Preparing those taking part

Well-prepared learners will learn more and be less at risk.

This health and safety guidance explains the importance of the following factors to outdoor learning:

General

The preparation of participants should sit naturally within the ethos of progression and development that is central to outdoor learning. 

Occasionally, there may be educational benefit in putting learners into a situation with little or no briefing in advance.

In such situations, teachers must be careful not to raise unreasonable levels of anxiety in learners or to expose them needlessly to risk.

Preparing learners

Learners should be involved in planning and executing the visit and clearly understand: 

• what is expected of them
• what the outdoor learning experience will involve
• what standard of behaviour is expected
• any potential dangers
• how they should contribute to their own safety and that of others
• what to do if separated from the group
• action in an emergency
• who is in charge.

Participation

The group leader should ensure that the learners are capable of undertaking the proposed activity.

Learners should be encouraged to take on challenges but should not be coerced into activities of which they have a genuine fear. 'Challenge by choice' is a good motto.

Leaders should not hesitate to withdraw from an activity any participant whose behaviour jeopardises their own safety or that of others.

On residential visits, this may mean sending learners home early.

Parents and participants should be told in advance:

• how misbehaviour will be dealt with
• how a participant will be returned home safely
• who will meet the cost.

Further information to participants

• Certain groups may need guidance on appropriate and inappropriate personal and social conduct.
• On certain residential visits group members should carry the address and telephone number of the accommodation.
• Information should be given for every activity undertaken - including free time.
• Updates of any changed arrangements.

Preparing learners for remote supervision

Participants should have:

• telephone numbers and emergency contacts
• money
• maps and plans
• a knowledge of how to summon help
• a knowledge of out-of-bounds areas or activities
• an understanding of what to do in an emergency
• been told not to become separated from their group.

Learners using transport

Participants using transport should be made aware of basic safety rules including:

• Wear your seatbelt and stay seated.
• Bags must not block aisles.
• Never leave a vehicle without the permission of the leader.
• Never distract or disturb the driver.
• After leaving the vehicle, wait for it to move off before crossing the road.

Equal opportunities

Every effort should be made to ensure that outdoor learning is available and accessible to all who wish to participate, irrespective of additional support or medical needs, ethnic origin, sex or religion.

If an excursion is to cater for participants with additional support needs, a suitable venue should be selected.

Further guidance

This guidance is aimed primarily at teachers and other leaders providing outdoor learning experiences to children and young people. The advice is not comprehensive but aims to cover 90% of the most common outdoor learning situations

More extensive guidance can be found:

• by utilising specialist advice from your local authority
• in 'Health and Safety on Educational Excursions'.

Further information

See chapter 4 - Preparing participants:

• General (para 81-82)
• Participation (83-84)
• Equal opportunities (85)
• Information to participants (86-90)
• Preparing participants for remote supervision (91-92)
• Transport and participants (93-94)
• Participants with additional support and medical needs (95)
• Participants with medical needs (96-102)
• Participants with additional support needs (103-104)