Determine ratios based on the risk assessment

It is for schools to determine the number of adults required on an educational visit, depending on the nature of the outing. This was explained to us by the Department for Education (DfE).

This also applies to school trips abroad. 

You're expected to carry out an appropriate risk assessment, and determine your staffing needs based on that assessment. 

Contact DfE, GOV.UK – DfE https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education#org-contacts

Check whether your LA has requirements

Some local authorities (LAs) set their own staffing ratios, so you should check local arrangements. If the LA is the employer in your school, you must comply with its directions on health and safety.

Guidance from the DfE on health and safety in schools explains that this is a requirement of section 29(5) of the Education Act 2002. This section says that headteachers in schools where the LA is the employer must comply with any such direction from the LA.

The LA is the employer in community and voluntary controlled schools, and maintained nursery schools.

Health and safety: advice on legal duties and powers, GOV.UK – DfE (Adobe pdf file) https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/335111/DfE_Health_and_Safety_Advice_06_02_14.pdf

Education Act 2002: section 29, legislation.gov.uk https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/32/section/29

Even if the LA isn’t the employer, if you buy into any educational visits management system it has, you may still be expected to meet ratios set within this system.

EYFS trips

The DfE explained that before each trip with children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), you must complete a full risk assessment. There should be at least as many adults to children as there would be in the classroom.

The relevant adult to child ratios are set out on pages 23-27 of the Statutory Framework for the EYFS. We summarise these requirements in our article on staffing ratios and qualification requirements in the EYFS.

The appropriate ratio on an outing is likely to be higher than these minimum requirements, according to guidance from the Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel (OEAP).

The EYFS framework also says:

• Children must be kept safe while on outings
• You must assess risks and identify steps to be taken to minimise and manage those risks
• This assessment must include consideration of adult to child ratios, but does not necessarily need to be in writing
• At least one person who has a current paediatric first aid certificate must accompany children on outings

This is set out on pages 22 and 31 of the framework.

Statutory framework for the EYFS, GOV.UK – DfE (Adobe pdf file) https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/596629/EYFS_STATUTORY_FRAMEWORK_2017.pdf

You can download the OEAP's guidance on ratios and supervision from the following page:

Ratios and effective supervision, OEAP https://oeapng.info/downloads/download-info/4-3b-ratios-and-effective-supervision/

Factors to consider

The DfE’s guidance on health and safety, linked to above, says that “common sense should be used in assessing and managing the risks of any activity”. Health and safety procedures should always be proportionate to the risks of an activity. This is explained on page 4.

Try using the framework and factors suggested by the OEAP (in the guidance linked to above) for assessing requirements:

• Staffing: who is needed or available? How competent are staff? What would be the consequences if a member of staff was indisposed?
• Activities: what do you want the group to do and what is possible? How long will the visit last?
• Group characteristics: prior experience, age, abilities, behaviour and maturity, gender and any specific needs (e.g., medical, dietary, emotional or educational)
• Environment: indoors or out? Public space or restricted access? Urban, rural or remote? Don’t forget about environments you’ll pass through as well

While it isn't possible to set down definitive ratios for a particular age group or activity, the OEAP gives the following starting points for consideration:

• Years 1 to 3: 1:6
• Years 4 to 6: 1:10 or 1:15
• Years 7 upwards: 1:15 or 1:20

However, it says these ratios wouldn’t be adequate to meet the needs of most residential or more complex visits.

The ratios above were originally taken from guidance from the Department for Education and Skills.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has published guidance for schools on planning and leading adventurous activities.

It looks at factors to take into account when determining ratios on page 26.

Planning and leading visits and adventurous activities, RoSPA (Adobe pdf file) http://www.rospa.com/rospaweb/docs/advice-services/school-college-safety/school-visits-guide.pdf

Next, have a look at our article on risk assessments for school trips.

Which adults can be counted?

The DfE told us that whether specific adults can be included in staffing ratios for school trips is at the discretion of the headteacher.

Staff can be included in the ratios if the headteacher is confident that they are capable of carrying out the role safely and responsibly. This applies for all adults working in the school. 

He added that schools should check with their LAs to see if there are any local requirements.