A range of outdoor learning experiences are available for all contexts. Care needs to be taken to match the level of activities being offered. It is important not only to avoid stifling initiative, but also to stop activities proceeding without the proper checks.
This health and safety guidance explains the importance of the following issues to providing appropriate care:
Types of outdoor learning
There is a broad spectrum of outdoor learning opportunities available to teachers. Learning situations must be matched to learners' needs.
What changes along the spectrum of possibilities is the way in which plans are made and approved.
At one end of the spectrum, teachers and leaders can initiate outdoor learning with little involvement from other individuals or agencies.
At the other, written plans and risk assessments must be approved in detail by the head of establishment and local authority specialists. Many other parties must be informed and external agencies may be involved.
Most local authorities will have guidance on what activities can be approved within the establishment and what notification is required. These should be followed.
Different ways of applying the right level of scrutiny to outdoor learning are as follows:
Establishment approved visits
Heads of establishment can approve experiences in which learner safety can be managed by everyday, common-sense arrangements.
This should make it relatively easy for teachers and other leaders to involve learners in activities such as:
- field study in woodland near to the school
- outdoor art sessions in a nearby park
- excursions to museums and theatres
- orienteering using a local map
- census activities in a local village.
However, the definition of what can be approved by the head of establishment may vary between local authorities. Seek advice from your head of establishment or a local authority specialist.
Higher-risk activities
Some activities and experiences are potentially more hazardous and therefore more likely to require specialist management of risks. These activities include:
- adventure activities
- coastal visits
- swimming
- farm visits
- field studies to remote locations
- residential visits
- visits abroad.
Detailed guidance can be found in HSEE and in the appropriate local authority rules.
Measures applied to higher-risk experiences may include:
- approval of the plans by a person with specialist technical knowledge of the planned activity
- a requirement that the leader is qualified to standards defined by the local authority, or to a level specified by an authoritative body (such as a relevant National Governing Body)
- qualified leaders may be individual teachers or external specialists, such as field study centre staff
- more extensive documentation of what is planned
- a requirement for approval of any external provider by the local authority - this may require external accreditation.
It should be recognised that competent leadership is of vital importance in allowing potentially hazardous activities to be undertaken without undue risk.
Establishment-led experiences
If a member of the establishment staff is to organise, lead and instruct participants, they must follow local authority guidance. Necessary steps will include:
- matching learning aims and venue
- risk assessment
- preparing participants
- communicating with parents and obtaining their consent
- confirmation that the group leader and other supervisors are competent to act in those roles
- competence may be demonstrated by:
- holding a relevant NGB award
- specific approval by the local authority specialist
- suitable access to technical advice where necessary
- appropriate supervision
- adequate first aid provision, expertise and equipment within the group
- establishing emergency procedures.
Provider approval by the local authority
A local authority may approve external providers of outdoor learning. This approval is often supported by a database of approved providers.
The approval process can address issues additional to those concerning safety.
Local authority approval may include a need for external accreditation.
External accreditation of providers
Different forms of UK-wide accreditation can demonstrate that a provider meets national standards:
AALA licensing
Certain providers are required by law to be inspected for an Adventure Activity Licensing Authority licence.
The licence is a confirmation of satisfactory systems for managing the safety of activities.
Not all providers are required to hold a licence: voluntary bodies and schools providing for their own members and pupils respectively are exempt. Commercial bodies and local authorities are also exempt if their activities fall outside the scope of the regulations.
Adventuremark
This is a non-statutory alternative to licensing available to all providers of adventure activities.
Adventuremark is a confirmation of satisfactory systems for managing the safety of all activities undertaken by the provider.
The Learning Outside the Classroom Badge
This is a system introduced by the English Department for Children, Schools and Families. Some Scottish providers hold badges.
The badge is a confirmation that the quality and safety of outdoor learning are satisfactory. It covers all outdoor learning situations with specific sectors for:
- adventure activities
- field studies
- overseas travel
- overseas expeditions
- farm visits.
Other forms of external centre approval
Some national governing bodies (NGBs) have systems of approval for providers of activities. NGBs operating such schemes include:
- British Canoe Union (paddle sports)
- Royal Yachting Association (sailing and power boating).
Some other national bodies provide accreditation:
- British Activity Holiday Association (multi-activity provision).
Such organisations may be approved to assess for the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge and Adventuremark.
Providers without approval or accreditation
It is recommended that local authority guidance is sought, or the advice of an appropriately qualified technical adviser.
Providers - other issues for the leader to consider
The group leader should check and agree the provider’s arrangements for supervision and recreation evenings and arrangements between activities.
The group leader and other supervisors retain ultimate responsibility for participants at all times during adventure activities, even when the group is under instruction from a member of the provider’s staff.
The provider is responsible for the safe running of an activity.
Clear hand-over and hand-back procedures should be in place.
Everyone, including participants, must have a clear understanding of staff roles and responsibilities.
The group leader and other supervisors should have sufficient information on what the activity involves before it takes place.
They should approach the instructor if they are concerned that the participants may be at unnecessary or unreasonable risk.
Remote supervision
Guidance can be found in the Supervision section.
The safety of experiences and activities
Every type of activity has its particular merits but will also be associated with particular hazards.
Leaders should be particularly cautious when they do not have enough personal experience of an activity to be aware of its more subtle risks.
Advice from a person with appropriate technical expertise is essential in such cases.
Detailed advice on every possible activity is beyond the scope of this site but outline information is provided on some of the more common activities.
Alarm bells
Experience has shown that certain activities have consistently led to the occurrence of more serious incidents.
This should not be a reason to abandon plans but an encouragement to follow the proper processes of preparation and risk management outlined in this advice.
Some of the activities most prominent in the statistics include:
- coastal visits
- open water boating
- open water swimming
- gorge scrambling, plunge pools and river walking
- mountain biking
- unsupervised play
- winter mountaineering
- camp cooking.
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
PDF file: Health and Safety on Educational Excursions (666 KB)See chapter 8 - Types of visit:
- Adventure activities using licensed providers (para 153-157)
- Adventure activities using non-licensable providers (158-163)
- Other issues to consider with all adventure activity providers (164-166)
- Establishment-led adventure activities (167-169)
- Employment of providers (170)
- Remote supervision during adventure activities (171-175)
- Coastal visits (176-177)
- Swimming in the sea or other natural waters (178-181)
- Swimming pools (182-184)
- Farm visits (185-188)
- Field studies (189)
- Residential visits (190-191)
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