Policy and Procedures for Managing Fieldwork and Outdoor, Off-Site

Education Department Policy Document Procedures for Managing Fieldwork and Outdoor, Off-site Activities Policy and Procedures for Title : Managing Fieldwork and Outdoor, Off-site Activities Status : Active Approval Date : June 2011 December 2013 Date for Next Review : Managing Fieldwork and Outdoor, Off-site Originator : Activities Working Group Originator: Reviewed by: Approved by : Managing Fieldwork and Chris Durbin, Jonathan Straker Outdoor, Off-site Activities and Review Group Working Group Date: Date: Date: June 2011 REVISION STATUS TABLE Revision No Effective Reviewed Approved Summary of Revision Date By Date By Date 1 January 2011 Minor revisions AS 01/09 2 June 2011 Major revision CD/JS 05/11 Rationalising into policy, procedures, guidelines and support documents with new forms as part of the procedures. Changes are based on annual review meetings as well as consultation with those who have used the policy. 1 Education Department Policy Document Procedures for Managing Fieldwork and Outdoor, Off-site Activities POLICY DOCUMENT ANNUAL REVIEW This policy document is subject to an annual review by ESF that is formally documented to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness. Areas subject to review include, but are not limited to, follow-up action from previous reviews, policy conformity, review of complaints, status of corrective and preventive actions, and improvements for the forthcoming year. ESF reserves the right to amend this policy by notice following such review in circumstances in which it considers such change to be necessary or appropriate. Table of Contents Section Heading Page No 1. Purpose and Introduction 4 2. Scope 5 3. Definitions 5 4. Assessing Risk and Control Measures 10 5. Supervision and Activity Management 12 6. Training and Qualifications of Supervisory Adults 13 7. Equipment and First Aid 14 8. Insurance 16 9. Inclusion, Suitability, Behaviour and Medical Conditions 17 10. Hazards in Hong Kong 19 11. Briefing and Training of Students 22 12. Incident and Communication Management 23 13. Compliance, Monitoring and Evaluation 24 Appendices Heading Page No Appendix A1 Planning checklist for leaders – high and medium risk trips - 26 compulsory Appendix A2 Planning checklist for leaders – low risk trips - compulsory 28 Appendix A3 Approval forms for all school trips – compulsory 29 Appendix A4 A checklist for the initial determination of risk level, high medium or 30 low -compulsory Appendix B1 Risk assessment – all school trips – compulsory 31 Appendix C1 Medication log for prescribed medicines with permission from 35 parents – compulsory for all schools overnight camps and expeditions Appendix C2 Incident reports and first aid medical attention - - compulsory 36 Appendix C3 Confidential student medical information and contact details update - 37 compulsory Appendix C4 Medical information and contact details update for all adults on 41 medium and high risk trips - - compulsory confidential Appendix C5 Medical information and contact details update for low risk trips 45 - advisory – confidential Appendix C6 First aid kits - advisory 46 Appendix C7 Medicines for trips to remote rural areas and developing countries – 47 advisory Appendix D1 Emergency checklist for trip leaders and school leadership 48 - advisory Appendix E1 Example of a parental consent form for out of school visits and 49 activities including sporting and extra-curricular activities Appendix E2 Example of a parent consent letter for camps and overseas trips - 51 2 Education Department Policy Document Procedures for Managing Fieldwork and Outdoor, Off-site Activities advisory Appendix F1 Informing Hong Kong police procedures on outdoor activities – 52 compulsory if travelling to rural areas of Hong Kong Appendix F2 Police notification form for school outing in rural area 53 Appendix G1 Approval of outside agencies – compulsory 54 Appendix H1 Monitoring fieldwork and outdoor education activities: collating 55 accidents and near accidents and school evaluation process– compulsory Appendix H2 Annual return: fieldwork and outdoor education activities – 56 compulsory 3 Education Department Policy Document Procedures for Managing Fieldwork and Outdoor, Off-site Activities 1. Purpose and Introduction 1.1 The purpose of this policy is to govern the management of fieldwork and outdoor, off-site activities. The document represents the Foundation’s policy and procedures rather than guidance. This policy is to support and protect students, teachers and other adult helpers engaged in these activities. ESF recognises that extra-curricular and co-curricular activities as well as curricular fieldwork tasks are an integral part of an education at an ESF school. ESF is committed to sustaining and developing these activities and through this policy give confidence to all those involved. 1.2 These procedures were initially written in 2005 with the view to achieving higher standards and greater consistency of practice across ESF schools. In achieving this, we have influenced the standards across providers of outdoor education in Hong Kong and many other international schools have improved their procedures based on this piece of work. Vigilance remains necessary and in annual reviews of risks, new and improved risk management has resulted. 1.3 The purpose of this review is to further embed the standards of risk management whilst sustaining the richness of the adventures and fieldwork that is undertaken with students. These procedures have been reviewed by people with a variety of expertise and experience with the view to building on the dedication and diligence of school leaders and teachers over the last six years. 1.4 The objectives of this reviewed document are to develop procedures that: • are clearer and sectioned appropriately; • are built into the Gateway to enable schools to manage the process more effectively; • embed monitoring arrangements at school and Foundation levels; • include knowledge gained from the annual review procedure for accidents/near accidents; • improve dovetailing with other, related procedures; • include common risk assessment procedures; and • incorporate additions where schools have enhanced the methodology of the original policy. 1.5 A further pool of expertise has been created through the further development of these procedures. This group, though its membership is fluid according to need, will act as an advisory committee for the annual review of the procedures with the Director of Education [or a representative], the Head of Student Support and the oversight of the training and development programme, with the Head of Continuous Professional Development (CPD). The members of the current group are: Name Contact Location Email Chris Durbin ESF Centre [email protected] Jonathan Straker ESF Centre [email protected] Nick Cotton Renaissance College [email protected] Paul Chillingworth Island School [email protected] John Ainsworth Bradbury School [email protected] Su Cowland South Island School [email protected] Paul Hamblin Kennedy School [email protected] Lucy Clarke Emergency Care Training [HK] [email protected] Geoff Lofthouse Sha Tin College [email protected] James Fisher KGV School [email protected] Annette Chapman South Island School [email protected] Steve Fennelly Bradbury School [email protected] 4 Education Department Policy Document Procedures for Managing Fieldwork and Outdoor, Off-site Activities 2. Scope 2.1 The procedures covered here aim to include activities at all ESF schools, PIS Schools and ESF Kindergartens, irrespective of the age of the student. These now include all journeys off-site. 2.2 This document does not cover Health and Safety in Physical Education and Sports [reference Health and Safety in Physical Education and Extra-curricular Sporting Activities a New Policy for December 2011] however this document now covers the travelling to and from any events offsite. Provision is made for permission for visits to other ESF schools and very low risk and short duration trips. 3. Definitions 3.1 The procedures to be followed depend on the risks involved in the visit. Defining the risk, through a consistent approach to risk assessment, is therefore very important. The purpose of this section is to: • define the factors influencing risk; • understand the levels of risk on a trip; and • allow decision makers to decide which set of procedures to follow. 3.2 Factors in risk management 3.2.1 Risk assessment is about ensuring that clear thinking about health and safety takes place. Thinking and systematic recording are required procedures, and in doing these, risks will be reduced. 3.2.2 Documentation and referral processes allow teachers to demonstrate that they have acted responsibly to anticipate risks. In preparing for risk, documentation supports teachers, and illustrates that teachers have shown appropriate and relevant care of all ESF students. 3.2.3 Risk assessment and management is about weighing up the balance of probability. This is illustrated in Fig 3.1 It is about analysing and bringing together three broad areas that influence risk: A. the nature of the activities and equipment; B. the environment in which they are set; C. the capacity of the student and accompanying adults to conduct the activities in the environment. The activities and The environment equipment Climate Adventurous nature Terrain Equipment used Water Contact with animals Health and health Unsupervised work care

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