CalmComplianceRisk Assessment template
Adventure Activity Educational Visit Risk Assessment
- Version
- v1
- Updated
- 1 October 2026
- Audience
- Primary and secondary schools in England, including maintained schools and academies, planning or managing applicable educational visits.
- Jurisdiction
- england
Activity assessed
Educational visits involving caving, climbing, trekking, watersports or another adventure activity requiring a licence. Applicability is conditional on the activities planned for the visit and the licensing requirements applicable to the provider and activity.
Assess each hazard and its controls against your site before use. Template ratings require local review.
Hazards and controls
Caving, climbing, trekking, watersports or another applicable adventure activity is not identified and risk assessed before the visit.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- List every applicable adventure activity in the visit plan and assess its foreseeable hazards before the visit. Record the scope, location, provider arrangements, supervision arrangements and activity-specific precautions for each activity. Review the assessment when the planned activity or arrangements change.
Local assessment and additional controls
An adventure activity is added or substituted during the trip without prior identification and risk assessment.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Do not add caving, climbing, trekking, watersports or another applicable adventure activity during the trip unless it was identified and risk assessed beforehand through the school's visit-management process. Record any proposed change, the decision taken and any required review before participation.
Local assessment and additional controls
The activity is unsuitable for one or more children because their abilities, needs or relevant limitations have not been considered.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Consider the abilities of all participating children when assessing the activity risk. Obtain and review relevant information needed to plan participation, identify any adjustments or restrictions required, and confirm that the planned activity remains suitable for each participant. Record unresolved suitability issues and the decision about participation.
Local assessment and additional controls
Participants in watersports do not have supervision appropriate to the activity because the need for instructors or lifeguards has not been considered.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- For watersports, determine and document whether instructors, lifeguards, or both are needed. Verify the planned supervision arrangements before participation, including responsibilities, coverage and escalation arrangements. Do not rely on an assumption that supervision is available without checking the arrangements for the facility and activity.
Local assessment and additional controls
A hotel swimming pool or other water-based leisure facility is used without a trained lifeguard on duty or without suitable supervision arrangements.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Take particular care when considering hotel swimming pools and other water-based leisure facilities. Check and record whether a trained lifeguard is on duty, what supervision the facility provides, and what additional supervision or restrictions are required for the planned participants and activity. If arrangements are unsuitable or cannot be verified, record the decision not to use the facility or activity.
Local assessment and additional controls
An organisation provides an adventure activity requiring a licence without the required licensing status being checked.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Identify whether the provider's activity requires a licence and check the provider's licensing status before the visit. Record the provider, activity covered, evidence checked and date of check. Where an organisation holds the LOtC Quality Badge, check that the licence covers the activity it provides; do not assume that the badge or other status covers every activity.
Local assessment and additional controls
The provider's verified arrangements do not cover the particular adventure activity planned for the visit.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Match the provider's checked licensing status and documented arrangements to each activity actually planned, including any separate caving, climbing, trekking or watersports element. Record any activity that is outside the verified scope and resolve the issue before the visit or remove that activity from the plan.
Local assessment and additional controls
The visit risk assessment does not reflect the final activities, participant abilities, provider arrangements or watersports supervision arrangements.
- Existing controls
- To be assessed locally.
- Proposed controls
- Complete a final pre-visit review against the activities actually planned. Confirm that the assessment covers the relevant children's abilities, provider licensing where applicable, and the need for instructors and lifeguards for watersports. Record outstanding actions, responsible persons and the decision to proceed, amend or remove an activity.
Local assessment and additional controls