HS108 Outings and Excersions 25.4

Outings and Excursions Policy V3

Reference:

Licensing Criteria HS113: Whenever children leave centre premises they are on an excursion.

Statement of Intent:

At Windsor Montessori, we recognise the importance of real-life experiences for tamariki. We aim to support tamariki learning about the people, places and things in their community and beyond by providing tamariki with a varied and wide experience through organised day trips and outings. It is our policy to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all tamariki during these experiences through planning, risk assessment, management and supervision processes.

Our Aim:

To ensure kaiako are provided with clear guidelines when planning for a variety of experiences outside our preschool.

Definitions:

Outing or Excursion:

Being outside the licensed premises whilst receiving education and care from the service, but does not include an outing for the purposes of emergency evacuations, drills or the receipt of urgent medical attention.

Regular/Spontaneous Outing or Excursion:

Outings or excursions that parents/whānau/caregivers have given permission on the enrolment form for their tamariki to participate in, such as arranged or spontaneous supervised walks in the vicinity of the preschool.

Special Outing or Excursion:

Outings or excursions that parents/whanau/caregivers have provided permission for before the outing takes place, such as those that may involve transport in a motor vehicle/bus and are not ‘regular or spontaneous’ excursions

The Head Teacher/Person Responsible will approve and oversee any outing or excursion.

Procedures:

Prior to an Excursion

Parent permission

Parents will be fully informed of all excursions that take place. They will beInformation will be provided to parents/whānau/caregivers about the trip, including permission sheet to be signed which identify the adult:child ratio.

Parents give prior written approval to their tamaiti participation and of the proposed ratio, location and method of travel for:
- Regular excursion at the time of enrolment, and
- Special excursions prior to the excursion taking place

Parents must be fully informed and give clear permission. This means services need to provide all the relevant details and get written or digital approval from each parent. Parents must:

Be given the chance to see the completed RAMS
Understand the proposed adult:child ratios
Confirm their approval
For regular excursions, the RAMS should be available for parents to view and approve when they enrol their tamaiti

Risk Assessment Management (RAMS)

The Risk Assessment Management (RAMS) form will be completed prior to the excursion. Planning for each outing and excursion includes risk assessment (travel arrangements, any hazards identified to and from the destination, including any possible hazards at the destination/venue such as proximity of water and environmental factors such as weather. The risk assessment is signed off by the Head Kaiako/Person Responsible.

If there are changes to a regular excursion, another RAMS will be completed and approval will be sought from the whānau.

Kaiako will identify such logistics as the location of toilets, places to eat, places to take shelter in bad weather, places for transport to park, identify any hazards (at the location and between the location and the parking area).

Health and safety factors will be taken into account in planning and executing any excursion, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

Communication - There is a clear communication plan in place.

There are communication systems in place so that people know where tamariki are, and adults can communicate with others as necessary.
Planning (route and transport method) is made available to parents, along with the mobile phone number of the person responsible on the excursion
The person responsible on the outing has a mobile phone for emergencies and a list of parents’ contact numbers.

Record Keeping

A record of excursions will include:

the names of adults and tamariki involved;
the time and date of the excursion;
Adult:child ratios
the location and method of travel;
A completed assessment and management of risk;(RAMS)

Medical supplies

A First Aid kit and personal medication will be taken on all excursions
Personal medication for any tamariki attending the preschool e.g. inhalers, EpiPens, epilepsy etc

Ratios

The risk assessment takes the number of tamariki attending and the environmental hazards into account. The more environmental hazards, the more adults are required for supervision and safety. For example, if bodies of water are in the vicinity, the ratio must be adjusted accordingly, as the risk is higher.
The ratios must include all tamariki on the excursion, i.e. accompanying siblings are part of the ratio, not just enrolled tamariki
Ratios – Over Twos: 1 adult to 4 tamariki
Ratio will be noted if risk factors are identified.
If the excursion involves a trip near water then the ratio will be 1 adult to every tamaiti.
If the excursion is to our local park, the ratio will be 1 adult to every 6 tamariki
Parents/whānau/caregivers or other adult helpers are included in ratios for excursions. If there are insufficient adults to meet the legally-required ratios for tamariki on the excursion the excursion will be postponed or cancelled. Age group, distance, destination, transport and length of trip will be considered when deciding on ratios for outings and excursions.

Procedure:

Parent Helpers / Volunteers:

Parent helpers/volunteers are a key part of adult:child ratio; they are critical to the success of the supervision and health and safety on an excursion. Prior to departure, parent helpers/volunteers will be debriefed and their role and responsibilities outlined. Items that may be included in the debrief include:

Being made aware of which tamariki they are responsible for. A list will be provided with the names of tamariki in their care.
Made aware of the itinerary, timetable and general logistics of the excursion.
Supervising tamariki in their care. This means being close enough to keep them safe at all times. They should not let any tamaiti leave their group.
If a parent has a health condition which might compromise their ability to supervise throughout the excursion, they will be asked prior to the excursion.
Staying with the group at all times – unless some part of the activity is on a rotating basis. If they need to leave the group for some reason, they will be asked to notify kaiako first.
Parents/whānau/carers need to accept that there is no place for smoking, alcohol, or other illegal drugs on any excursion.
Parents/whānau/carers need to agree to follow all the requests and expectations of the teaching team.
Parents will be advised to seek immediate help from kaiako if required.
Parents will be made clear about what is acceptable in terms of taking photographs of tamariki on the excursion.
Parents will be advised about the arrangements for toileting, food/drink, looking after tamariki belongings, who has the First Aid Kit, the number of the emergency cell phone and what will happen in any emergency.(i.e. adults should not take groups away from the main group unless this is planned and organised).

Transport (HS114)

Before going on a planned excursion, written permission must be obtained from parents. If travel takes place via a motor vehicle, this needs to be stated and signed by the parent.
The Person Responsible must approve the transport plan and is able to contact the contact person to find where tamariki are at any time, e.g. in which car the tamaiti is travelling in
Staff will not transport one tamaiti alone, unless it is their own tamaiti
All tamariki travelling in a motor vehicle must be restrained as per Land Transport regulations – refer to the Motor Vehicle Transport Policy (HS114)
Required adult:child ratios are maintained;
The driver must have a full licence and the car must have a current WoF and Registration

Date: November 2025

Review Date: November 2027