Overseas Excursion Policy

Pomegranate Tours is committed to creating a safe educational experience for schools taking students overseas.

Every excursion undertaken will be thoroughly planned and risks will be assessed with appropriate control measures undertaken.  Planning will be conducted based on the following guidelines and using standard planning forms.

1    Responsibilities

1.1 Pomegranate Tours

Pomegranate Tours will develop an itinerary for overseas excursions aimed at addressing stated learning outcomes.  Pomegranate Tours is responsible for organising and booking all transport (air and land), accommodation and activities.

In order to promote the safety of students and supervisors on the excursion, Pomegranate Tours is responsible for providing a risk assessment and advice regarding control of risks which incorporates:

• Accommodation
• Activities
• Travel
• Country - visa, legal aspects, medical precautions

Additional information may be required from the Teacher in Charge to assess risks associated with student behaviours and abilities.

Pomegranate tours will also provide advice on cultural issues and differences which may impact on the safety of participants.

Pomegranate Tours will participate in briefings to supervisors and students as required.

1.2 Principal

The Principal is responsible for approving all excursions, usually based on:

• the major learning outcomes and relevance to the curriculum;
• cost;
• the approximate number and year level of students;
• the number of accompanying staff and other adults;
• transport arrangements;
• activities to be undertaken;
• the assessed risk of the above and suggested controls; and
• the communication and emergency arrangements to be implemented.

In addition, appropriate information must be provided to parents including medical form, consent form, proposed itinerary, proposed accommodation arrangements if applicable, and anticipated expenses.

1.3  Teacher in charge (TIC)

The teacher organising an excursion (some activities may be delegated to other staff members) is responsible for:

• Identifying the learning goals to be achieved and students attending;
• Determining the number of assistants required based on established staff/student ratios and special needs of the group;
• Determining excursion location;
• Seeking approval from the principal;
• Seeking approval from parents;
• Obtaining medical details and emergency contacts from parents;
• Organising other equipment if required;
• Completing the necessary approval requests within the required timeframes;
• Briefing students and adults regarding the excursion, activities to be undertaken, activities prohibited and behaviour expectations;
• Supervising the excursion;
• Responding to emergencies if they arise;
• Evaluating the excursion after completion.

Pomegranate Tours will assist the Teacher in Charge to:

• Determine a suitable schedule;
• Determine transport requirements;
• Determine activities to be undertaken on the excursion;
• Organise transport, communication and first aid equipment as required;
• Develop an excursion plan.

1.4  Parents and Guardians

Parents and guardians have a responsibility to provide all reasonable information requested by the school or Pomegranate Tours in an appropriate format and timeframe.

This will be communicated to parents by the Teacher in Charge.

Should a student exhibit behaviour that seriously endangers themselves or others, parents and guardians must agree to accept the full cost of returning the student early.

1.5  Students

Students have a responsibility to behave in the manner prescribed in the pre-excursion briefings.  Failure to behave appropriately may result in students being sent home early at their own expense.

2        Procedure

The suggested procedure for an overseas excursion is:

• submit a Variation to Routine Form to the Principal to advise of the planned excursion, activities to be undertaken before, after and during excursion, student learning outcomes, date and time and requirements for transport and supervision (TIC)
• if approved, Pomegranate Tours with assistance of TIC to complete a risk assessment which must be submitted to the Principal for continued approval
• TIC obtain parent/guardian approval and relevant student information
• Pomegranate Tours to develop a proposed itinerary, including accommodations, suppliers and total cost of tour
• TIC, with assistance from Pomegranate Tours, develop an Excursion plan which must be submitted prior to the excursion for final approval
• Pomegranate Tours recommend appropriate insurances and, with TIC, ensure these are in place prior to the excursion. (Copies of all insurance documents must be sighted by Pomegranate Tours prior to departure.)
• TIC undertake student and staff briefings
• TIC undertake the excursion as the lead supervisor
• Pomegranate Tours provide additional escort/s for the excursion
• TIC complete and submit an excursion evaluation within 1 week of return.
  

3        Suppliers

Pomegranate Tours will choose reputable travel providers.  Pomegranate Tours will conduct research into suppliers to ensure only legitimate suppliers of flights, ground travel, accommodation and activities are used.  A risk assessment will be conducted to ensure the best available options are chosen.

4        Student Supervision Ratios

All overseas excursions require a minimum of TWO teachers to supervise.  Where student numbers exceed 20 a minimum supervisor / student ratio of 1:10 PLUS 1 will apply, where a minimum of 2 supervisors will be teaching staff.  The additional supervisor is required to ensure minimum ratios can be maintained in the event of a contingency plan being implemented.

The minimum ratio is applicable for medium risk countries such as Western Europe where the excursion purpose is history, culture and/or art.

Where sport or adventure activities are undertaken, the Department of Education Guidelines for the Safe Conduct of Sport and Physical Activities in Schools, or the relevant Adventure Activity Standard will be consulted for minimum supervision requirements.

If the excursion is to a country with higher identified risks, such as the Middle East, Africa or Asia, the supervision ratio will be adjusted accordingly, with 1:5 PLUS ONE being used as a guide.

Other factors which will need to be considered include:

• the age and gender of the students (gender balance of staff),
• the total number of students,
• the activities in which the students are participating,
• the location or venue,
• the intellectual and physical capacity of the students, particularly in relation to the activities,
• the potential hazards of the activity,
• past experience of the behaviour of the students,
• experience of accompanying adults in student supervision and the country concerned, and
• emergency cover.

5        Code of conduct

The TIC is responsible for developing rules which must be observed by all participants on the excursion, including students, parents and adults.  Rules will include, but not be limited to:

• use of ‘free time',
• curfews,
• fraternisation with opposite sex and / or locals,
• consumption of alcohol, etc.

6        Passport / Visa

Pomegranate Tours will advise on passport and visa requirements of the destination country / countries.  Pomegranate Tours and the TIC will organise appropriate travel documents for all participants.

If any students carry non-Australian passports, Pomegranate Tours will research and advise on visa requirements.

Copies of all travel documents will be retained by the school.

Pomegranate Tours will advise the relevant Australian Embassy/ies of the itinerary and provide contact details.

7        Medicines / Vaccinations

Pomegranate Tours will determine restriction on medicines being taken in to / out of the original and destination countries, and any vaccinations required, and provide this information to the TIC.

The TIC will advise parents / guardians of these and keep a register of student medications and vaccinations.  A copy of the register will be retained by the school.

The school reserves the right to refuse participation to any students who refuse to undertake the recommended vaccination schedule.  The final decision rests with the Principal.

8        First Aid

At least one staff member on the excursion must have a first aid certificate and this must be at least at the Senior First aid certificate level.

Pomegranate Tours will determine appropriate first aid requirements for the excursion.  The TIC is responsible for ensuring the agreed kits are taken on the excursion.

9        Accommodation

Pomegranate Tours will recommend appropriate accommodation, considering:

• cost
• weather / climate
• locality
• facilities
• assessed risk.

A risk assessment for each accommodation will be provided by Pomegranate Tours.

Where camping is to be undertaken, a prior inspection for a risk assessment is preferred.  If this is not possible, Pomegranate Tours may rely on recommendations from associates and documentation from the camping provider when conducting the risk assessment. 

10      Transport

Pomegranate Tours will recommend appropriate transportation.  All air transport will be provided by recognised suppliers of good repute.  Ground transport will be appropriate to the location of the excursion and based on the assessed risks.

The Principal is responsible for approving all transport arrangements.

Pomegranate Tours will then make all transport arrangements.

Pomegranate Tours will provide advice regarding any luggage restrictions and other in-flight requirements.

11      Activities

Pomegranate Tours and the TIC will recommend activities to be undertaken on the excursion.  Where activities are provided by a third party, this organisation will be a recognised supplier of good repute.

A risk assessment of the activities to be undertaken will be conducted by Pomegranate Tours with the assistance of the TIC.

12      Money

The school, with input from Pomegranate Tours, will determine a policy regarding use of traveller's cheques and cash by students.  Consideration will be given to the duration of the excursion, number of different currencies, availability of ATM's and other banking options, safety of students carrying cash, etc when determining maximum amounts of cash to be carried by students.  The money policy will be communicated to students and parents / guardians in the pre-excursion briefing.

13      Communication

Communication is central to the safe conduct of overseas excursions.  A communication strategy, including portable devices, will be developed by Pomegranate Tours for each excursion.

The TIC is responsible for ensuring full written communication with parents / guardians prior to the excursion.  Students will be briefed on the excursion itinerary and rules.

Contact lists will be maintained by the TIC, with a copy retained at the school.

Pomegranate Tours will prepare a wallet insert for each participant detailing emergency, hotel and consulate telephone numbers, in both English and the destination language (where appropriate).

Pomegranate Tours will provide advice on the availability of landlines, coverage of mobile telephones, etc to enable the TIC to formulate an appropriate communication plan for the excursion.

The TIC is responsible for ensuring adequate communication facilities are in place for the excursion.

14      Risk Assessment

Pomegranate Tours, with input from the TIC, is responsible for undertaking a comprehensive risk assessment of all overseas excursions.  The risk assessment must cover:

• accommodation
• location/s of excursion;
• all activities involved in the excursion;
• travel to and from and during the excursion;
• venues.

The risk assessment will identify all potential hazards arising from the excursion and assess the level of risk posed by these hazards.  The Risk Matrix below will be used to undertake the risk assessment.  The assessor asks two questions for each hazard: what is the likelihood of injury? and what is the severity of injury possible?  The answers lead to a priority ranking, with the lower number being the higher risk and thus requiring more stringent risk controls. 

 

The risk assessment will also list the control strategies to be used based on the hierarchy of controls below.  Controls should involve elimination of the hazard wherever possible.  Where elimination is not possible the highest level control possible will be used and a combination of controls if necessary.

1. Eliminate the hazard eg don't go on the excursion.
2. Substitute the hazard with a lower risk eg locate an alternate site for the excursion.
3. Use engineering controls eg provide temporary fencing of hazard such as a waterhole at excursion site.
4. Use administrative controls eg implement safety rules, increase supervision, brief all participants, change direction of travel to avoid waterhole.
5. Use personal protective equipment eg issue floatation vests to all participants - clearly not the best solution!

Documentation supplied by a venue or supplier may be used in the risk assessment.  Where documentation is not supplied or considered inadequate, Pomegranate Tours will need to undertake the assessment either by visiting the venue or obtaining information from a reputable local authority, tour organiser etc. 

Where information is not sufficient or hazards not sufficiently controlled, the venue or activities must be changed. 

The TIC is responsible for ensuring student factors are included in the risk assessment.  This may include age of student, any disabilities or known conditions and known behavioural issues.  Where necessary, the TIC will determine controls to minimise risks for specific students.

15      Excursion Plan

The TIC, in consultation with the Pomegranate Tours, must complete an excursion plan.  The information from the risk assessment will assist with completion of the excursion plan.  This document should be used to record the details of the excursion as well as responsibilities of individual supervisors, and provides a guide for all concerned at the beginning and during the excursion.

Pomegranate Tours will provide a proforma for the Excursion Plan if required.

16      Excursion Briefings

A minimum of one briefing should take place prior to the excursion.  The number of briefings required will be determined by the TIC.  The TIC must ensure briefings are held at an appropriate time, attendance is recorded, and handouts supplied as necessary.  Pomegranate Tours will speak at meetings as required.

Briefings should be provided to all supervisors, both staff and volunteers.  Students must also receive a briefing outlining their responsibilities, expectations of behaviour standards, emergency procedures and communication strategies, and the itinerary and activities planned.

The Excursion Plan should form the basis of the briefing/s provided to all supervisors prior to the excursion. 

During the excursion, Pomegranate Tours and the TIC will meet daily to review the itinerary and make changes where required.

17      Contingency Plan

Whilst a risk assessment will be undertaken and controls implemented, a contingency plan will be developed to deal with emergencies should they arise.  The contingency plan will be developed by the TIC with input from Pomegranate Tours, with the Principal responsible for signing off the plan.

The contingency plan should include the risks identified in the risk assessment, medical emergencies, major incidents, and student discipline.  The contingency plan must be considered in determining minimum supervision numbers.  It must be possible to implement the contingency plan and continue the excursion for remaining students whilst maintaining supervisor / student ratios.

18      Excursion Evaluation

A post-excursion evaluation should be undertaken for every excursion.  The TIC should consult with other supervisors and possibly students and Pomegranate Tours in the preparation of the summary evaluation. 

19      Documentation

Copies of all excursion documentation must be retained at the school in case of emergency, and kept for a minimum of 5 years.  They may be used in the event of an incident and for planning future excursions.  Documentation which must be retained includes:

• contact lists
• risk assessments
• excursion plan
• excursion briefings, including handouts supplied and attendance list
• contingency plan
• excursion evaluation