Rationale / Introduction
Al Muntazir Islamic International School recognises that educational trips and visits are an integral part of a broad and balanced curriculum. Such experiences extend learning beyond the classroom, enabling students to engage in practical, cultural, and social opportunities that enhance their overall development.
The school is committed to ensuring that all educational visits are carefully planned, appropriately supervised, and conducted in a manner that safeguards the health, safety, and wellbeing of all participants. All visits will reflect the ethos and values of the school, including respect, responsibility, and, where applicable, Islamic principles.
This policy establishes a consistent framework to ensure that all off-site visits are educationally purposeful, inclusive, and compliant with statutory requirements within the United Republic of Tanzania.
Aims and Objectives
The aim of this policy is to ensure that all educational trips and visits are undertaken safely and contribute meaningfully to students’ learning and development. The school seeks to provide opportunities that enrich the curriculum, promote personal growth, and foster independence, resilience, and collaboration.
The policy further aims to ensure that all visits are inclusive and accessible, allowing all students, including those with special educational needs or medical conditions, to participate fully where reasonably practicable.
In addition, the school aims to ensure that all staff understand their responsibilities and are equipped to plan and deliver visits in accordance with legal, safeguarding, and health and safety requirements.
Scope
This policy applies to all students aged 2 to 19 years across all campuses within the school, including Nursery, Primary, Secondary, and any specialist provision such as the SEN unit. It applies to all staff members, volunteers, and external providers involved in the organisation and supervision of educational visits.
The policy covers all off-site activities, including local visits, day trips, residential visits, and international travel. Each campus is required to develop and implement its own detailed procedures, which must align fully with this overarching policy while reflecting the specific needs of the age group and context.
Legal and Statutory Framework
This policy is developed in accordance with the legal and regulatory framework of the United Republic of Tanzania. The school acknowledges its duty of care under the Education Act (Cap. 353) and recognises its safeguarding responsibilities as outlined in the Law of the Child Act (2009).
The school further adheres to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (2003), ensuring that all risks associated with educational visits are identified and managed appropriately. Transport arrangements comply with the Road Traffic Act (Cap. 168), ensuring that all vehicles and drivers meet legal safety requirements.
In addition, the school follows guidance issued by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and complies with public health regulations and immigration requirements where applicable.
The school accepts its responsibility to act “in loco parentis” during all educational visits and will ensure that appropriate measures are in place to safeguard students at all times, including obtaining informed parental consent and conducting thorough risk assessments.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Board holds overall responsibility for ensuring that appropriate policies and procedures are in place and that the school operates in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
The Director of School, with the Senior Leadership Team, is responsible for ensuring consistent implementation of this policy across all campuses and for maintaining oversight of compliance and quality assurance.
The Principal is responsible for the approval of educational visits within their respective campus and for ensuring that staff are suitably trained and competent to undertake their roles.
Each campus will appoint an Educational Visits Coordinator, who will oversee the planning and approval process, ensure that all required documentation is completed, and provide guidance to staff.
The Trip Leader is responsible for the detailed planning and safe execution of the visit. This includes undertaking a pre-visit where required, completing risk assessments, organising supervision, maintaining communication with the school, and ensuring that all procedures are followed.
All staff and volunteers involved in visits are responsible for maintaining high standards of supervision, adhering to safeguarding requirements, and promoting the wellbeing and inclusion of all students.
Parents and guardians are responsible for providing informed consent and accurate information regarding their child’s medical and personal needs. Students are expected to behave responsibly and follow all instructions provided by staff.
Procedures / Implementation
All educational visits must be planned in advance and approved through the appropriate channels within the school. The level of approval required will be determined by the nature, complexity, and level of risk associated with the visit.
A clear educational purpose must underpin every visit and must be linked to the curriculum or the broader development of students. Detailed planning must include a structured itinerary, appropriate staffing arrangements, and full consideration of the needs of all students.
A pre-visit to the proposed venue must be undertaken by the Trip Leader or a designated member of staff wherever reasonably practicable. The purpose of the pre-visit is to assess the suitability of the location, identify potential hazards, evaluate access, facilities, and supervision requirements, and confirm that the environment is appropriate for the age, developmental stage, and needs of the students. Where a pre-visit is not feasible, the Trip Leader must obtain reliable and sufficient information about the venue through alternative means to ensure informed planning and decision-making.
A written risk assessment must be completed for every educational visit and must be informed by the pre-visit. The risk assessment must identify potential hazards, assess the level of risk, and specify appropriate control measures to mitigate those risks. It must take into account all relevant factors, including the nature of the activity, transport arrangements, environmental conditions, and the specific needs of students, including medical conditions and special educational needs.
The completed risk assessment must be submitted as part of the approval process and formally reviewed and authorised by the appropriate member of the Senior Leadership Team or Head of Campus prior to the visit taking place. Risk assessments must be regarded as live documents and must be reviewed and, where necessary, updated immediately prior to departure to reflect any changes in circumstances.
Appropriate supervision must be maintained at all times, taking into account the age, maturity, and needs of the students. Staffing ratios must reflect good practice and ensure that all students are adequately supported.
Written parental consent must be obtained prior to all visits. Parents must be provided with clear and comprehensive information regarding the purpose, arrangements, and expectations of the visit.
Safeguarding procedures must be adhered to at all times. Staff must maintain professional conduct and ensure that students are protected from harm. All adults involved in visits must be suitably vetted in accordance with school policy.
Transport arrangements must be safe, reliable, and compliant with Tanzanian law. The school will only use licensed and insured transport providers and will ensure that all reasonable safety measures are implemented.
Provision must be made for medical needs, including access to first aid. At least one trained first aider must accompany each visit, and relevant medical information must be readily accessible.
Emergency procedures must be clearly established prior to departure. Staff must be prepared to respond effectively to incidents, and the school must remain the central point of communication in the event of an emergency.
The school is committed to inclusion and will take all reasonable steps to ensure that all students are able to participate in educational visits, with appropriate adjustments made where necessary.
Monitoring and Accountability
The school will maintain comprehensive records of all educational visits, including approvals, risk assessments, and any incident reports. Each campus is responsible for ensuring that documentation is complete, accurate, and securely stored.
Senior Leadership will monitor the implementation of this policy through regular review and audit processes. Any incidents or concerns arising from visits will be investigated, and appropriate action will be taken to address any identified weaknesses.
Adult to Student Ratio
This is a mandatory expectation.
| Age / Year Group | Suggested minimum adult: student ratio |
| AMSEN EIAMSEN JR&SRNursery / 2–3 yearsNursery / 3–4 years | 1:21;41:31:4 |
| Reception / 4–5 years | 1:6 |
| Year 1–2 / 5–7 years | 1:6 |
| Year 3–6 / 7–11 years | 1:10 |
| Year 7–9 / 11–14 years | 1:10 |
| Year 10 / 14–15 years | 1:15 |
Please ensure the following rules are adhered to.
- The ratio is a minimum, not an automatic entitlement to take fewer adults.
- A risk assessment must determine whether additional adults are required.
- At least two responsible adults should accompany a trip, even where the ratio could technically be met by one adult.
- SEND, medical, behavioural or individual safeguarding needs may require additional 1:1 or specialist support.
- Higher-risk activities, residential trips and overseas trips should have increased staffing, normally around 1:10 for secondary students, depending on the risk assessment.
- The venue’s own ratio must also be followed if it is stricter than the school’s ratio.
Transportation Arrangements
All transportation requirements for school trips must be planned and confirmed well in advance to ensure that appropriate transport is available and that all safeguarding and logistical requirements are met.
The staff member responsible for the trip must complete the School Trip Transportation Form at least two weeks before the planned trip. The form must clearly outline:
- Date and destination of the trip.
- Required departure and return times.
- Number of students and staff travelling.
- Required number and type of vehicles.
- Pick-up and drop-off arrangements.
- Any specific transportation requirements or considerations.
- Confirmation of the final student and staff headcount.
Once completed, the form must be submitted to the Administration Team, who will use the information provided to complete the transportation booking through the school’s online transportation system.
The staff member responsible for the trip must ensure that the information provided is accurate and that any changes to student or staff numbers are communicated to Administration immediately.
Any concerns or potential difficulties relating to transportation must be identified and raised during the risk assessment stage, rather than immediately before the trip. This will allow sufficient time for alternative arrangements to be considered and appropriate measures to be put in place.
The trip leader remains responsible for ensuring that the final headcount is completed before departure, during the trip where appropriate, and before returning to school.
Training
The school will ensure that all staff involved in educational visits receive appropriate training. This includes safeguarding, risk assessment, and emergency procedures.
Educational Visits Coordinators will receive additional training to support their role. The school will also ensure that first aid training is maintained to ensure appropriate coverage during visits.