Briefings and Parental Consent

For any residential trip, It is imperative that parents are given full written details regarding the organisation and administration of the activity/visit, e.g.

• Purpose;
• Content of programme, including details of all available activities;
• Likely hazards and the level of foreseeable risk;
• Dates and times;
• Destination and location (including telephone number and address), mode of travel, and accommodation;
• Code of conduct expected of students;
• Staffing details to include names, experience and expertise of accompanying teaching staff and voluntary helpers plus information regarding the training and experience of activity centre staff;
• Special clothing or equipment required;
• Insurance;
• Telephone numbers including the school/college and emergency numbers in the home locality and at the venue; and the
• Emergency procedure for contacting parents.

Additionally, students should be provided with briefing on:

• The code of conduct; and
• The aims/objectives of the activity/visit
• The risk assessment that has gone on

Where significant, foreseeable levels of risk may occur during the activity there should be a clear understanding or agreement with participants and parents as to the nature and degree of risk that is acceptable.

The Parental Consent form on the intranet should provide parents with the majority of these details. Briefing meetings for parents and students can also help to endorse this information in advance of the visit. You must also send the parents a copy of the pupil code of conduct that the pupils will be signing so they are clear as to what it says and for them to countersign.

The Parental Consent form on the intranet must be completed, in advance, for each student participating in the residential trip or activity. It is drafted to recognise a legal guardian where there are no natural parents or where parental responsibility is not straightforward. The school should exercise its right to refuse to take a student on an activity or trip if the parents or guardians do not sign the consent form.

The Deputy Organisation must be sent a blank copy of the Parental consent form before it is sent out.

reviewed rca 18/12/09
reviewed eaw 26/10/10
reveiwed eaw 19/10/11