More red tape to help remove red tape

I do not think that the irony caught these bureaucrats. The basic thing is that schools are now scared of taking the kids out on school trips because of red tape around insurance, health and safety, licences, etc. etc. So what does the government do? Provide more red tape to remove red tape. Mind boggles.

The government is publishing new guidelines for parents and teachers in England which it hopes will mean more children go on school trips.

The Department for Education has told schools and local authorities to ditch "unnecessary paperwork", and has cut its 150 pages of guidelines to eight.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said it would mean a "more common sense approach to health and safety".

And the Health and Safety Executive said it hoped to dispel legal "myths".

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY PAGES OF GUIDELINES? good heavens. But remember, EIGHT pages of turgid prose still remains and here’s a prediction, the number of school trips are still going to fall. As if this is going to change. So what do the guidelines say?

The Department for Education says the revised guidance:

• Summarises the legal duties of head teachers, governing bodies and local authorities on health and safety, and covers activities that take place on and off school premises
• Makes clear that a written risk assessment does not need to be carried out every time a school takes pupils on a regular, routine local visit, for example to a swimming pool or museum
• Tackles "myths and teachers' fears about being prosecuted" by making the law clearer
• Clarifies that parental consent is not necessary for pupils to take part in the majority of off-site activities organised by a school, as most of these activities take place during school hours and are a normal part of a child's education.

Well, ok, sounds fair enough. What do the teachers say?

The National Union of Teachers has welcomed the move but said proper protection for staff and children should be maintained.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

there you go, you can issue whatever guidelines you wish, they will not change. Unbelievable.