Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) and Offsite Events Policy

Purpose and Scope

Future School organises activities that occur outside the classroom. These may include:

• Community meetups and learning hubs
• Workshops or enrichment activities
• Field trips or experiential learning opportunities
• Sports days, cultural events, or celebrations
• Any activity where students gather at a physical location under Future School oversight outside of the Future School campus

Future School’s approach aligns with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, which requires the school board, as a PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking), to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that workers and students are kept safe. It also reflects the school’s duty under the Education and Training Act 2020 (s 127) to provide a physically and emotionally safe environment for all students and staff, including during offsite events.

This policy sets the standards for planning, safety management, supervision, approval, and communication for all such offsite activities.

Future School requires all staff involved in planning EOTC events to use the Education Outdoors New Zealand (EONZ) EOTC Safety Management Plan and Toolkit. See Event Planning and Approval below.

Roles and Responsibilities

Clear roles and responsibilities are essential to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of all students, staff, and supervisors involved in these activities.

Board (as PCBU)

As the governing body and PCBU, the Future School Board has the primary duty of care to ensure that all EOTC activities are safe, well-managed, and inclusive. In fulfilling this duty, the Board:

• ensures all EOTC practices are equitable, inclusive, culturally responsive, and accessible to all students;
• gives effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi, including meaningful engagement with Māori learners and whānau;
• ensures all EOTC activities have a clear educational purpose, aligned with Future School’s vision and curriculum;
• ensures the EOTC programme delivers meaningful learning outcomes;
• provides sufficient resources to establish, maintain, and continually improve EOTC safety management systems;
• ensures staff and volunteers involved in EOTC receive appropriate training, guidance, and support;
• delegates responsibility for coordinating EOTC to competent staff (e.g. the Principal or an EOTC Coordinator);
• ensures communication with parents/whānau is clear and timely, including obtaining informed consent as required;
• reviews incident reports and ensures that recommendations and safety improvements are implemented.

Where other PCBUs are involved (e.g., venues, public facilities, transport providers, external instructors), Future School coordinates with them to ensure that responsibilities for health and safety are understood and met.

Principal

The Principal is responsible for the overall management and oversight of Future School’s EOTC programme. This includes ensuring that planning, documentation, supervision, and risk management processes are in place, up to date, and followed consistently. The Principal (or delegate):

• provides leadership that promotes a strong culture of safety and safeguarding across all EOTC activities;
• ensures EOTC policies and procedures are aligned to Future School’s wider health and safety system, safeguarding framework, and child protection obligations;
• monitors implementation of EOTC systems and checks that practice reflects policy;
• reviews EOTC procedures regularly, making improvements as needed;
• ensures staff are supported to carry out EOTC responsibilities safely and confidently;
• may delegate specific EOTC management tasks to an EOTC Coordinator or other staff.

EOTC Coordinator

Future School may appoint an EOTC Coordinator (or assign this role within existing staff responsibilities). The EOTC Coordinator:

• maintains a schoolwide overview of all EOTC and offsite activities;
• ensures staff understand Future School’s EOTC policies, procedures, roles, and expectations;
• coordinates emergency procedures, incident management processes, and reporting protocols;
• monitors any deviations from approved plans and ensures they are documented and escalated appropriately;
• reports regularly to the Principal and Board on EOTC activities, risks, and improvements;
• ensures all EOTC experiences are inclusive, equitable, and accessible, including through support plans where required;
• checks the competence and suitability of all adults involved in EOTC, including external providers and volunteers;
• ensures external providers meet good-practice standards and, where relevant, hold appropriate regulatory certification (e.g. adventure activity registration);
• oversees review processes for EOTC events, including external reviews where appropriate.

Support Roles in EOTC Activities

Each EOTC activity may involve several roles that contribute to safe and effective delivery.

Person in Charge (PIC). The PIC is the staff member with overall responsibility for running the activity safely. They:

• oversee the event, supervise staff/supervisors, and manage group safety;
• ensure risk management plans are followed;
• act as the primary decision-maker in an emergency;
• ensure that appropriate first aid coverage is in place for the event (either by holding a current first aid qualification themselves or by designating another competent adult in line with the size and risk profile of the group).

Where an activity involves an external provider, there may be two PICs, one representing Future School and one representing the provider, with clearly agreed responsibilities.

EOTC Activity Leader. Activity Leaders operate under the PIC and may include teachers, external instructors, coaches, or qualified specialists. They:

• deliver the activity safely;
• supervise students as assigned;
• monitor risks and respond to incidents.

Assistants and Volunteers. Assistants may include teachers, support staff, parent/whānau helpers, or vetted volunteers. They:

• support supervision under the direction of the PIC or Activity Leader;
• help manage group movement and wellbeing;
• must comply with Future School’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, including vetting where required.

Some roles may require volunteers to complete additional forms or vetting, depending on their level of access to students.

First Aid

As a PCBU, Future School must ensure that adequate first aid provisions are in place for all workers in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. In the EOTC context, Future School also has a responsibility to ensure that students participating in offsite activities are in a physically safe and well-supported environment. To do so, Future School ensures that:

• students participating in any EOTC activity have access to at least one currently qualified first aider;
• appropriate first aid kits are accessible, stocked, and taken to all EOTC events;
• staff leading or supporting EOTC activities are encouraged to gain formal training and qualifications relevant to their role, including first aid, risk management, and activity-specific competencies.

These first aid expectations form part of Future School’s wider EOTC safety planning, supervision, and emergency preparedness procedures.

External Providers and Contractors

Future School may engage external providers and contractors to support the safe delivery of offsite events, specialist activities, examinations, workshops, or other Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) experiences. Any in-person event involving students brings shared health and safety responsibilities that must be clearly managed.

Future School maintains a record of external providers and contractors we use regularly. We share only the minimum necessary student information required to support safety, wellbeing, and inclusion, and always in accordance with Future School’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

External Providers

External providers are organisations that deliver part or all of an EOTC activity on behalf of Future School (e.g., venue operators, activity instructors, examination centres, sports or arts providers, or specialist facilitators).

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), external providers operate as separate PCBUs with their own safety management systems. Future School works with them to ensure shared risks are managed without duplication or gaps.

Engaging an External Provider. Before confirming an external provider, Future School will:

• ensure the provider has an appropriate safety management system, including staff competency, risk management, and emergency procedures;
• for adventure activities, verify that the provider is registered with WorkSafe: https://wsplatform.powerappsportals.com/adventure-activities-public-register/;
• obtain information about the provider’s safety record, experience, and relevant policies;
• confirm that the provider has suitable processes to include learners with medical, behavioural, cultural, or learning needs;
• verify the provider’s child protection approach (e.g., staff vetting, supervision arrangements);
• clarify supervision expectations and who is responsible for which aspects of safety.

Agreements with External Providers. Future School requires external providers to sign a written agreement that outlines:

• roles and responsibilities;
• supervision structure;
• emergency procedures;
• risk management requirements;
• information Future School will share (e.g., relevant medical or support needs);
• escalation and incident reporting processes;
• expectations regarding professional conduct and safeguarding of students.

During and After the Event. Once engaged, Future School:

• maintains communication with the provider before, during, and after the activity;
• ensures alignment of safety plans and prevents duplication or gaps in responsibilities;
• supports the provider as needed (e.g., supervision, student wellbeing);
• monitors the provider’s delivery to ensure agreed safety measures are followed;
• reserves the right to pause or stop any activity if a safety concern arises.

Contractors

A contractor is an individual engaged by Future School to help deliver an EOTC activity or offsite event (e.g., specialist educators, facilitators, sports coaches, or technicians). In this context, the contractor operates as a worker under Future School’s safety management system and must comply with Future School’s health and safety and safeguarding requirements.

Engaging a Contractor. Before engaging a contractor, Future School will:

• check the contractor’s competency, qualifications, and experience;
• confirm their suitability to work with young people, including Police vetting or safety checks where required;
• ensure their skills match the scope and risk level of the activity;
• ensure they understand Future School’s child protection and safety expectations.

Requirements for Contractors. Once engaged, Future School:

• provides a written contract or agreement outlining responsibilities and expectations;
• inducts the contractor into relevant health and safety procedures, including emergency processes, hazards, and risk controls;
• ensures they receive relevant student and event information required to safely supervise or deliver the activity;
• informs the contractor that they may stop an activity if they consider it unsafe.

Staff Competence

The school ensures that all staff and adults involved in Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) or offsite events have the competence, experience, and support necessary to carry out their roles safely and effectively. Any in-person event brings distinct risks and requires clear expectations around capability, supervision, and safety leadership.

All adults involved in EOTC, including teachers, non-teaching staff, external contractors, facilitators, or volunteers, must have the skills, knowledge, experience, and judgement required for the specific activity and environment. Where staff do not yet hold the expertise needed, Future School either:

• assigns them to roles appropriate to their current level of competence,
• provides adequate supervision by a competent leader, or
• engages external expertise to ensure safe delivery.

Competency expectations are considered when recruiting new staff who may support offsite activities.

Establishing and Verifying Competence

Future School assesses and verifies competence using:

• recognised qualifications or certifications, where relevant;
• observation of practice, including supervision by a more experienced staff member;
• alignment with sector good practice guidance, including Ministry of Education EOTC Guidelines;
• evidence of experience, including prior roles, training, or external provider work.

This ensures we match the right people to the right activity and maintain clear oversight of capability across the school.

Future School keeps competency and training records for at least seven years, consistent with best practice and incident review requirements.

Competence for Specific EOTC Activities

For each EOTC event, Future School documents:

• the competency requirements for the planned activity;
• the competence profile of each staff member involved;
• how any gaps will be managed (e.g., supervision, external provider support, or role modification).

Staff assigned to EOTC roles must be able to:

• safely lead or support a group of students in the specified environment;
• recognise and respond to changing conditions and risks;
• apply Future School’s safety, wellbeing, and safeguarding procedures;
• escalate concerns appropriately and follow emergency response plans.

Training, Induction, and Support

Future School provides ongoing support to ensure staff are confident and capable in EOTC contexts. This includes:

• EOTC induction for new staff, covering procedures, risk management, emergency actions, and safeguarding requirements;
• briefings and role-specific training for each event, including expectations, risks, and specific student needs;
• professional development to build capability over time, including coaching or mentoring;
• regular practice of emergency procedures, adapted appropriately for offsite settings;
• a culture where staff feel comfortable raising concerns about competence, capacity, or safety.

Student Participation and Inclusion

Future School is committed to ensuring that all students can safely and meaningfully participate in Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) and offsite events. We work to reduce barriers to participation, promote inclusive practice, and ensure every activity is safe, purposeful, and accessible. This section sets out how we support full participation while maintaining the highest standards of health, safety, and safeguarding.

Inclusive and Equitable Access

Future School ensures equitable access to EOTC experiences by:

• involving students, parents, caregivers, and whānau early in the planning and review of EOTC events;
• taking all practicable steps to include students with disabilities, neurodiversity, health needs, or behavioural support needs;
• ensuring cultural, religious, and gender-diverse needs are appropriately respected;
• giving effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi and incorporating culturally responsive practice;
• ensuring cost is not a barrier wherever possible;
• providing alternative learning options for students who cannot attend;
• connecting with external services and providers who can help support inclusion.

Students (or their parents/guardians) are encouraged to ask for support before, during, and after any event, and staff actively check for barriers to participation.

Additional Support

Some students may require tailored support to participate safely. When planning events, Future School considers:

• physical health needs, mobility, or recent injuries;
• mental health or emotional regulation needs;
• sensory or cognitive support needs;
• cultural or religious considerations;
• gender identity and privacy needs;
• behaviour management supports.

Where needed, we develop individual support plans, shared only with staff and volunteers who need the information to keep the student safe. Future School will ensure that staff understand how to support students who require additional support. Planning may include:

• additional supervision or staffing;
• identifying risk points and mitigation strategies;
• equipment or accessibility arrangements;
• transport or venue checks;
• bathroom, changing, and (where relevant) sleeping arrangements that ensure dignity and privacy.

If support requires external expertise, we collaborate with appropriate professionals or service providers.

Students who require additional support are actively monitored throughout the event. Staff maintain clear communication, ensuring any emerging concerns are responded to promptly and appropriately.

Student Responsibilities and Safety Culture

Future School has a strong safety and safeguarding culture. Students participating in EOTC activities are expected to:

• follow all instructions from staff and activity leaders;
• take reasonable care for their own safety and the safety of others;
• uphold Future School’s behaviour expectations and Student Code of Conduct;
• advise staff if they feel unsafe, unwell, or unsure at any time.

Where appropriate, Future School uses the “challenge by choice” principle, encouraging personal growth while ensuring students are never pressured into unsafe activities.

Early Return from an EOTC Event

A student may need to leave an EOTC activity early if:

• they become unwell or injured;
• circumstances arise that compromise their safety or wellbeing;
• their behaviour places themselves or others at risk.

In such cases:

• the Person in Charge (PIC) consults the Principal before any decision is made;
• parents/caregivers are contacted to arrange safe collection or return;
• costs associated with an early return may be passed on to the parent/caregiver;
• the student’s needs and dignity are prioritised at all times.

Behaviour-related early returns are managed in accordance with Future School’s Behaviour Expectations and Student Wellbeing and Safety procedures.

Event Planning and Approval

All EOTC planning must demonstrate that risks are known, managed, and monitored, and that activities are educationally purposeful and safe for all students. To support consistent good practice, Future School requires all staff involved in planning EOTC events to use the Education Outdoors New Zealand (EONZ) EOTC Safety Management Plan and Toolkit. This toolkit provides a nationally recognised framework and standardised documentation that meets Ministry of Education expectations and aligns with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

https://eonz.org.nz/Resources/EOTC-Safety-Management/EOTC-Safety-Management-Plan-and-Toolkit

All EOTC activities, whether a short local meet-up, a curriculum-related trip, a sports event, or an overnight camp, must go through the process below.

Initial Proposal and Approval

Every EOTC activity begins with the completion of Form 1: EOTC Event Proposal, Approval, and Intentions Form. This form records:

• the educational purpose and intended outcomes of the activity;
• preliminary logistics, timing, and staffing;
• an initial identification of key risks;
• how the activity aligns with Future School’s curriculum or student engagement goals.

Initial approval must be granted before detailed planning occurs. Once all planning is completed, the proposal is re-submitted for final approval by the Principal or delegate.

Detailed Risk Assessment and Supervision Planning

After initial approval, staff must conduct a full risk assessment using Form 2: EOTC Risk Assessment and Supervision Form. This process includes:

• identifying hazards and assessing risk severity and likelihood;
• focusing on key risks, those most likely to cause serious harm;
• setting control measures and monitoring approaches;
• defining supervision structures, leadership roles, and staff competencies;
• planning emergency responses, including communication and escalation.

Future School requires that risk assessments explicitly consider:

• safeguarding and child protection;
• inclusion and accessibility;
• medical needs and support plans;
• cultural considerations;
• travel and transport risk;
• digital communication expectations for staff and students.

The Principal or EOTC Coordinator must review and approve all Form 2 submissions.

Standard Operating Procedures

For recurring or routine activities, staff may use the relevant Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs):

• Form 3A: EOTC Standard Operating Procedure
• Form 3B: Local Events SOP
• Form 3C: Transport SOP

SOPs streamline planning while ensuring consistency and safety. They must be reviewed for currency before each event, and adapted with site-specific and group-specific information.

Staff and Volunteer Documentation

Every adult participating in an EOTC activity must be documented.

• Form 4: EOTC Staff Agreement Form is completed when staff join Future School and stored securely.
• Form 5: EOTC Volunteer Agreement Form must be completed for each event involving adult volunteers.

Volunteers may be subject to Police Vetting depending on their role, level of contact, and whether they fall within the definition of a children’s worker. See the school’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy for more.

External Providers and Contracts

When an external provider is engaged:

• Form 6: EOTC External Provider Agreement must be completed;
• Future School checks WorkSafe registration for adventure activities;
• The EOTC Coordinator ensures consultation, cooperation, and coordination occur between Future School and the provider, consistent with s 34 of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

No external provider may run an event unless responsibilities, supervision roles, safety expectations, and emergency procedures are agreed in writing.

Parent/Caregiver Information and Consent

Parents/caregivers must receive clear, comprehensive information before giving consent. We use the following:

• Form 7: Information Letter Template
• Form 8A: Blanket Consent (for low-risk local events)
• Form 8B: Event-Specific Consent (for medium/high-risk or overnight events)
• Form 8C: Aquatic Consent & Competency Form (required for any activity involving water)

Information must be accessible, translated if necessary, and provide enough detail for informed consent.

Student Information and Support Planning

To ensure inclusion and safety:

• Form 9: Student Health Profile
• Form 10: Student Contract Form (behaviour and safety expectations)
• Form 11: Individual Student Support Plan (for students requiring additional support)

These forms ensure that staff have accurate, current information and can meet the needs of all participants.

Transport Planning

Any activity involving transport requires:

• Form 12A: Transport Plan
• Form 12B: Driver Agreement (adult drivers only; no student drivers)
• Form 12C: Passenger Permission

Transport planning must address route safety, vehicle compliance, driver suitability, and emergency contingencies.

Equipment, Venue, and Final Checks

Before the event:

• Form 13: Equipment List & Log ensures all required equipment is checked, safe, and appropriate;
• Form 14: Site/Venue Checklist gathers key venue information and confirms suitability;
• Form 15: Event Checklist ensures nothing essential is overlooked.

The Person in Charge must sign off all pre-event checks.

Emergency Response and Incident Documentation

During the event:

• Form 16: Emergency Response Guide must be available to the Person in Charge and included in first aid kits;
• Any incident must be documented using Form 17: Incident Report, and also recorded in Future School’s internal incident system;
• After major or complex events, or where an incident occurred, Form 18: Event Review is completed.

Learnings from reviews are incorporated into future planning and shared with leadership and the Board.

Final Approval

The Principal (or delegated senior leader) grants final approval only when all required forms, risk assessments, supervision plans, and consent documents are complete. All EOTC documents must be:

• stored securely;
• retained for at least seven years;
• available for Board assurance, audit, or external review.

Version Control

NB: This policy supersedes and replaces all prior policies and procedures relating to its subject matter, regardless of their date of approval.