CalmComplianceRisk Assessment template
School Adventure Activity Visit Risk Assessment
- Version
- v1
- Updated
- 1 October 2026
- Audience
- Maintained and academy primary and secondary schools in England, including staff planning, approving or leading educational visits.
- Jurisdiction
- england
Activity assessed
Adventure activity visits involving caving, climbing, trekking, watersports or another activity requiring an adventure-activity licence. Applicability is conditional on the planned visit including a specified adventure activity or another activity requiring such a licence.
Assess each hazard and its controls against your site before use. Template ratings require local review.
Hazards and controls
The planned adventure activity is not identified and risk assessed before the visit, or the activity scope changes without assessment.
- Existing controls
- Not pre-populated in this reusable register. Record only controls that are already in place for the specific visit.
- Proposed controls
- Identify every planned adventure activity before the visit and complete a visit- and activity-specific assessment. Confirm that no additional adventure activity will be introduced during the trip. Record any change requiring reassessment and the decision taken before proceeding.
Local assessment and additional controls
Participant abilities, experience, health needs or support requirements are not matched to the demands of the activity.
- Existing controls
- Not pre-populated in this reusable register. Record verified participant information and existing arrangements for the specific visit.
- Proposed controls
- Gather and review relevant information about the abilities of all participants before the visit. Confirm that the planned activity, instruction, supervision, participation arrangements and adaptations are suitable for the identified needs. Record unresolved limitations and the decision on participation.
Local assessment and additional controls
An organisation provides an activity requiring a licence without the required licensing status being checked.
- Existing controls
- Not pre-populated in this reusable register. Record the licensing evidence and checks completed for the specific provider.
- Proposed controls
- Check whether the provider and the specific activity require a licence. Verify the relevant licence before the visit and retain the provider details and evidence used for the check. Where a provider holds the LOtC Quality Badge, confirm the applicable activity licensing information rather than treating the badge as a substitute for checking.
Local assessment and additional controls
The provider or activity leader may not have suitable competence, experience or arrangements for the planned activity.
- Existing controls
- Not pre-populated in this reusable register. Record provider competence information and existing supervision arrangements for the specific visit.
- Proposed controls
- Obtain and review provider information relevant to the planned activity, including competence, qualifications or authorisations where applicable, operating arrangements and responsibilities. Confirm who will lead, instruct and supervise participants and how the school will coordinate with the provider.
Local assessment and additional controls
Watersports proceed without suitable instructors or lifeguards, or the availability and responsibilities of those personnel are unclear.
- Existing controls
- Not pre-populated in this reusable register. Record the specific instructor and lifeguard arrangements for the visit.
- Proposed controls
- For watersports, determine whether instructors and lifeguards are needed. Confirm in advance who will provide them, their responsibilities, the areas and activities covered, and how supervision will operate. Do not rely on an assumed lifeguard presence without verifying the arrangement.
Local assessment and additional controls
A hotel swimming pool or other water-based leisure facility may not have a trained lifeguard on duty when one is needed.
- Existing controls
- Not pre-populated in this reusable register. Record the facility's confirmed arrangements for the specific visit.
- Proposed controls
- Obtain confirmation of the facility's lifeguard provision, including whether a trained lifeguard will be on duty for the planned activity and times. Consider the need for additional instructors, lifeguards or alternative arrangements where provision is absent, uncertain or unsuitable.
Local assessment and additional controls
The activity environment, access arrangements or operating conditions may be unsuitable for the planned participants or activity.
- Existing controls
- Not pre-populated in this reusable register. Record only verified conditions and arrangements for the specific location and visit date.
- Proposed controls
- Obtain current provider and location information before the visit. Assess relevant terrain, water conditions, weather or environmental constraints, access and egress, supervision points, communications and contingency arrangements. Record assumptions requiring confirmation and define when the activity must be modified, postponed or stopped.
Local assessment and additional controls
Equipment, protective clothing or activity-specific safety arrangements may be unavailable, unsuitable or used incorrectly.
- Existing controls
- Not pre-populated in this reusable register. Record verified equipment provision, inspection and user arrangements for the specific visit.
- Proposed controls
- Confirm which equipment and protective clothing are supplied by the provider and which must be supplied by the school or participants. Establish how suitability, condition, fitting, inspection, instruction and use will be managed before and during the activity. Record any activity-specific exclusions or limitations.
Local assessment and additional controls
Participants may become separated, unaccounted for or unable to obtain assistance during the activity or a change in conditions.
- Existing controls
- Not pre-populated in this reusable register. Record the specific visit's supervision, communication and emergency arrangements.
- Proposed controls
- Define participant groupings, supervision responsibilities, headcount arrangements, communication methods, meeting or recovery arrangements and escalation routes. Confirm how the provider and school will respond to a missing, injured or distressed participant and to a change that requires the activity to stop.
Local assessment and additional controls
The school and provider may have unclear responsibilities for supervision, instruction, safeguarding, first aid or emergency response.
- Existing controls
- Not pre-populated in this reusable register. Record agreed responsibilities and contact arrangements for the specific visit.
- Proposed controls
- Agree and document the division of responsibilities between school staff and the provider before the visit. Confirm supervision ratios or arrangements where applicable, first-aid provision, emergency contacts, incident reporting, safeguarding arrangements and the process for suspending or ending the activity.
Local assessment and additional controls