Activities

The safe conduct of outdoor and adventure activities requires active decision making in the identification of potential risks and difficulties.

These adventure activity guidelines are a primary reference for the development of risk management plans specific to the location, activity and group participating in a program. They support your professional judgement and experience.

Where a teacher intends to inspect a venue or location, either within or outside of normal school hours, prior approval should be sought from the principal.

The Adventure Activity Standards are agreed minimum activity standards for adventure operators and they do not necessarily reflect the greater duty of care owed to students.  For activities not listed on this site, principals, teachers and school council members need to comply with the AAS, and consider the greater duty of care that is required for students.

The Adventure Activity Standards can be found at  Outdoor Recreation Centre

For more information, see: Risk Management.

Activity types

• Abseiling
• Artificial climbing and abseiling walls
• Bushwalking
• Canoeing/kayaking
• Challenge ropes courses
• Cross country skiing
• Cycling
• Downhill skiing and snowboarding
• Horse riding
• Orienteering
• Overnight camping
• Rafting
• Recreational Swimming
• Rock climbing
• Sailing
• Scuba diving
• Sea kayaking
• Snorkelling
• Surfing
• Water skiing
• Windsurfing

 

Activities without Guidelines

Schools may consider adventure-based activities for which specific guidelines have not been provided or are not under development. Before undertaking these activities, principals and school councils must satisfy themselves that the activities:

• are of education value
• are supervised and instructed by appropriately experienced and/or qualified staff
• when offered by an external provider, have appropriate insurance cover.

Further information and advice should also be gathered from more than one source. This may be obtained through:

• peak bodies
• professional associations
• collegues with experience instructing the activity with students.