At PGL, our commitment to safety isn’t just a policy—it’s a proactive, positive culture that forms the foundation of every experience we offer. It begins with behind-the-scenes preparation, all the way through to highly trained instructors who lead thrilling activities for students, ensuring they are safe, secure, and happy.
Our mission is to provide transformative school camps where teachers and instructors can have full confidence in the environment, knowing that safety while on camp is our ultimate priority.
Why safety on school camps is essential
Taking students out of the classroom environment and into an adventurous setting is incredibly rewarding, but it comes with a unique set of responsibilities. Prioritising safety on school camps is about honouring the trust placed in teachers and instructors by parents.
For students to truly benefit from the personal growth, teamwork, and confidence-building that a camp provides, they must first feel secure. An environment where student safety is guaranteed removes anxiety, encourages healthy risk-taking within controlled boundaries, and enables deeper, more effective learning.
At PGL, our primary role is to manage the risks expertly so that educators can focus on the relationships and educational outcomes. Simply put, a safe camp is a successful camp!
A comprehensive approach to school trip safety at PGL
Ensuring a safe environment for your students begins long before they set foot on one of our centres. We operate with a 360-degree safety framework that covers compliance, assessment, and training, guaranteeing peace of mind for teachers, parents, and students.
School trip risk assessment
Our school camp risk assessments cover every area of health and safety at our camps. We have undertaken complete risk assessments and have thorough Health & Safety policies and procedures in place, so we know exactly what to do in the unlikely event of an accident.
To ensure that each of our camps prioritises health and safety, each camp has its own comprehensive risk assessment. See our school trip risk assessment for each camp:
Standards, accreditation & audits
We go above and beyond all necessary safety standards, so you can rest assured that our centres exceed regulatory requirements. Think of it like a gold-star seal of approval from the industry experts! We’re proud to be accredited by the Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC) for our camps,adventure activities and sustainable tourism, which means we’ve been independently verified for meeting top-notch safety benchmarks. We are also proud members of the Australian Camps Association, Outdoors Victoria and Outdoors Queensland.
For our activity instruction, we also utilise a third party – Adventure Training Consultants – as an external auditor of our delivery standards, to ensure that everything we do is sector-leading. We actually love having a fresh set of eyes look over our systems. It helps us stay on our toes and ensures we’re constantly at the top of our game in terms of safety practices for all our school camps
Safety regulations at PGL
Our commitment to safety isn’t just a promise; it’s a practice backed by a long list of official regulations and checks. We make sure we’re always up-to-date with the latest government rules and regulations so that every part of our operations is fully compliant.
Here’s a quick look at some of the acts and standards we follow to keep your students safe:
- Federal & State Occupational Health & Safety Acts: These are the main laws for keeping our staff safe and healthy while they work. For example, we make sure our instructors have the right safety gear and training when they run an activity, like abseiling.
- Relevant sub acts included in the Child Protection Act 1999 (Qld): These are specific laws that focus on protecting children from harm in Queensland. This means we have strict, clear rules about who can work with kids at our Queensland centres.
- Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic.): The main laws that protect and support children and young people in Victoria. We follow the right legal steps if a child needs urgent help or support at our Victorian centres.
- Food Safety Audit & Licensing conducted & managed by Shire councils: Local council checks to make sure our kitchens and all the food we serve are safe to eat. A council officer visits the kitchen regularly to check all aspects of our catering operations.
- ATIC Camp & Adventure Accreditation: This is a seal of approval from an outside group that checks our adventure activities and camp standards.
- Health & Safety compliance visits: Regular visits by our own internal safety experts to make sure everything on site is running perfectly. Our safety manager walks the entire site to check things like fire exits are clear and first aid kits are fully stocked.
- HR related visits to audit compliance in areas such as annual refresher practices: Checks by our HR team to make sure staff training is always current, complete, and up-to-date. This includes making sure every staff member does their required refresher training on vital safety procedures each and every year.
Safeguarding Training
At PGL, effective student safety starts with the person right next to your child. That’s why every member of staff receives comprehensive training so they’re able to ensure student safety, from the person serving food to the instructor leading an abseiling session.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility, and we recognise that it relies on everyone having shared knowledge and being on the same page. We believe this consistent, team-wide approach is the most effective way to create a genuinely secure environment for all students on school camps.
Staff at PGL receive training that covers:
Staff at PGL receive training that covers:
- Child Safeguarding: This teaches our team how to protect kids from any type of harm.
- Health and Safety: Ensuring all staff are trained in general health and safety protocols across all our centres and activities.
- Reporting Procedures and Reportable Conduct (Vic): Teaches staff the correct procedures for reporting any concerns or incidents, in line with Victoria’s specific legal requirements.
- Code of Conduct: Outlines the expected behaviour and professional standards for every member of our team.
- Child safe culture and practice: Building a positive environment where children feel secure, respected, and listened to.
- Indicators of child abuse: Training staff to recognise and respond to potential signs of harm or abuse.
- Offender and grooming behaviour: Educating our team on the behaviours and tactics used by offenders to gain trust.
- How to respond to disclosures of child abuse: Staff get clear steps on how to listen to and help a child who tells them about harm.
- Current legislation: Keeping all staff informed on the latest laws and legal requirements related to child safety.
And once on centre, our passion for safety continues with:
Group leader discussions
As well as covering all the safety bases before your students arrive, we also want to check in with them throughout their time with us. Your assigned Group Leader, or ‘Groupie,’ is a friendly, approachable point of contact for your group. They allow students to talk about any safety concerns, and for us to make sure they’re eating and sleeping well.
Beyond just physical needs, your Groupie is also there to check in on emotional well-being, making sure every student feels happy and supported. Our Groupies are always available for a chat whenever your students need one!
For any student who wishes to remain anonymous or avoid direct contact, we have a ‘chatterbox’ system at all of our centres, which allows students to report any issues or provide feedback via written forms. These are checked daily and actioned as appropriate, providing another avenue for students to feel heard and supported whilst on camp.
Instructor-led sessions
All of the thrilling activity sessions are led by our highly trained and experienced staff. They’re the experts, and their top priority is to make sure each activity is completed safely. They’ll guide students through the tasks and challenges, managing all the equipment and ensuring every step is performed correctly.
This approach also means you, as the teacher, are able to step back and pass over the reins of teaching to our instructors. It leaves you free to spend more quality time with individual students, observe their successes, and build relationships outside of the classroom setting.
Develop your student relationships with PGL
We hope this blog gives you confidence in our fantastic team, which always focuses on school camp safety. Why not experience some of the PGL magic for yourself on a school camp trip? Check out our school camps which include primary school camps and secondary school camps.
Your group is at the heart of what we do at PGL. We put safety first with 100% instructor-led activity sessions, which also allows you to bond with your students rather than running the sessions yourself, as you usually would in the classroom. Your PGL groupies are also always available for any questions you or your students may have, just ask!
Why not contact us today and we’ll be on hand to help arrange a fantastic school camp for you and your group!
A qualified teacher and former university lecturer, Steve has been our Guest Experience Manager at Campaspe Downs for many years. Steve’s work at Victoria University, setting up the “Iramoo Sustainability Centre”, focused on restoring and protecting the native grasslands of western Victoria, as well as advising schools how to set up indigenous gardens. He has lectured on science, indigenous education and outdoor education.
