What should a school trip consent form include?
- Last reviewed
- 6 min read
- For schools
The short answer
A school trip consent form should record that parents have been given enough information to make an informed decision, and then capture the specific consents the trip needs: participation, emergency medical treatment, medical and dietary details, sharing data with providers, photographs, the code of conduct and the financial terms. For a trip abroad, written consent is the norm, and leaders should be ready to show evidence of it at borders and to medical staff.
Key takeaways
- Consent should be specific, informed, unambiguous and freely given by an affirmative action such as a tick or signature (OEAP 4.3d).
- DfE guidance says written consent is usually needed for trips that need a higher level of risk assessment or take place outside normal school hours, which covers almost every trip abroad.
- Beyond consent to take part, forms commonly need separate consent for emergency medical treatment, sharing personal data with providers, and use of photographs.
- You must not take a child under 16 out of the UK without the consent of everyone with parental responsibility, so leaders should carry evidence of consent for the whole group.
- Do not let a provider's own form create financial commitments or waivers between parents and the provider. Contracts should sit between the school and the parent, or the school and the provider.
Do you need written parental consent for a trip abroad?
In practice, yes. DfE guidance on health and safety on educational visits says written consent is usually needed for trips that need a higher level of risk assessment or take place outside normal school hours, and a trip abroad is nearly always both. OEAP National Guidance goes further: parental consent is needed for a child under 18 to take part in all off-site visits, except certain visits during normal hours that form part of the school's curriculum (Education Act 2002, section 29).
There is also a legal point specific to travel. Guidance on taking a child abroad says you need the permission of everyone with parental responsibility, or of a court. OEAP's overseas visits guidance applies the same principle to groups: you must not take a child under 16 outside the UK without that consent, and border officials sometimes ask for evidence of it.
What should a school trip consent form include?
OEAP separates consent to take part from the information you collect about the child, though many schools use one combined form. Whichever you use, the table sets out the sections a trip abroad usually needs.
| Section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Trip details | Purpose, destinations, dates, travel arrangements, accommodation and supervision, so consent is informed. |
| Participation | Consent for the child to take part in the listed activities, with any higher-risk activities named. |
| Emergency medical treatment | Consent for treatment if parents cannot be reached, including anaesthetics, a blood transfusion and, where prescribed, an adrenaline auto-injector or asthma reliever. |
| Medical and dietary information | Conditions, allergies, medication, dietary needs and anything affecting participation, plus a promise to update the school of any change. |
| Data sharing | Agreement to share contact, medical and behavioural information with named providers, in line with the school's privacy notice. |
| Photographs | Specific consent if the school or a provider will use recognisable images, separate from safety or security uses. |
| Behaviour | Agreement to the code of conduct, including the circumstances in which a child may be sent home and who pays for that. |
| Costs and cancellation | Price, deposits, payment dates, what is included, what happens to surplus funds and the cancellation terms. |
| Insurance | A summary of the cover that applies and anything parents must arrange or declare. |
| Contacts | Emergency contacts, how parents can reach the group, and the home contact at school. |
OEAP publishes a free model parental information and consent form (document 8.1e) that you can adapt. Your employer may require its own template, so check your educational visits policy first.
Should consent be one-off or specific to the trip?
OEAP describes two approaches and leaves the choice to the employer or school. One-off consent is gathered at enrolment or annually and covers visits in general, but it must be turned into informed consent before each visit by telling parents about the trip and giving them the chance to withdraw. Visit-specific consent is needed in situations such as:
- visits to countries that require proof of parental consent
- visits where parents must agree payment or other terms and conditions
- cases where a provider's consent form is used
A trip abroad almost always involves payment terms and travel documents, so trip-specific consent is the safer approach. Consent can be given electronically if the system lets parents confirm they have been informed, records when and by whom consent was given, and can capture consent from everyone with parental responsibility where needed.
Who can give consent?
DfE guidance on parental responsibility, quoted by OEAP, says schools should normally seek consent from the resident parent unless the decision is likely to have a long-term and significant impact on the child, or the non-resident parent has asked to be consulted every time. If you seek consent from both parents, OEAP advises treating consent as not given unless both have agreed, and keeping out of any disagreement between them.
- Looked-after children. A foster carer may not have authority to consent, so allow extra time and liaise with the designated teacher and the virtual school head.
- Withheld medical consent. If parents refuse certain treatment, such as blood products, ask them to state their wishes in writing, signed by everyone with parental responsibility, and translate it for an overseas trip if needed. Leaders pass the wishes to health professionals and do not apply pressure either way.
What evidence of consent should leaders carry?
OEAP advises that establishments consider carrying evidence of parental consent from everyone with parental responsibility for every child in the group when travelling overseas. Some countries expect it at the border, medical professionals abroad may ask for it before treating a child, and some countries require consent documents to be certified by a notary or solicitor. The age at which someone counts as a child also differs between countries.
- Carry a printed copy of each signed form, or a way to produce it if consent was electronic.
- Include parents' contact details and the trip details, which is what the government says a consent letter should contain.
- Store forms securely and delete them in line with your retention policy. Consent forms hold personal data.
How Roamly can help
Roamly provides itineraries, accommodation details, supplier contacts and a document checklist that feed straight into the information parents need before they sign. You can use the free travel document checklist alongside your consent process, or see our consulting service. Your employer's template and policy still decide what the form must say. Contact us to discuss a trip.
Sources
- OEAP National Guidance 4.3d: Parental Consent and Informing Parents
- OEAP National Guidance 7.1r: Overseas Visits
- OEAP National Guidance 3.2i: Contracts and Waivers
- DfE: Health and safety on educational visits
- GOV.UK: Taking a child abroad
General guidance only, checked against the sources above on 30 October 2026. Entry rules, airline policies and official advice change, so confirm the current position with the linked source before you travel.