# How many staff do you need per pupil on a school trip abroad?

Source: https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/how-many-teachers-per-pupil-school-trip-abroad  
Publisher: Roamly Travel  
Last reviewed: 2026-10-30  
Audience: Schools

## Short answer

For pupils of school age in England there is no statutory staff to pupil ratio for a trip abroad. The number is set by your visit-specific risk assessment, using your employer's policy as the floor, and OEAP National Guidance says it is not possible to set definitive ratios for a given age group or activity. Overseas trips usually need more adults than a day visit because the group must stay properly supervised if a leader has to take a pupil to hospital.

## Key takeaways

- In England the only legal minimum ratios are in the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, which covers children up to age five. There is no equivalent figure for school-age pupils on a trip.
- The ratio is a risk management decision made through your risk assessment, and any minimum set by your employer or the law must be followed.
- OEAP recommends the STAGER framework (staffing, timing, activities, group, environment, remoteness) to work out how many adults the trip really needs.
- On an overseas trip, plan staffing so the group stays properly supervised when one leader is away with an ill or injured pupil.
- A member of staff who is supervising one pupil for most of the trip, or who is driving, should not be counted in the general ratio.

## Is there a legal staff to pupil ratio for school trips abroad?

No. For school-age pupils in England there is no single statutory ratio for educational visits. The Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel (OEAP) National Guidance, which the Department for Education points schools towards, says in document 4.3b that staffing ratios are a risk management issue to be determined through risk assessment, and that it is not possible to set down definitive ratios for a particular age group or activity. Its FAQ 6b confirms that, outside the Early Years Foundation Stage, there are no prescribed ratios and that you must also follow any requirements of your employer.

Legal minimums do exist for the youngest children. The EYFS statutory framework in England sets minimum ratios for providers working with children up to age five, and in Wales the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare cover outings for children up to age twelve. OEAP notes the right ratio for young children is often higher than the minimum, sometimes 1:1.

> **Your employer's minimum applies**
> Many local authorities, academy trusts and independent schools publish minimum ratios in their educational visits policy. OEAP says these are starting points for consideration rather than definitive, but if your employer or the law specifies a minimum, you must follow it. Check your policy before you cost the trip.

## How do you work out the right number of adults?

OEAP recommends the **STAGER** framework. Work through each factor for the actual trip, not a typical one, and record the reasoning in the risk assessment.

*STAGER applied to an overseas school trip (OEAP 4.3b)*

| Factor | Question to ask | Example effect on numbers |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Staffing | Who is available, how experienced are they, and what if one is taken ill? | A sole leader is a single point of failure, so add a deputy. |
| Timing | What time of year and day, how long, and how much support is there back at school out of hours? | Evening and overnight supervision on a residential needs rota cover. |
| Activities | What will the group do, including free time and travel days? | Walking tours in a crowded city need more adults than a seated workshop. |
| Group | Age, maturity, behaviour, prior experience and individual needs. | Pupils with medical needs or SEND may need dedicated support. |
| Environment | Urban, rural or remote, crowded or quiet, and the routes between venues. | Busy transport hubs and unfamiliar roads call for tighter supervision. |
| Remoteness | How easily can you contact school and summon emergency help? | A rural gite far from a hospital needs more resilience in the plan. |

Review the plan every time, even for a repeat trip. OEAP says to check it against the current group and conditions however well it worked before.

## What extra staffing does going abroad require?

OEAP guidance on overseas visits (document 7.1r) says to consider how easily a substitute leader could be sent out if one has to cover an emergency or leave. Document 4.3b is more specific: staffing for remote or overseas visits should allow for a leader becoming indisposed or having to leave the group, for example to accompany a sick child to hospital. In practice that means asking one question of every plan: if one adult disappears for several hours, is the rest of the group still properly supervised?

- **Hospital cover.** Plan for one adult to accompany a pupil, and stay overnight if needed, while the remaining adults still meet your ratio. Our [group travel emergency plan guide](https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/group-travel-emergency-plan) covers what that adult should carry.
- **Cities.** OEAP 7.1j says large groups are easily split on crowded pavements and at station barriers, and suggests dividing into smaller groups, which should be reflected in staff numbers.
- **Backup leader documents.** OEAP advises that any backup leader holds a valid passport and, where needed, a visa.
- **Mixed-sex groups.** There is no absolute requirement for staff of the same sex as the pupils, even on residentials, but without them you need a sound plan for privacy, safeguarding and welfare.

## Who counts towards the ratio?

Not every adult on the trip is available for general supervision. OEAP guidance on special educational needs and disabilities (document 4.4i) is clear on two groups:

- A member of staff who needs to supervise or care for an individual pupil for a significant proportion of the time should not be counted in the overall staffing numbers, because their focus is that pupil's wellbeing.
- A member of staff who is driving a vehicle cannot supervise passengers or deal with an emergency, so enough other adults must be available if pupils need supervision while travelling.
- Staff who are inexperienced in a particular activity may need to be counted as participants rather than leaders for that activity (OEAP 4.3b).

Factors that raise the number for pupils with additional needs include medication, toileting support, a higher chance of absconding and staff needing breaks when working one-to-one. See our guide to planning a school trip abroad for pupils with SEND.

## Do venues and operators set their own ratios?

Often, yes, and they can be stricter than your employer. As one verified example, the Louvre's published rules for school groups require a minimum of 7 people including adults and a maximum of 35, with one accompanying adult for every 8 pupils for the younger school cycles and one for every 15 for lycée-age groups. Groups without a reservation are refused entry to the galleries. Other venues, activity providers and ski schools publish their own rules, so list them against your itinerary and use the strictest figure that applies to each day.

Write the final staffing arrangement, and your reasons for it, into the risk assessment. DfE guidance expects the headteacher or governing board to give informed approval for trips that need a higher level of risk assessment. See our [school trip risk assessment guide](https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/school-trip-risk-assessment-uk) for the structure.

## How Roamly can help

Roamly plans group travel for schools, including itineraries, accommodation and ground transport, so you can see where supervision will be hardest, such as transfers and free time. Our free [travel risk assessment tool](https://www.roamlytravel.com/travel-risk-assessment) gives you a starting structure, and our [logistics service](https://www.roamlytravel.com/services/logistics) covers the operational detail. The ratio decision remains the school's. [Contact us](https://www.roamlytravel.com/contact) to talk through a trip.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is there a legal minimum number of teachers for a school trip abroad?

There is no statutory ratio for school-age pupils in England. The number comes from your risk assessment and your employer's policy, and a minimum set by your employer or the law must be followed. Legal minimum ratios exist only for early years provision.

### What staff to pupil ratio do most schools use?

It varies by employer and by trip. Many publish minimum figures that differ by age, destination and activity, and OEAP treats them as starting points rather than answers. Ask your educational visits coordinator for your employer's current policy.

### Can one teacher lead a trip abroad alone?

OEAP accepts there can be a sole leader on some activities, but says staffing for overseas visits should allow for a leader becoming ill or having to leave the group. A trip with a single adult has no cover for that, which is hard to justify for most overseas residentials.

### Do parent volunteers count in the ratio?

They can, if your employer's policy allows volunteers and they are suitably vetted and briefed. OEAP advises against giving a parent leader direct responsibility for their own child. Check your employer's rules on volunteers before relying on them.

## Sources

- [OEAP National Guidance 4.3b: Ratios and Effective Supervision (April 2026)](https://oeapng.info/downloads/download-info/4-3b-ratios-and-effective-supervision/)
- [OEAP National Guidance 6b: FAQs on ratios for visits](https://oeapng.info/downloads/download-info/6b-faqs-ratios-for-visits/)
- [OEAP National Guidance 4.4i: Special Educational Needs and Disability](https://oeapng.info/downloads/download-info/4-4i-special-educational-needs-and-disability/)
- [OEAP National Guidance 7.1r: Overseas Visits](https://oeapng.info/downloads/download-info/7r-overseas-visits/)
- [OEAP National Guidance 7.1j: Visiting Cities](https://oeapng.info/downloads/download-info/7-1j-visiting-cities/)
- [DfE: Health and safety on educational visits](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-safety-on-educational-visits/health-and-safety-on-educational-visits)
- [Louvre: group visit FAQ](https://www.louvre.fr/en/visit/faq/groups)