Before going for a field trip or engaging in any school activity, it is usually a general rule that there should be a duly signed permission slip or field trip form by the parent or guardian, allowing the student to take part in such activities. This means as a parent or guardian, by signing the slip or field trip form, you are waiving your rights to hold the institution or organization responsible if anything wrong happens.
A field trip permission slip is usually written by a school to the parent or guardian, asking them for permission before their kids can engage in an activity organized by their school. Most parents are usually very skeptical about field trips as they fear that something wrong may happen during the trip.
For this reason, the schools usually write a letter explaining to the parents what the trip is all about and to help them trust the school authorities who are taking the kids out for the field trip.
Free Templates
Drafting a permission slip or field trip form from scratch can, at times, be hard. You want to ensure that you don’t leave out any important details. With a template to guide or use, you can be sure that you have all the details that will help the parent understand why they are required to give their permission and can also be used as proof in case of a legal battle. Download and use our free slip and field trip forms today to get started!
What are Permission Slips?
It is a document sent through an email or given to the child to give to their parents to obtain consent from their parents to travel or engage in a school activity or travel for a field trip under the care of the school or a given organization.
It is usually required by law that a child who has not yet reached the legal age be given permission to engage in a given activity or travel for a field trip.
Components of a Permission Slip/Field Trip Form
It should include all the relevant details about the activity that the child is going to engage in to help convince the parent that their kids will be safe. The permission should answer the who, what, when, where, why, how much, and the mode of transportation that the school or organization will use. Â
EXAMPLE
Who: Mr. Davies Kenneth- Class Teacher
Student Name: Paul KayneÂ
What: The class will be going for a field trip to the Grand Canyon
When: 8:30 am- 3:00 pm, Thursday 24th Feb 2021
Where: Grand canyon
Why: The class will be going for a geography study
Cost: $10
Transportation: School BusÂ
Contact Information: 462 2725 751
This information should be included at the top of the letter to make it easy for the parents to understand why they are approving. The form should also contain the name and official stamp of the school or organization requiring permission.
Types of Permission Slips
There are two types of these slips mainly:
Blanket or general form
These have a complete waiver of liability. When the parent or guardian signs this form, they are waiving their rights to hold the school accountable for any injury that may occur to their child during the trip regardless of what or who caused the injury. This basically implies that any mistake caused by the teacher/school or the organization due to negligence will not be held accountable for any injury that may happen to the child during the trip.
Informed consent form
An informed consent form is the slip that explains the activity or trip that the student will engage in and any other natural or inherent risk that may be occasioned by the nature of the activity or field trip. By signing the informed consent form, the parent or guardian is agreeing that the school will not be liable to any injury to the child resulting from the inherent risk. However, the school shall be held accountable for any injury caused by their own negligence that is not part of the defined inherent risks.
How to Prepare Permission Slips
It is important that as a teacher, before allowing a student to partake in an activity or go for a field trip, you first ask permission from their parents. To do so, you should be able to craft a great slip- one that will not only provide the needed information to the parents regarding the activity that they are taking part in but also act as a legal cover for your and the school against any litigations.
To start off, you first need to answer the questions relating to who, when, where, why, how much the activity will cost, and for how long the activity will run. These questions will help the parents understand what the letter is all about and why they are required to sign it. After you’ve answered all these questions, the next part is to include a part where the parent gives their consent; you can write something like
EXAMPLE
“I the undersigned give my permission to _________ /child’s name, to attend the field trip with ______ (name of the teacher or organization).
Leave blank spaces for the parent to fill in the name of the child, their date of birth/age, their age, medical condition or any allergies, and their health insurance if applicable. Then, indicate a section where the parent can fill in their phone number or provide an alternative phone number in case of an emergency.
Lastly, leave a space for the parent to append their signature at the bottom of the document to show that they indeed acknowledge the document.
Sample Field Trip Form
Permission Slip for Field Trip
____________ (Name of school)
(Date)
____________ (Name of class) will be going on a field trip and would like your permission to take your child.
Date of trip ____________
Departure time ____________
Location of trip ____________
Return Date ____________
Phone number ____________
Mode of Travel ____________
Drivers Name ____________
To give permission to your child to go for the field trip, please sign the lower half of the permission slip and return it to the school by (Date)
(Cut along this line and return this half to school)
Student’s name ____________
I ____________ (name of parent) give permission for my child to go for the filed trip to ____________ (location) with ____________ (name of the teacher) on (Date).
In case of anything, I can be reached at ____________ (phone number) during the hours of the field trip.
____________ (Parent’s Signature)
____________ (Date)
Guidelines for Safe and Successful School Field Trips
Talk to the students
The very first rule of any field trip is to give the students special instructions on what is expected of them during the trip. Tell them to always stay in groups and observe and follow all the instructions given to them.
Send special beforehand instructions
When going for a field trip, there are always unexpected situations that may occur during the trip; thus, as a teacher or guide, it is important that you think of some possible cases that may happen and figure out the best possible way to handle them.
Pack all the necessary supplies
Other than the educational activities items, it is important that you pack other necessities too. Make sure to include things that may come in handy during the trip. You may want to include some extra money, permission slips, medications, sunscreen, etc. Also, make sure to carry with you a first aid kit for emergencies.
Make sure that all students have the right uniform
When going for a field trip, you want to make sure that you can identify all the students easily. Make sure that they are all in the same color uniform. When thinking about the outfit that the students should wear during the field trip, make sure to consider the weather forecast. You can have them wear matching shirts with long sleeves to help protect them against sunburns and insects.
Safe transportation
It is recommended to always use a school bus whenever you are going for a field trip. However, going for a field trip to a far destination or out of your city or state, it is important to choose other faster means to ensure that the students don’t arrive at the destination when tired.
Since it is highly essential for the slip to be properly prepared and structured, there are a few additional considerations you must remember as well, such as starting off by listing down everything you want to include in the slip, such as the name of the student, the date of the trip, the destination, the arrival date, the cost, etc. then, once you’ve listed down every detail, you would like to include, the next thing to do is design the slip.
When designing the slip, you want to provide all the details about the field trip first and then provide another section for the parents to provide requested information and sign the slip- to be returned to school. When designing your slip, make sure that it is not too long and that it fits on a single page. This will make it easy for the parent to read and understand and also help you stay organized when filing the slips in your files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! When students go on a field trip, there is a lot that they learn. Socialization is one of the major things that a student can learn, art history, and nature.
This usually depends on the school’s policy. Some schools allow the teachers to take photos to be used in the school’s magazine, while others do not allow the teachers to take any photos of the students except with special permission to do so.
Conclusion
It is always advisable as a teacher to always seek permission from a child’s parent or guardian before taking them for a field trip or engaging them in any activity. A permission slip not only helps you get permission from the parent but also protects you from any litigations that may arise.
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