# How to write a risk assessment for a school trip abroad

Source: https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/school-trip-risk-assessment-uk  
Publisher: Roamly Travel  
Last reviewed: 2026-10-30  
Audience: Schools

## Short answer

A school trip abroad needs a written, visit-specific risk assessment that identifies the significant hazards, who could be harmed, the controls you will put in place and what you will do if things go wrong. In England, DfE guidance says trips abroad need a higher level of risk assessment and approval from the headteacher or governing board, and HSE stresses that the focus should be on managing real risks, not paperwork. Staffing ratios are not fixed by law for school-age pupils: they are set through the risk assessment and your employer's policy, which you must follow.

## Key takeaways

- DfE guidance says trips abroad present extra risks and need a higher level of risk assessment, plus informed approval from the headteacher or governing board.
- HSE's position is that planning should be proportionate and focused on how real risks are managed, not on paperwork.
- There is no single statutory staffing ratio for school-age pupils in England. OEAP National Guidance says ratios should be set through risk assessment, and any minimum set by your employer must be followed.
- Your employer's educational visits policy (local authority, academy trust or proprietor) takes priority over general guidance, so read it first.
- A good risk assessment covers hazards, who is at risk, controls, residual risk and contingencies, and is backed by an emergency plan and a communications plan.
- Check FCDO travel advice for the destination before booking and again before departure, because travelling against FCDO advice can invalidate travel insurance.

## What guidance applies to school trips abroad in the UK?

For schools in England, the starting point is the Department for Education's [Health and safety on educational visits](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-and-safety-on-educational-visits/health-and-safety-on-educational-visits). It separates routine visits, which involve no more than an everyday level of risk and are covered by existing school policies, from trips that need a specific risk assessment, detailed planning and approval. It states plainly that **trips abroad can present extra risks and need a higher level of risk assessment**.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) backs this with its [school trips policy position](https://www.hse.gov.uk/education/school-trips.htm): the focus should be on how the real risks of a visit are managed, not on paperwork, and schools should take a proportionate and sensible approach. HSE also says that fears of prosecution have been grossly inflated.

The detailed practice guidance most employers in England and Wales use is the **OEAP National Guidance**, published free at [oeapng.info](https://oeapng.info/) by the Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel. DfE, the Welsh Government and HSE all point to it. Document 7.1r covers overseas visits and 4.3b covers ratios and supervision.

- **Your employer's policy comes first.** Depending on the school type, the employer is the local authority, the governing body, the academy trust or the proprietor. Their educational visits policy sets the forms, approval route and any minimum standards you must follow.
- **Scotland** uses [Going Out There](https://sapoe.org.uk/going-out-there/), the national framework for off-site visits maintained by SAPOE.
- **Northern Ireland** schools should follow their own employing authority's guidance.
- **BS 8848** is the British Standard for visits, fieldwork, expeditions and adventurous activities outside the UK. DfE says schools should use it as the basis for planning trips with significant risks such as remote locations, challenging terrain or extreme climates.
- **ISO 31031:2024** is an international guidance standard on managing risk for youth and school trips. It is optional, but some providers and schools use it as a benchmark.

## Who signs off a school trip abroad?

DfE guidance says headteachers or governing boards give informed approval for trips that need a risk assessment. In practice, most overseas visits go through three layers:

1. **Visit leader** drafts the plan, itinerary and visit-specific risk assessment.
2. **Educational visits coordinator (EVC)** checks it. DfE says schools should appoint an EVC and make sure they are trained. The EVC should be an experienced visit leader who can assess staff competence, check outside providers and advise the headteacher and governors on approval. If there is no EVC, the headteacher takes on the role.
3. **Headteacher, governing board and often the employer** approve it. Many local authorities and academy trusts require overseas, residential and adventurous visits to be submitted to their outdoor education adviser through an online system, often weeks or months before departure. Check your employer's deadlines early.

> **Do not add activities on the trip**
> DfE guidance says adventure activities such as caving, climbing, trekking and watersports must be identified and risk assessed before the visit, and staff must not decide to add them during the trip. This includes hotel pools and beach swimming that were not in the approved plan.

## How are staffing ratios set for a school trip abroad?

For school-age pupils in England there is **no single statutory staff to pupil ratio** for educational visits. OEAP National Guidance document 4.3b says staffing ratios are a risk management issue to be determined through risk assessment, and that it is not possible to set definitive ratios for a particular age group or activity. The legal minimum ratios that do exist apply to early years: the EYFS statutory framework in England covers children up to age five.

Some employers and providers publish minimum ratios. OEAP says these are starting points rather than definitive, and if your employer or the law specifies a minimum you must follow it. OEAP suggests the **STAGER** framework to work out the right number:

- **Staffing**: Who is available, how competent and experienced they are, and what happens if one becomes ill or has to leave the group.
- **Timing**: Time of year, time of day, duration, and how much support is available back at school out of hours.
- **Activities**: What the group will actually do, including free time and travel days.
- **Group**: Age, sex, maturity, behaviour, prior experience and any individual needs.
- **Environment**: Crowded city, rural, coastal or remote, plus the accommodation and the routes between venues.
- **Remoteness**: How easy it is to contact school and to summon emergency help.

For overseas visits, OEAP specifically says staffing should allow for a leader becoming indisposed or having to leave the group, for example to take a pupil to hospital. Plan the ratio so the group is still properly supervised when one adult is away. OEAP also notes there is no absolute requirement for staff of the same sex on residentials, but if you do not have them you need a sound plan for privacy, safeguarding and welfare.

## What should a school trip risk assessment contain?

HSE's basic method is to identify hazards, decide how likely and serious harm could be, and then remove the hazard or control the risk. For an overseas visit, a useful risk assessment records the following for each significant hazard:

*Core columns of a visit-specific risk assessment*

| Column | What to write | Common weakness |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hazard | The specific thing that could cause harm on this trip, e.g. crossing roads where traffic drives on the right. | Generic entries like "accidents" that do not prompt any action. |
| Who might be harmed | Pupils, named groups (e.g. pupils with SEND or allergies), staff, members of the public. | Leaving out staff and the needs of individual pupils. |
| Controls | What you will actually do, who does it and when. | Controls nobody is assigned to or that staff will not remember. |
| Residual risk | Your judgement of the risk once controls are in place, using your employer's scale. | Rating everything "low" without explaining why. |
| Contingency | What happens if the control fails: the plan B, the person responsible, the contact numbers. | No link to the emergency plan or the communications plan. |

Keep it proportionate. HSE's position is that a sensible approach does not need a separate written assessment for every everyday activity, and most employers allow you to refer to generic assessments for routine matters (such as coach travel) and write visit-specific entries only for what is different about this trip. Many leaders also add a short **ongoing (dynamic) risk assessment** note: the judgement staff make on the day, such as cancelling a beach visit when the sea is rough.

## What does a worked example look like?

The table below is an illustrative extract for a four-day history visit to a large European city by coach and ferry, with a mixed Year 10 group. It is an example of format and thinking, not a template to copy: your hazards, ratings and controls must reflect your own group, destination and employer policy.

*Illustrative extract: Year 10 city visit abroad*

| Hazard | Who | Controls | Residual risk | Contingency |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pupil separated from group on public transport or at a busy site | All pupils | Briefing before departure; buddy pairs; headcounts at every transition; pupils carry a card with the hotel address and a staff mobile number; agreed meeting point at each venue | Low | Pupil waits at meeting point and calls staff; one leader searches while others stay with the group; contact local police and the school if not found within the time set in the emergency plan |
| Road traffic driving on the right | All pupils | Road safety briefing; staff at front and back; cross only at signalled crossings | Low | First aid; call local emergency number 112; follow emergency plan |
| Severe allergic reaction | Named pupils with allergies | Medical forms reviewed by EVC; care plans carried; two in-date adrenaline auto-injectors per pupil if prescribed; restaurants told in advance in the local language; trained staff identified | Medium | Administer auto-injector, call 112, staff member accompanies pupil to hospital; ratio plan covers the remaining group |
| Illness requiring hospital, so a leader leaves the group | Pupils and staff | Staffing set so supervision remains adequate with one adult absent; GHIC or EHIC and insurance details carried for every pupil | Low | Leader contacts insurer's assistance line and school emergency contact; parents informed through the school |
| Lost or stolen passport | Pupils | Staff hold passports except at border controls; scanned copies stored securely; check passport validity rules before booking | Low | Report to local police; contact the nearest British embassy or consulate for an emergency travel document; check the needs of non-UK passport holders separately |
| Travel disruption (ferry cancelled, strike, road closure) | Whole group | Monitor FCDO travel advice and operator updates; travel provider contact available out of hours; contingency budget agreed | Medium | Follow the operator's or tour provider's rerouting; school communications plan updates parents |

## What checks are specific to going abroad?

- **FCDO travel advice.** Read the country page on [gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) when planning, sign up for its email alerts, and check again before departure. FCDO states that travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against its advice. Note the dated check in the risk assessment.
- **Entry rules for every pupil.** Passport validity rules, visas and new systems such as the EU's Entry/Exit System affect pupils differently depending on nationality. See our [passport and visa checklist](https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/passport-visa-checklist-group-travel) and [EES and ETIAS guide](https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/ees-etias-uk-groups).
- **Providers and accommodation.** DfE says schools must check outside organisations have appropriate safety standards and public liability insurance, and recommends the LOtC Quality Badge or similar local accreditation. Agree responsibilities in writing, especially if the provider will supervise pupils.
- **Local law and culture.** Consider differences in laws on alcohol, dress, photography and drugs, and brief pupils on them.
- **Safeguarding.** If pupils will stay with host families on an exchange, follow the homestay guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education and your employer's policy.

## How should you plan for medical needs and SEND?

Schools in England have a duty under section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to support pupils with medical conditions, and DfE's statutory guidance [Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3) expects schools to consider what reasonable adjustments let those pupils take part fully and safely in visits. Where a condition or need is a disability, the Equality Act 2010 applies.

- Collect up-to-date medical and dietary information well before departure, not only at the parents' meeting.
- Talk to parents, the pupil and, where relevant, healthcare professionals about what support is needed abroad, including time zones for medication.
- Check the destination's rules on carrying prescribed medicines, especially controlled drugs, and carry prescriptions or letters where advised.
- Check vaccination and health advice on [TravelHealthPro](https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/).
- For pupils with SEND, look at transport, accommodation layout, noise, routines and quiet spaces. Plan the support first and only then decide whether any element is genuinely not possible.

## What consent and insurance do you need?

DfE guidance says written parental consent is usually needed for trips that require a higher level of risk assessment or take place outside normal school hours, which covers almost every trip abroad. Use the consent process to collect medical information, emergency contacts, dietary needs and agreement to the code of conduct. OEAP publishes model consent forms.

Check insurance before you commit to bookings. Most employers have a school journey or travel policy, but confirm that it covers every planned activity, the destination, pre-existing medical conditions, cancellation and repatriation. The GOV.UK [foreign travel insurance guidance](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/foreign-travel-insurance) notes that GHIC and EHIC are not alternatives to travel insurance, and that failing to declare medical conditions can invalidate cover.

## What happens if something goes wrong?

DfE says schools should have an emergency response plan for incidents away from school and a communications plan for routine check-ins and reassurance, and that trip leaders should know both. The risk assessment should point to them rather than repeat them. Name a home contact at school who is reachable at all times the group is away, and agree who speaks to parents and to the media.

Afterwards, DfE expects a clear evaluation process. Record incidents, accidents and near misses, and update your generic assessments with what you learned. For a fuller structure, see our [group travel emergency plan guide](https://www.roamlytravel.com/guides/group-travel-emergency-plan).

## How Roamly can help

Roamly arranges group flights, accommodation and ground logistics for schools and can supply the itinerary, supplier and contact details your risk assessment needs. You can draft a starting point with our free [travel risk assessment tool](https://www.roamlytravel.com/travel-risk-assessment) and [travel document checklist](https://www.roamlytravel.com/travel-document-checklist), or see our [logistics service](https://www.roamlytravel.com/services/logistics). Your risk assessment and approval remain the school's responsibility. [Contact us](https://www.roamlytravel.com/contact) to discuss a trip.

## Frequently asked questions

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

Not for school-age pupils in England. OEAP National Guidance says ratios should be set through risk assessment, considering staffing, timing, activities, group, environment and remoteness. Legal minimum ratios apply to early years under the EYFS framework, and any minimum your employer sets must be followed.

### Who approves a school trip abroad?

The visit leader prepares the plan, the educational visits coordinator checks it, and the headteacher or governing board gives informed approval. Many local authorities and academy trusts also require overseas visits to be submitted to their outdoor education adviser, so check your employer's policy and deadlines.

### Do we need written parental consent for a trip abroad?

Usually yes. DfE guidance says written consent is usually needed for trips that need a higher level of risk assessment or are outside normal school hours, which covers almost all overseas visits. Use the form to collect medical information and emergency contacts too.

### Does HSE investigate accidents on school trips abroad?

DfE guidance says HSE does not cover incidents overseas, but it can investigate work carried out in Britain to support the trip, such as the risk assessment. Staff could also face civil claims for negligence, so planning records matter.

### What if the FCDO changes its advice before we travel?

Review the trip immediately with your EVC and employer. FCDO says travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against its advice, so check with your insurer and travel provider, and follow your employer's policy on cancellation or changes.

### Can we use the tour operator's risk assessment instead of our own?

You can use it as evidence for the parts the provider controls, but the school still needs its own visit-specific assessment covering supervision, pupils' needs and emergencies. DfE says schools must check providers' safety standards and agree responsibilities in writing.

## Sources

- [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)
- [HSE: School trips](https://www.hse.gov.uk/education/school-trips.htm)
- [OEAP National Guidance](https://oeapng.info/)
- [OEAP 4.3b Ratios and Effective Supervision](https://oeapng.info/downloads/download-info/4-3b-ratios-and-effective-supervision/)
- [OEAP 7.1r Overseas Visits](https://oeapng.info/downloads/download-info/7r-overseas-visits/)
- [DfE: Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3)
- [FCDO: About foreign travel advice](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/about-foreign-commonwealth-development-office-travel-advice)
- [GOV.UK: Foreign travel insurance](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/foreign-travel-insurance)
- [SAPOE: Going Out There](https://sapoe.org.uk/going-out-there/)