POLICY TITLE: EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS

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1 POLICY TITLE: EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS 1.0 RATIONALE Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Sydney are committed to providing high quality learning programs in which students can develop their individual talents, interests and abilities, through a curriculum that fosters their spiritual, intellectual, physical and social development. Excursions are a part of a quality teaching and learning program. This policy identifies the major issues associated with excursions and provides a framework for schools to ensure that all the necessary steps are taken to provide for the safety and wellbeing of the students and supervising staff. A separate policy is used for planning overseas excursions (Overseas Excursion Policy for Catholic Systemic Schools). The term excursion covers a wide variety of different activities, including local area visits, camps and tours. Schools that conduct excursions are required to undertake a thorough risk assessment, plan for reasonable contingencies, and conduct training for accompanying adults. Students, parents, teachers, volunteers and travel hosts need an understanding of the meaning and significance of the concept of duty of care. The procedures for supervision and wellbeing of students must be clearly defined and understood by all parties before departure. 01/13 EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS 2.0 GUIDING PRINCIPLES 2.1 The physical, social and emotional wellbeing of students and accompanying adults is of paramount concern in the planning of excursions. 2.2 Excursions are valuable teaching and learning experiences. 2.3 Excursions can be for a wide range of purposes relevant to the broader school program. 2.4 There is an expectation that staff in Catholic schools will be involved in the extra curricula and co-curricula activities of the school. 2.5 Parents will be provided with sufficient notice and opportunity to pay costs associated with excursions, camps and tours. CEO Sydney Policies & Procedures EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS Page 1

2 2.6 Regard will be given to the financial burden on the families of participating students, and to the impact on other students who are unable to afford to participate. 2.7 Every effort will be made to formally assess potential risks. 2.8 The higher the level of assessed risk, the higher the standard of planning required. 3.0 POLICY 3.1 This policy applies to all Sydney Archdiocesan systemic Catholic schools. 3.2 All excursions within Australia must be approved by the school Principal or his/her delegate. International excursions are managed under the Overseas Excursions Policy (see 8.0). 3.3 Schools are to regularly review and update their procedures for the safe conduct of excursions. 3.4 The Catholic Education Office (CEO) Sydney does not endorse excursions into remote areas where there is no reliable telecommunications access, provision for emergency medical treatment and capacity for evacuation. 3.5 A risk assessment is to be conducted for each excursion to ensure that requirements specific to that particular excursion such as medical/first aid requirements and particular accreditations for activities, are identified, and that appropriate numbers of member(s) of the travelling party meet the required standards. 3.6 Contingency plans must be developed to eliminate and/or mitigate against risk wherever it is foreseeable. 3.7 All adults participating in the excursion must be fully briefed and clear about acceptable and unacceptable conduct. 3.8 It is generally expected that all the students will be accommodated in the same facility. Only in exceptional circumstances will billeting in private houses be arranged, and only with the explicit approval of the Regional Director. CEO Sydney Policies & Procedures EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS Page 2

3 3.9 Each excursion must be designed to meet the specific educational outcomes and regulations appropriate to a particular sport or camp (see 8.0) Participation in a Category 1 and 2 excursion can be required by the school, providing it occurs wholly or substantially in school time Participation in Category 3 excursions is voluntary and must not be a condition of passing a subject or part of a required assessment task, unless mandated by the Board of Studies. Secondary school retreat programs may be made compulsory at the Principal s discretion The travel and reasonable additional expenses of staff members and accompanying adults providing supervision should be covered by the excursion budget, or by the school. 4.0 PROCEDURES 4.1 Types of Excursions Many excursions conducted by schools are simple, low risk, and have been done many times previously. Others are complex, with higher risks than usual, due to their very nature. It is therefore appropriate that the more complex an excursion is, the more rigorous the planning and permissions should be. For the purposes of this policy there are 3 broad categories: Category 1 These excursions are local area excursions, may occur regularly, and occur wholly or substantially in school time. They have a low level of identified potential risk. Category 2 These excursions occur within Sydney and its surrounds, and may involve travel by public and/or private transport. Category 3 These excursions have an overnight component, involve extensive travel, or are assessed as having a higher level of identified potential risks. 4.2 Permissions Category 1 - Blanket permission forms for Category 1 excursions, based on the CEO template, may be distributed to parents/caregivers annually for signing. Schools must still advise parents of each excursion in CEO Sydney Policies & Procedures EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS Page 3

4 advance, through means such as school newsletters, by or letter Category 2 and 3 - Individual parental permission slips relevant to the specific activity are required Legal and custody issues - The Principal must be satisfied that there is no legal impediment to a student being taken on an excursion. In complex family situations, or where there are court orders in place, the Principal will need to identify the relevant parent(s)/caregiver(s) from whom permission should be sought. 4.3 Approval by the Principal The Principal must be satisfied with every aspect of an excursion, camp or tour before providing approval for it to proceed. In assessing an excursion, a Principal must consider at least the formal risk assessment, the suitability of each member of the travelling party, the cost, the nature of the students, the intended itinerary, expected student numbers, supervision details, and the intended educational purposes Category 1 and 2 excursions generally require approval from the Principal one month prior to the excursion. Category 3 excursions generally require interim approval by the Principal at least six months beforehand, and prior to formally consulting with students and parents. Final approval is required at least three months prior to departure, at the discretion of the Principal When considering the participation of a student on a voluntary Category 3 excursion, the Principal must be satisfied that existing financial commitments to the school are being fulfilled The Principal will appoint an Excursion Leader and ensure that there are a sufficient number of supervisors to provide for the wellbeing and safety of the students, including in the eventuality of complications occurring. The Principal will determine the appropriate pupil teacher ratio for the specific activity. CEO Sydney Policies & Procedures EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS Page 4

5 4.4 Financial Matters Regardless of the ways in which parents are required to pay for excursions, camps and tours, the parents must be provided with reasonable notice of the costs of the excursion Category 1 and 2 excursions - Schools are required to establish an annual excursion cost which clearly identifies the total amount of money that will be sought from parents over the course of the year Category 3 excursion costs should be identified for parents at the commencement of the year. If it is not possible to be specific at an early stage, an indicative figure should be provided. Exact financial details should be provided no less than three months prior to the excursion, camp or tour All payments must be finalised prior to departure unless an alternate arrangement is agreed to by the Principal Fundraising At the discretion of the Principal, schools may conduct fundraising to assist students to participate in a Category 3 excursion, or to sponsor the local communities that are being visited. Where the school elects to conduct fundraising, the following arrangements must be followed: i. A fundraising committee will be established that is open to all the parents, students and accompanying adults associated with the excursion ii. iii. All monies will be held by the school Funds raised to support participation will be distributed evenly between the participating students, regardless of their or their parents participation on the fundraising committee, unless, at the first meeting of the fundraising committee, a decision is made to devote all proceeds, or a nominated proportion, to students who need financial support to participate. In this case, the Principal will be responsible for the discreet and equitable disbursement of funds to students in need of support. CEO Sydney Policies & Procedures EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS Page 5

6 iv. Funds raised to support local communities that are being visited will be disbursed at the discretion of the Excursion Leader. 4.5 Students Every excursion must be designed to be inclusive of all students in accord with the Disability Standards for Education 2005, Part 5, Standards for Participation. Any extra costs associated with sending a student with additional needs will be borne by the school Students must behave appropriately at all times while on excursions, and may be sent home or back to school if they fail to do so. Before a student is sent home from a Category 3 excursion, the Excursion Leader will seek permission from the Principal Before a Category 3 excursion, students must have provided the school with all requested documentation, such as current medical details, parent contact numbers and Code of Conduct undertakings. 4.6 Accompanying teachers and adults All accompanying adults must have provided a Working With Children Check and/or applicable child protection screenings, have the confidence of the Principal that they possess the personal qualities to provide leadership, and relate to young people and be explicitly approved by the Principal to participate Accompanying adults must be clear about expectations upon them in relation to behaviour, probity, relationships with students, use of alcohol or illicit substances and such matters. The staff Code of Professional Conduct is applicable to all accompanying adults, and a familiarisation exercise must be an element of the training for accompanying adults. The extent of the preparation will depend on the length, complexity and risk of the particular activity It is strongly advised that Category 1 and 2 excursions involving both male and female students have a minimum of one male and one female among the accompanying adults. For Category 3 excursions, this is a mandatory requirement. CEO Sydney Policies & Procedures EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS Page 6

7 4.6.4 The Excursion Leader has an obligation to report to the Principal any actual or suspected harm to participating children It is an accepted principle that staff in Catholic schools will participate in the co-curricular and extra-curricular programs of the school (see 2.4). Participation in Category 3 excursions will be negotiated with staff members. No additional pecuniary benefit is payable to staff members or accompanying adults. 4.7 Parents Parents must be advised of every excursion in advance. Depending on the category, the complexity of arrangements and the cost, this could vary from an article in the school newsletter, to a dedicated letter, or a parent meeting The provision by parents to the school of current medical information, and an authority to approve and apply medical treatment as required, is a nonnegotiable condition of a student s participation in a Category 3 excursion Parents of students participating in Category 3 excursions must be provided with detailed written information on arrangements for the excursion, camp or tour. In addition, if interstate travel is a component, a meeting of parents will be called to provide an opportunity for parents to ask questions Parents of students participating in Category 3 excursions will be advised that they could be liable for the balance of any losses incurred from the cancellation of the excursion, camp or tour, for any reason, after any insurance benefit has been deducted Parents will be advised that in the case of significant student misbehaviour whilst on excursion, they may be responsible for all damages and any additional expenses associated with returning a student to the school or to their home. This could include the expenses of an accompanying adult Parents may enter into a payment schedule arrangement with the school, but this must be CEO Sydney Policies & Procedures EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS Page 7

8 completed prior to the due date for payment to the tour company or airline, unless previously arranged with the school Principal. 5 BASES OF DISCRETION 5.1 The Principal must be satisfied with all the planning and arrangements in relation to an excursion from the school, and will do everything possible to ensure that the excursion is compliant in every way. If the Principal is not satisfied and is unable to make appropriate arrangements, he/she must cancel the excursion, camp or school tour. 5.2 The Principal has the authority to subsidise the costs of students participating in an excursion, camp or school tour, at his or her discretion, in so far as this is legally permissible. 5.3 The Excursion Leader is authorised, whilst absent from the school, to do whatever is required to provide for the safety and wellbeing of the travelling party. Where possible, consultation will occur with respect to the expenditure of school funds prior to action. 5.4 Each excursion remains contingent on the safety and wellbeing of those participating, and will be cancelled or modified if this is compromised in any way. 6 EVALUATION AND REVIEW This policy will be reviewed by December parents will be consulted in the review. School Principals and 7 EXPLANATORY NOTES/DEFINITIONS 7.1 Accompanying adults: This term include teachers, school administrative staff, parents, activity leaders and community members who are recognised as Registered Teachers, or other adults who have submitted Working With Children checks and or applicable child protection screenings. 7.2 Camp: A school camp is an excursion to an offsite facility where students will participate in a range of activities congruent with the purpose of the camp. Overnight stay is required and accommodation may be in temporary accommodation, such as tents, or in permanent structures designed to accommodate large numbers of people. CEO Sydney Policies & Procedures EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS Page 8

9 7.3 School tour: This form of excursion is generally a long journey, with an itinerary that involves many days away from school and sometimes interstate travel. It involves visiting a number of different places and often participating in a range of new or unusual activities. In many cases, a tour is led by a professional travel company. 7.4 Code of Professional Conduct: There may be at least two Codes that are applicable. The first is the Code of Professional Conduct for staff that is applicable to all accompanying adults. The Principal may elect to add excursion specific expectations to this Code. The second is a school-developed Code of Professional Conduct that is specific to that particular excursion. Codes of Conduct have been developed to explicitly describe the expectations that are placed on participants. All members of travelling parties must receive training in their relevant Code(s). 7.5 Duty of Care: This term 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. The school s duty of care cannot be delegated to parent/caregivers, accompanying adults or external organisations. 7.6 Excursion: An excursion is a trip or outing from a school to some place of interest, usually for a special purpose, and generally with the intention of a return to the school. 7.7 Excursion Leader: This refers to the teacher nominated by the Principal to organize the excursion and who is to have ultimate responsibility and authority while the activity is in progress 7.8 Informed Consent: 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. 7.9 Parents(s): For the purposes of this policy, a parent is deemed to be any biological parent, adoptive parent, or person who is formally the primary caregiver for a student enrolled in a Sydney systemic Catholic school. In specific circumstances, the legal rights of such people may vary, often due to family law decisions, and the school will comply with any such legal determination/status Principal: The Principal is the Principal of the school that is organising the excursion, camp or tour. In some situations the Principal may delegate their responsibilities under this policy to a nominated delegate, generally an Assistant Principal, or Head of Department (secondary). CEO Sydney Policies & Procedures EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS Page 9

10 7.11 Refund procedures: Prior to consulting with parents and students concerning a Category 2 or 3 excursion, the school will develop a set of procedures that clearly outlines to parents the basis on which any portion of payments made by parents can be returned, should their child fail to participate in the planned excursion, camp or tour. This recognises that the school and travel companies incur expenses in the planning and placing of deposits that are non-refundable This policy does not cover arrangements for Overseas excursions, Workplace Learning (VET), privately organised tours or representative sport. Regular weekly school sport is not regarded as an excursion and is subject to different operational and consent procedures to those applicable to excursions. 8 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS, PROCEDURES, GUIDELINES Overseas Excursion Policy CEO Sydney CEO Blanket Permission for Category 1 Excursions Template Guidelines for the Safe Conduct of Sport and Physical Activity in Schools see: Disability Standards for Education 2005, Part 5, Standards for Participation 9 APPENDICES Nil 10 POLICY CLASSIFICATION 10.1 Policy No: / Policy Audience: Intranet 10.3 Policy Review by: December Policy Approval: This policy was approved by Dr Dan White, Executive Director of Catholic Schools, on 20 October This policy supersedes all previous policies relating to matters herein Commencement Date: 1 January 2013 CEO Sydney Policies & Procedures EXCURSIONS, CAMPS AND TOURS Page 10