How Safe is Outdoor Learning?

Accidental, injury or sudden death amongst young people (up to the age of 19) approximately:
1420 All accidents
700 Road Traffic Accidents (Massively the biggest single cause)
220 Accidents in the home.
200 Skin cancer caused by over exposure to the sun
140 Suffocation
125 Poisoning (a quarter of which are from taking Class A drugs)
110 Suicide (Not part of the 1400 total, but twice as common as child murders)
90 Drowning
80 Fire (When did you last change the batteries in your fire detectors?)
70 Falls (Kids fall a lot, but it is not often fatal)
50 Homicide (Not part of the 1400 total. The vast majority by someone from within the direct or extended family.)
3 On school trips (The average since 1985 - Mostly Road Traffic Accidents)
And by comparison…..
School visits 3 (A third of which are road traffic accidents )
Adventure Activities on school visits 1
Marcus H. Bailie:Head of Inspection Services, Adventure Activities Licensing Authority
Source: "….. and by comparison". (2005)

Just about the safest place a child could be is on a school trip, writes Phil Revell, and teachers have little to fear either.
The Guardian, March 15, 2005

Risk is often cited as the main factor deterring schools from organising school trips. We have found no evidence to support the perception that school trips are inherently risky.
House of Commons Education and Skills Committee
Education Outside the Classroom, Second Report of Session 2004–05
A person under 18 years has a 0.01% chance of staying in hospital as the result of an outdoor play accident.
Kate Moorcock: teacher and author of Swings and Roundabouts

Leeds City Council found such an increase in pedestrian injuries each October that they have had to design a road safety skills programme for under graduates coming to their city. They are having to teach adults to cross the road because already people have not had the opportunity to practice these skills in childhood.
Kate Moorcock: teacher and author of Swings and Roundabouts

The Duke of Edinburgh Award schemes have an accident rate of 1 serious accident (e.g. broken leg) per 1.5 million overnights.
Marcus H. Bailie:Head of Inspection Services, Adventure Activities Licensing Authority
Source: "….. and by comparison". (2005)
Health and Safety Guidance

Health and Safety on Educational Excursions, A Good Practice Guide, Scottish Executive (2004)

Advice on School Trips by HSE, Health and Safety Executive

DfE advice on health and safety for schools  The very much abbreviated advice to English schools published by the Department for Education.

Employer guidance  Comprehensive guidance published by the Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel.

Nothing Ventured: balancing risks and benefits in the outdoors  The English Outdoor Council considers that risks should be balanced against the benefits of taking part in activities, a process explained in this publication by Tim Gill, (2010)

Adventure Activities Licensing Authority


Next: Why does Outdoor Learning Matter?

 
Index to this Brief Guide to Outdoor Learning
What is OL? Why does OL Matter? What are the Benefits of OL? What does OL research say?
Who supports OL and why
Examples of benefits gained from OL
Where to find OL research
How much OL is going on?
Campaigns for OL

OL Research in other journals