Resources
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 (staff login required). Schools can modify the template to suit their local circumstances.
Excursions e-learning module
From 15 December 2022 onwards, school staff with primary responsibility for organising a school camp and/or water-based activity must have completed the mandatory excursions e-learning module. These staff are encouraged to complete the module annually. Staff responsible for organising excursions of any other type are also encouraged to complete the module. The module is located in .
Forms
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.
- Local excursion annual consent form (staff login required)
- Sample local excursions notification (staff login required)
- Parent excursion consent form
- Medical information form – day excursions
- Medical information form – camps and overseas excursions
- Confidential medical history form for introductory scuba experience
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
These documents have been developed to assist in the planning of excursions
- Summary of excursion documentation – when planning your excursion, use this summary to make sure you have met the minimum documentation requirements
- Excursions – principal approval form – this must be completed and submitted to the principal for all overnight, adventure activities, interstate, overseas excursions or travel by air or water
- Camps, excursions, swimming and water-based activity checklist – checklist in line with department policy to assist staff and principals in planning excursions
- Pre-activity check – suggested template for completion of the pre-activity check, a compulsory on the day check before embarking on any adventure activity
- Student skills swimming and water-based activities template – when conducting swimming and water-based activities, students’ experience, skills and preparation pertaining to the activity must be documented in this form
- Clothing and equipment list (general) – sample clothing/equipment list to be adapted by the school relevant to the activity undertaken
- Sample emergency response procedures – a tool to support schools in developing their emergency management plan
- Communications plan template – suggested template for communications plans for overnight, overseas, interstate excursions or adventure activities
Risk management tools
- Risk assessment for local excursions (staff login required) – template for compulsory risk assessment for local excursions
- Excursions risk register and emergency management plan template – risk register template mandatory for all day, overnight, adventure activities, interstate, overseas excursions or travel by air or water. 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 )
- Risk analysis tools – understand how the department’s risk rating matrix works
- Department of Education Risk Management Framework (staff login required) – 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
- Department of Education Risk Management Framework (staff login required) – accessible version
- Risk management in schools – the department’s risk management policy and guidance for schools
Activity specific risk registers
Schools may use the below risk registers, developed for specific activities. School must tailor these risk registers to the individual circumstances of their activity and participating group. For guidance on specific activities, see the Guidance tab.
- Abseiling
- Artificial climbing and abseiling walls
- Bush walking
- Camping
- Canoeing and kayaking
- Challenge ropes courses
- Cycling
- Horse riding
- Orienteering
- Rafting
- Rock climbing
- Sailing
- SCUBA diving
- Sea kayaking
- Snorkelling
- Snow activities
- Surfing and paddle boarding
- Swimming and water-based activities
- Water skiing
- Windsurfing
External information resources
- Ambulance
- Asthma
- Australian Adventure Activity
- Australian Camps Association
- Bureau of Meteorology Telephone Weather Services
- Bus Association of
- Council of Professional Teaching Associations of
- Country Fire
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and
- Equip Wilderness First Aid
- Life Saving
- Marine and for coastal waters forecast and observations
- Metropolitan Fire
- Outdoors
- Parks
- Red
- St Johns Ambulance
- State Emergency
- Transport Safety Victoria — Maritime
- Victoria
- Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
- Victorian Institute of
- WorkSafe
Reviewed 17 October 2024