Ratios For School Trips?

[Guest]

Does anyone know the ratios for school trips? Currently we say 1:2 for 4yr olds and 1:6 for 5+ but have been told that 1:2 is too low and should be 1:4 or 1:6.

I working a mixed YR/Y1 class.

Can anyone help? There doesn't seem to be any set ratios.

Edited March 16, 2010 by Guest

[Guest LornaW]

There is no legal limit. You need to do your own risk assessment and decide how many adults you need. Sometime too many adults hinder the learning. Of course you have EYFS ratios for each age but you need to way up the risk and then have a ratio that will support the activity.

 

Lorna

[AnonyMouse_73]

I agree with lorna, there is no legal national requirement, but its worth checking if there is a local guidance. In my old LA we had guidance sent out to us from time to time and our ratios were expected to be 4:1 for nursery age (in a school) and 5:1 for reception.

[Guest]

When I have queried this in previous times I have always been told there are no set limits.

 

Some places ask for a ratio so that the trip works well but otherwise I think you have to decide for yourself........... looking at where you are going and what you will be doing and any major risks that might crop up!

And of course the children you are taking with you can mean all the difference!!

[Guest]

At my school we stick to 1:3 in the nursery and then 1:4 for the 4 year olds and 1:5 for the 5 year olds in Reception. Have no idea where that came from but it is the way we've always done it. It works for us.

When we have had a child with a statement and 1-1 support we have stuck to that and had that extra person, but given the support assistant 1 other child to walk with so that the child with a statement has someone to interact with but without giving the support too many children (if that makes sense!!).

[Guest]

HI

 

I teach Reception and it depends on where we go. We go to a nature resesrve and there is no charge for adults so we take as many parents offer there usualy ends up a ratio of about 1-4 and if i can i like to not have a group so i can over see everyone observe, take photos etc if i need to deal with behaviour etc talk to anybody or sort things out.

If we go and have to be charged for adults then i think it may work out more like 1-5 as the cost goes onto the children for taking the adults.

When we go on local walks around the village and down to the marina and farm we again take as many as we can because of walking along the road etc. If there is a real behaviour issue we have 1-1 so for example last week we walked to the farm i had 2 children 1-1 and then i had no group so i could lead then i had 7 other adults who had groups of 4.

[Guest]

Thanks for your comments, this should help next time we have a trip organised, 1:2 can be a problem especially in Autumn term!

[Guest]

I had the same querieS. Contact your LA as they will have some guidelines. I was advised 1:5 for 3+, but as mentioned before it will depend on your risk assessment and where you are going? As if we were going to a pool, i would lower my ratio to 1:3

 

Goodluck