Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
Catholic Education Office

Overseas Excursions

Related Policies:

First Aid
OHS
Child Protection
Excursion

Purpose:

This policy outlines system requirements for the conduct of overseas excursions to ensure the safety of students and staff. The Catholic Education Office (CEO) will not endorse an overseas excursion into remote areas and into areas where there is no reliable telecommunication access, provision for emergency medical treatment and evacuation, or where the Australian Government has issued a travel advisory warning.

Definitions:

• An overseas excursion is an educational trip by students outside Australia, under the direction of teachers.

• Excursion Coordinator refers to the teacher nominated by the Principal to organise the excursion and to have ultimate responsibility and authority while the activity is in progress.

• Legal duty of care requires that teachers should take all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of any school student under their care. This duty of care will arise whenever a student/teacher relationship exists.

• Parent(s) is inclusive of those with parental responsibility and guardians.

• Informed consent means that parents give agreement to their child participating in an activity after they have been made aware of the details of the activity and associated costs involved.

• Accompanying adults include teachers, school administrative staff, parents, activity leaders and community members who have completed a Prohibited Employment Declaration (PED).

Responsibilities:

The Principal

It is the responsibility of the Principal to ensure that:

The school board endorsement is received prior to seeking approval from the CEO.

• The following information is provided with the application form:
  • The major learning outcomes and relevance to the curriculum
  • Number and year level of students
  • Number of accompanying staff and other adults
  • Risk analysis
  • Copies of information to parents including medical form, consent form, proposed itinerary, accommodation arrangement and costing.
• Approval is obtained from the Coordinator of Targeted Programs before arrangements are finalised. The Application for Approval of Overseas Excursion (LR3) form must be forwarded to the CEO at least four months prior to departure. The finalised application with any amendments and including emergency contingencies must be resubmitted four weeks prior to departure.
• Contact is made regularly with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade regarding any travel warnings to the intended destinations.
• All requirements for planning and accounting for monies are met.
• All participants have adequate travel and medical insurance.
• An adequate number of accompanying adults hold senior first aid qualifications and an appropriate first aid kit is carried.
• All participating teaching staff know and adhere to the requirements of the CEO Overseas Excursions Policy and other relevant policies, supervision requirements and safety procedures.
• Staff and accompanying adults act with due care to carry out their duties and are made aware that they must not drink alcohol while on duty.
• All teaching staff are aware that if they arrange activities within an overseas excursion without ensuring relevant policies are followed, they could be individually liable in the event of an accident. Staff must be advised that they may not be covered by workers' compensation if they are injured while involved in an excursion activity which has not been officially approved.
• The school has copies of emergency contacts and procedures.
• Where students are to be billeted, the families agree to this and have contact details for the host families. For the duration of the home stay, students must have the telephone contact details of the supervising teacher who must be contactable at all times.

Excursion Coordinator

It is the responsibility of the teacher in charge to ensure that: All participating teaching staff know and adhere to the requirements of the CEO Overseas Excursions Policy and other relevant policies, supervision requirements and safety procedures.

• All accompanying adults are appropriately qualified and/or experienced and are advised of their responsibilities, relevant school and CEO policies and safety procedures.
• Staff and accompanying adults act with due care to carry out their duties and are made aware that they must not drink alcohol while on duty.
• Gain informed consent by ensuring that parental information, emergency contact details, medical and consent forms are duly processed, and copies held at the school and by the excursion coordinator during travel.
• All travellers are thoroughly briefed on the customs, cultural differences, behaviour and dress expectations while on tour.
• Ensure boys and girls are not accommodated in the same rooms.

Supervision Requirements

Minimum supervision requirements

• For all overseas excursions there must be at least two teachers.
• For groups over 20 students, a supervisory ratio of one teacher to ten students is required.
• Accompanying adults may be used to meet supervision requirements provided that the Principal is satisfied there are sufficient teachers to maintain adequate control of the whole excursion, and to control each activity. Additional adults should accompany excursions when extra care is considered necessary for the safety and welfare of students. Teachers must comprise at least half the accompanying adults.

Gender balance

• For mixed groups of boys and girls a male and a female teacher must accompany the group.
• For groups of either all boys or all girls there must be at least one teacher of the same gender as the students.
• Control of the excursion remains with the teacher in charge.

Summary

Pre-planning

Develop proposal for overseas excursion. This should include the proposed itinerary, accommodation and approximate costing. The proposal for travelling overseas must be approved by the School Board and in the case of more than one school travelling together, all the School Boards concerned.

Four months prior to the excursion

Submit the Application for Approval of Overseas School Excursion (LR/3) to the Coordinator of Targeted Programs, CEO.

As well as:

• A completed application form
• Itinerary, accommodation and costing details
• Emergency contacts & safety procedures
• Risk assessment
• Details sent to parents and students
• Medical information and consent form (see sample attachment 1)
• Parent consent form
• Emergency plan

Four weeks prior to the excursion

References:

CSCC Child Protection Policy (2002)

We acknowledge the ACT Department of Education and Training Overseas Excursion Policy

Forms:

Application for Approval of Overseas School Excursion (LR/3)
Medical information and consent form

Last updated on December 2, 2006