Out of School Activities

Last updated: Thu, Sep 22nd, 2016 9:24:45 am

Out of school activities include games, cultural activities, field trips and educational tours (domestic and overseas). The organisation, conduct and supervision of out of school activities must be of a high standard.

The school has an "in loco parentis" responsibility for the students engaged in such activities. Schools are advised to develop a policy statement governing the approval and the organisation of such activities. In deciding whether to approve of a proposed activity, the Board should bear in mind the experience, qualifications and skills of the teacher(s) who would instruct and lead students in the activity. It is also advisable that the Board establish that a reasonable student/teacher ratio be maintained for the activity.

Parents' Permission

Parents should be notified of any out of school activity organised by the school in which their children participate. A standard note sent home with the pupil and returned with the signature of parent or guardian is normally sufficient for games, field trips and local cultural outings. Specific permission should be sought in respect of hazardous activities, overnight trips and foreign tours.

Before a trip takes place the school should seek parental permission for the organiser/supervisor to refer pupils for medical attention if required during the trip. Parents/Guardians should be obliged to inform the school before the trip if any pupil has a medical condition which may require particular care or treatment.

When getting the permission from parents to bring a student on an overseas trip, care must be taken, where parents are separated or divorced, that the permission is reliable and does not infringe the rights of one parent or does not conflict with any court order.

Although out of school trips are generally more relaxed than the normal school regime, it is recommended that school rules, with perhaps one or two exceptions, be enforced. A typical exception would be the wearing of school uniform. However, there should be notice that some special rules would be enforced. Typically, these would ban strictly the possession, purchase and consumption of tobacco, alcohol and illegal substances. Special rules might also include procedures and standards of conduct to be observed on ferries/aeroplanes and in places of accommodation.

Contact with Home

It is recommended that contact and communication between tour participants, parents and the school should be facilitated at all times. To this end, parents should have detailed itineraries in respect of trips. The tour leader should have contact telephone numbers for all parents. This information should also be available in the school during the course of the trip. Students on tour should each have, on her/his person, a card containing details of her/his name, home address and telephone number. This could be of vital importance if a student becomes detached from her/his party, especially if s/he is not fluent in the language of the country.

Approval of the Department of Education and Skills

The Department of Education and Skills requires that overseas tours, of whatever duration, and domestic tours, of more than three days duration, during school time have its approval. To obtain approval it is necessary to apply two months in advance of the proposed trip to the Department of Education and Skills, Post Primary Administration, Community and Comprehensive Schools Section, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, outlining the proposed itinerary and educational programme. (See Department of Education Circular of February, 1987 entitled "Out of School Educational Activities within the State", and the Circular of January 1979 entitled "Educational Visits by School Groups outside State".)

The DES was contacted by the Commission for Aviation Regulation in relation to the operation of school trips. The purpose of the contact was to assist schools in ensuring that pupils and staff who are travelling on foreign school trips are aware that the protection under the legislation in repatriating passengers and providing refunds to those prevented from travelling abroad only comes into operation where bookings are made directly with licensed travel agents and/or tour operators.

Therefore if any school wishes to organise a school tour abroad it must do so using a licensed tour operator or travel agent to arrange the travel package including accommodation and other services.

All monies must be paid directly to the tour operator or travel agent not to the school staff or event coordinator(s).

This requirement ensures that the trip is covered by the relevant bond held by the tour operator or travel agent with the Commission for Aviation Regulation as part of their annual licensing requirement, if for any reason the licence holder ceases to trade.

The full list of current licence holders is always available on www.aviationreg.ie

Passports

It is a common practice for organisers of tours to continental Europe to organise passports for the group. Passports are still required for travel to all countries except the United Kingdom. Visas are required for most non-E.U. countries. Applications on behalf of minors must be signed by both parents (if both are alive and maintaining parental responsibility in a legal sense). Principals may witness those signatures. Care should be taken that the signatories presenting are the people they purport to be. Particular care should be taken if the natural parents are separated or divorced.

Suitability of Location

Schools should only bring pupils to centres which are reputable and properly licensed, have suitably qualified and experienced staff for the activities offered and have appropriate insurance in place which indemnifies the Minister for Education and Skills, the Board of Management and those acting on behalf of the Board in respect of matters which fall within the responsibility of the centre. There should also be a sufficient school staff involvement to ensure adequate supervision and control at all times.

It is recommended that agreed procedures are put in place to deal with contingencies and irregularities which may arise in connection with school outings. Those procedures should be issued in writing by the Board of Management to all involved.

ACCS Policy Guidelines for the conduct of School Tours are available to assist Boards of Management in this task.