School trips

Teachers should lead more school trips and stop worrying about the risk of being sued over accidents, the Commons education and skills select committee said.

The MPs called for ministers to intensify efforts to promote the benefits of fieldwork trips, outdoor activities and visits to the theatre.
 
The decline of outdoor education must be reversed, and all pupils should have access to this vital area of development, the MPs said. 

Party Response: Conservative

Tim Collins, shadow education secretary,  said: "The blame culture that now surrounds school trips has done enormous damage to supervised out-of-classroom learning.

 

"This has left our children a lot poorer as a result. We will ensure that head teachers will have the power to require parents to sign a waiver explaining that they accept the inherent risks of these trips."

 

Stakeholder Response: NASUWT

 

Chris Keates, NASUWT general secretary, has  issued a statement saying: "NASUWT has always maintained that  education outside the classroom can provide a valuable educational  experience and curriculum enrichment.