any activity in a remote location. Refer to Communications for requirements
One of the following risk management templates, depending on the type of the excursion or camp:
- For local excursions: Risk assessment for local excursions (DOCX) (staff login required)(opens in a new window) – template for compulsory risk assessment for local excursions
- For all other excursions, including day, overnight, adventure activities, interstate, overseas, or travel by air or water: Excursions risk register and emergency management plan template (ERREMP) (DOCX)(opens in a new window) – the risk register template is mandatory for all excursions except local excursions. This includes examples and a template for the emergency management plan. A blank version of this template is also available for use – Blank excursion risk register and emergency management plan template (DOCX)(opens in a new window)
While completing the mandatory ERREMP, schools can also refer to other template examples, depending on the type of excursion and the activities involved:
- Interstate travel: Example interstate camp excursion risk register and emergency management plan (DOCX)(opens in a new window) – for interstate excursions schools can, as needed, copy and paste these interstate-specific risks and emergency response procedures into their mandatory Excursions risk register and emergency management plan template (DOCX)(opens in a new window). Schools can edit to ensure relevance for their excursion
- Adventure activities: Adventure activity specific risk register and emergency management plans

Planning documentation – optional

The following documents are optional resources to assist in the planning of excursions:

Summary of excursion documentation (DOCX)(opens in a new window) – when planning your excursion, use this summary to make sure you have met the minimum documentation requirements
Clothing and equipment list (general) (DOC)(opens in a new window) – sample clothing/equipment list to be adapted by the school relevant to the activity undertaken
Sample emergency response procedures (DOCX)(opens in a new window) – a tool to support schools in developing their emergency management plan

Risk management guides

Department of Education Risk Management Framework (DOCX) (staff login required)(opens in a new window) – this document outlines the department’s approach to risk management. It defines our risk management process, model, appetite, training, reporting and establishes the responsibilities for implementation
Risk management for schools pocket guide (PDF)(opens in a new window) – a tool to support the risk management process

Adventure activity specific risk register and emergency management plans

Schools may use the below risk registers and emergency management plans, developed for specific activities. School must tailor these to the individual circumstances of their activity and participating group. For guidance on specific activities, refer to the Guidance tab.

Local school policy

A downloadable excursions policy template for Victorian government schools is available on the department’s School Policy Templates Portal – Camps and excursions (including local excursions) (staff login required)(opens in a new window). Schools can modify the template to suit their local circumstances.

External information resources

Updated 4 August 2026

Excursions

On this page