Health and safety guides

Who is responsible?
The person who leads or facilitates a group in outdoor learning is the crucial influence on safety and quality.
Supervision - getting it right
Effective, high quality supervision is essential for the safety of learners and for the quality of the outdoor learning.
Communicating with parents
Parents have a right to clear information and can contribute information vital to successful safety management.
Insurance
Take care to match the type and level of insurance cover to the situations expected and seek specialist advice as necessary.
Going abroad
Overseas visits contain all the challenges and opportunities of outdoor learning combined with the particular features of foreign travel.
Planning outdoor learning
It is essential that formal planning takes place for any outdoor learning and begins sufficiently far in advance.
Preparing those taking part
Well-prepared learners will learn more and be less at risk.
Planning transport
Transport is a logistical necessity for much outdoor learning but creative planning can minimise its use.
What kind of visit?
A range of outdoor learning experiences are available for all contexts. Care needs to be taken to match the level of activities being offered.
Preparing for emergencies
A prudent leader hopes for the best outcomes but plans for the possibility of the worst.

Activity-specific guidance

Overviews of key health and safety considerations for specific activities, from archery to winter mountaineering.