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Staffing ratios for trips and visits

Understand how to decide staffing ratios for school trips based on a risk assessment. Find guidance on what you need to consider, including extra requirements for pupils in the EYFS.

Last reviewed on 15 August 2024
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 5865
Contents
  1. Determine ratios based on your risk assessment
  2. Check if your employer has requirements
  3. Statutory requirements for EYFS pupils

Determine ratios based on your risk assessment

Specific staff ratios for school trips and visits aren't prescribed in law.

Instead, you need to carry out an appropriate risk assessment for the trip and determine your staffing needs based on that.

Decide the number of adults you need depending on:

  • The nature of the outing and the activities
  • The age and maturity of your pupils

This includes trips overseas.

Note that the DfE's guidance on health and safety on educational visits explains that you don't need to carry out a specific risk assessment for 'routine visits'. 

There are separate rules for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), see below.

See our examples of school trip risk assessments and our article on school trip health and safety  Find guidance and a mythbuster on school trips from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Take a look at this guidance on ratios from the Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel (OEAP). It includes: A framework to assess your