Schoolchildren must go on trips, says HSC

Teachers should ensure that pupils are able to enjoy school trips despite the potential health and safety risks involved.

That is the opinion of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC), which has urged educators to use commonsense when determining whether a trip for youngsters is viable.

Judith Hackitt, chairperson of the HSC, that while concerns for the safety of teachers is a real concern, this should be no reason to put a stop on excursions altogether.

Ms Hackitt made her comments while at the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) conference in Birmingham yesterday (Wednesday, March 26th).

She explained: "School trips are an essential part of every child's education and by not finding a way to make them happen we are failing in our duty to prepare them for life.

"Health and safety is used by many as an excuse for not doing things. My message is to take a common sense and proportionate approach when managing the health and safety aspects of organising a school trip. Share good practice with colleagues, reams of paper work is rarely the way to effective safety management."

Ms Hackitt went on to say that schools which are assessing risk effectively should share their knowledge with other establishments to enable more pupils to enjoy outings.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, commented: "There can be no compromise on the health and safety of teachers and all who use a school site. Risk assessments are a tool not only to prevent accident or injury but to evaluate a situation when something goes wrong to ensure it doesn't happen again."