Excursions for school-based
Preschools Procedure
Preschool Appendix to Excursions in School Based Preschools
N.B. Waratah Public School Preschool operates in accordance with the following guidelines;
Guide to the Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services
National Regulations 2011 and the Preschool Handbook
The Education and Care Services National Regulations: Regulations 100-102, 168(2)(g)
Rationale
'Preschool excursions are conducted in line with the Department's Excursion Policy
Implementation Procedures' (Preschool Handbook). To ensure adequate supervision,
Waratah P.S Preschool have developed the following procedure to include the specific
requirements of the preschool.
Procedure
1. Appropriate adult to child ratios must be maintained when conducting preschool
excursions.
 The minimum ratio for preschool children is 1 adult to 5 children.
 If the excursion involves crossing a major road the ratio is minimum ratio is 1
adult to 4 children.
 If the excursion is to a beach, river, pool, lake or other place where there is a
significant water hazard then a 1 child to 1 adult ratio must be applied,
including if the purpose of the excursion is to teach swimming or water
safety.
2. Parental permission is required for preschool children for each excursion (as with all
DEC school children). If the outing is a regular occurrence, one permission note and
risk assessment is sufficient in a 12 month period, unless there is a change.
3. When preparing information about an excursion for parents, the names of staff and
total number of adults accompanying the children must be recorded. Staff names
should also be recorded.
4. Appropriate Fist Aid equipment, including epipens and asthma medication, must be
taken on preschool excursions and staff must be trained in Emergency Care and
resuscitation procedures.
5. Transport arrangements for excursions must be planned and managed to ensure the
safety of children that will include child restraints (vehicles under 9 seats) and a First
Aid kit.
6. The staff member in charge of organising the excursion must complete a Risk
Assessment prior to the excursion and have this checked by the School Principal
(Nominated Supervisor, Educational Leader and Responsible Person).
7. Visits to the primary school are exempt from this procedure, as stated in the Preschool
Handbook - "It should be noted that visits to the school are not regarded as excursions
unless the school is on a completely separate site and the children need to cross a major
road to access the school".
8. For Incursions, or visitors to the service, please refer to the ‘Volunteers, Visitors and
Students Procedure’.
9. In the occurrence of a major evacuation, in which the whole school site is to be
evacuated, the preschool children will be required to leave the site with the
remainder of the school.
Evaluation
All excursions are organised and implemented following the above procedure and as stated
in element 2.3.2 of the National Quality Standard, 'Every reasonable precaution is taken to
protect children from harm and any hazard likely to cause injury'.
See also Appendix 2.1 of the Preschool Handbook for more information on infection
control.
Sources: All WPS Preschool procedures are based on information provided in the following
documents;
 The Preschool Handbook
 The Early Childhood Code of Ethics.
 National Quality Standard
 Waratah Preschool's Philosophy
 DEC Policies and procedures
Review
Management and staff will monitor and review the effectiveness of this policy at regular intervals
throughout the year. Waratah Public School Preschool's Procedures must be reviewed and updated
every 12 months. Due for Review in July 2015.