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Ask any school-age child about the highlights of their school life, and it’s very likely they’ll mention a trip to a wildlife centre, a camping weekend or a theatre visit. Yet those eagerly anticipated school trips are under threat.Ìý

Following a series of tragic accidents in recent years, many schools, teachers and parents are now increasingly risk averse – too worried that something may happen to one of the pupils in their charge which could mean being sued by the parents. Add in swingeing public spending cuts and it looks as though school trips – often funded at least partly by the LEA – could become a thing of the past. ÌýThe , saying that teachers should have more training to help prevent accidents on school trips.

Despite this climate of fear, the Government is keen to stress the value of such trips and has even produced a booklet . Ofsted chief inspector, David Bell, has said teachers had "nothing to fear" on trips if they follow the right guidelines, while the Duke of Edinburgh, who created his own scheme in 1956, has said that because they teach children about "risk and responsibility".

I was always happy to allow my children on school trips, as the benefits far outweigh any dangers. The major milestone was in Year 6, at primary school, when they went on a five-day activities course on the Isle of Wight - yet for most parents, any anxiety came from the fact that this was their child's first time away from home for more than a night or so.

I had every faith in the competence of the teachers and our school kept us up to speed on a daily basis, by reporting the day's events on the school's website, which was great fun. The sheer delight on the faces of the children when they returned - grubby and with most of their clothes unworn - was justification enough for the fun and confidence-building these trips bring.

Reluctance to take pupils off site for learning opportunities means that children miss out on stimulating, interesting and enjoyable outings to cultural landmarks and events as well as the more adventurous sporting trips. These trips are not just a day out: they can spark a lifelong love of a subject or activity – or, at the very least, and make sense of the dry classroom activity by seeing it ‘in the flesh’. Who hasn’t been blown away by an enthusiastic teacher describing an Egyptian mummy in the , or found a new sense of confidence and self-worth when they finally plucked up the courage to abseil down a mountain?Ìý

School trips were also, historically, a way for less well-off children to experience things they would otherwise not have seen, whether due to lack of parental knowledge or lack of money. A school can buy theatre tickets in bulk; schools get discounted rates on accommodation for field trips; coach hire can be subsidised by the local authority.Ìý

Accidents involving children on school trips are, thankfully, extremely rare, so when they do happen, they’re newsworthy. In our health and safety-obsessed age, there are, unsurprisingly, plenty of rules in place: teacher-pupil ratios and first-aid training are clearly defined. Yet while it’s fair to say, that teachers are in loco parentis on that art trip to Venice or in the Surrey Hills, we should also ask how many parents would know how to deal with an epileptic fit or an unconscious child who’s fallen into a river.Ìý

Naturally, there are common sense measures that are practical and laudable: no one can argue with the fitting of seatbelts in school coaches or safety harnesses being worn when clambering up a rockface. But it’s important that we keep the risks in perspective. Ex-teacher and education journalist Phil Revell has claimed that , only slightly less than our chances of being struck by lightning.Ìý

It would be dreadful if teachers felt that parents lacked confidence in their abilities to look after our children. Surely they go into the profession with a duty of care? Teachers can also bring out the best in a child on a trip, encouraging the quieter ones to have a go at something, or allowing the more confident children to push themselves further. They can only do this by knowing the children first in a classroom setting. So, despite the perceived Ìý- and often unfounded – risks involved in a school trip, it really is something that should be safeguarded.Ìý

Jo Lamiri is the editor ofÌýDelia Smith’s websiteÌýand a member of the Guild of Food Writers.

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