School Trip Checklist: Parental Permission, Safety and the Trip Bag

The things to check before a school trip fall into four groups: parental permission and information, health information, safety arrangements on the day, and the teacher's and students' bags. You can print the list below and tick off each item as you complete it. As legal procedures and mandatory documents may vary by type of school, use the list together with the current guidelines of your school and of the provincial/district directorate of national education.

What this list covers and what it does not

This article is a practical list that pulls together pre-trip preparation so that nothing is forgotten. It does not give a binding ruling on matters such as which documents are officially mandatory, whose approval is needed or what the chaperone ratio should be. For these matters, check the current guidelines of your school and of the provincial/district directorate of national education. For the general planning steps, see our 8-step planning guide for teachers.

1. Parental permission and information

• Parent information note prepared. The trip's location, purpose, date, departure and return times, meeting point.
• What is and is not included in the programme written down. For example, is lunch included, or should students bring a packed lunch?
• Permission form handed out. It should have fields for the student's name, class, parent's name, signature and date.
• Parent contact details updated. At least two reachable phone numbers.
• Photo and sharing preference asked. Whether photos taken on the trip may be shared on the school's communication channels.
• Permission forms collected and listed. The school's own practice for students whose forms have not arrived should be clear in advance.

If your school has its own information and consent procedures for processing personal data, follow them. You can find TatiliYakala's privacy notice for tour participants on the KVKK tour participants page.

2. Health information

• Chronic conditions asked about. Conditions such as asthma, epilepsy, diabetes or heart problems.
• Allergies listed. Food, medication, insect stings.
• Regular medication noted. Who will keep the medication and how it will be given agreed with the parent.
• Students with limited mobility identified. Suitability of the venue and programme assessed in advance.
• Students who suffer from travel sickness identified; seating at the front of the coach planned for them.
• Health information kept confidential. The list stays with the responsible teachers only.

This section matters even more for trips involving physical activity, such as an adventure park, paintball or a theme park. In programmes such as Isfanbul or Forest Istanbul, for example, restrictions based on age, height and health are set by the venue.

3. Safety arrangements on the day

Before the trip

• Participant list prepared: student name, parent phone number, health note.
• Responsible teachers and chaperones assigned; the group of students attached to each written down.
• Emergency phone chain set up: teachers, school administration, tour coordinator.
• Programme and transport details sent to the school administration in writing.

Trip day

• Pre-departure roll call taken.
• ID cards worn: student's name, school and the teacher's phone number.
• Buddy system explained: every student has a partner and they stay together.
• Lost child rule given: "Stay where you are or go to the meeting point; tell a member of staff your teacher's name."
• Meeting point and time for each stop announced at the entrance.
• Roll call at the entrance and exit of each stop taken.
• Return roll call taken, parents informed of the arrival time.

On the coach

• Students seated, seat belts fastened.
• Teachers spread between the front and back of the coach.
• Rule against walking around reminded.

4. Teacher's bag

• Printed copy of the participant list and parents' phone numbers
• Health information list (kept confidential)
• Basic first aid supplies (plasters, sterile gauze, wet wipes)
• Spare water and a small snack
• Rubbish bag
• Charged phone and power bank
• A small set of spare clothes for preschool and early primary years
• Task and observation cards

5. Student's bag

You can add the following to the list you send to parents:

• Comfortable shoes and layered clothing suited to the season
• Water bottle
• Packed lunch (if no meal is included in the programme)
• Hat and sunscreen (for outdoor trips)
• Light raincoat
• Regular medication (as agreed with the parent)
• Reminder not to bring valuables

The advantage of a ready-made programme

Sharing part of the checklist with the tour company makes your job easier. We send the programme, stops, travel times and meal arrangements in writing at the quote stage; you can use this information in the file you submit to the school administration. You can find programmes for school groups on our school trips page and all options within Istanbul on the Istanbul city tours page.

Frequently asked questions

Is parental permission mandatory for a school trip?

Parental permission is common practice for school trips; however, which documents are officially required may vary by type of school. Check the current guidelines of your school and of the provincial/district directorate of national education.

What should a parental permission form include?

The key elements are the trip's location, date and times, student and parent details, contact numbers, health information, photo sharing preference and the parent's signature.

How many chaperones should there be on a school trip?

The number of chaperones depends on the age group, the type of trip and the school's rules. Follow the current guidelines of your school and of the provincial/district directorate of national education; in crowded venues, an extra adult is always reassuring.

What should be done if a student gets lost?

Before the trip, students are taught to stay where they are or go to the meeting point and tell a member of staff their teacher's name. Teachers contact the venue staff and the school administration immediately.