Why Contingency Planning is Your Safety Net

Do You Have Plan B, C, and D?

As I’ve mentioned before, a robust contingency plan is arguably the most vital component of your overall school excursion management plan.

Why? because when things go wrong with students in the field, there is rarely a simple, straight-forward "Plan B". To ensure you are never cornered into a dangerous situation, you need a Plan C and D up your sleeve.

The reality of taking students on trips is that sometimes chaos happens. No matter how perfect your paperwork is, bad weather, vehicle breakdowns, or random acts of God can escalate a situation quickly.

The "Chaotic Weather" Excursion

I once ran a program where we faced one chaotic weather front after another. It got to the point where we had multiple contingency plans for every single day. If Plan A was unfeasible due to rain, we were ready with Plan B. If Plan B was blocked by a swollen creek, we moved to Plan C.

Throughout the program, we constantly cycled through Plans C, D, and E. The key wasn't the specific details of the plans, but the agility to change and adapt.

The Pattern in Serious Incidents

If you read coronial inquests or serious incident reports from school excursions, a terrifying pattern emerges.

It starts with a single poor decision (about weather, skills, or leadership).

This is followed by a second poor decision, starting an unravelling process.

Crucially, it becomes glaringly obvious that there was no contingency plan to stop the slide.

How to Build Effective Contingencies

Don't Force It: If things don't go to plan, never force the issue just to "get the activity done".

Regroup and Adapt: Stop, rethink, and adapt. This allows you to shift to a safe alternative rather than facing an inquiry later.

Cancel if Necessary: If Plan B fails, be flexible enough to simply cancel. The safety and wellbeing of the group far exceed the need to tick an activity off a list.