Regulations on school excursions

School excursions and study trips are regulated by specific Education legislation in Spain that begins with Law 14/1970 of the Education Reform that enters into the Transition and was not repealed until the following law 5/1980. , appearing as complementary and extracurricular activities all kinds of didactic outings organized by the educational centers. In later years, the foundations are laid with art. 51 of the Organic Law on the Right to Education 8/1985 of July 3 (LODE) and which has been slightly updated by the Organic Law for the Improvement of Educational Quality (LOMCE) of December 9, 2013 and by the latest Education Law in force, Draft Organic Law amending the LOE (LOMLOE).

The latest regulations give competence in this matter to the Autonomous Communities for the development of the legislation that concerns outings, excursions and study trips. Most of the education laws of each of the territories give their own educational centers the management of complementary and extracurricular activities.

The educational center through the school council has the power, depending on its pedagogical requirements, to change some organizational aspects of the excursion:

Schedule and manage the development, according to the pedagogical line of the educational center, the complementary activities, extracurricular activities and school services.
The number of companions per group of students (without exceeding the limit allowed in your Autonomous Community)
Approve proposals for school outings and excursions made by families, students and teachers.
Students and teachers who participate in an outing or school trip are covered by the civil liability insurance of the educational center.
Regarding the latest education law LOMLOE, proposed by Minister Celaá, according to the draft bill, greater curricular autonomy will be given to schools and institutes and it has even been proposed that 10% of the curriculum be available to the educational center itself .

Below are the main laws to take into account when organizing a school excursion.

STATE LEVEL LAWS:

Organic Law on the Right to Education 8/1985 (LODE)

Art.51.4 “…The educational Administrations will regulate the extracurricular complementary school activities and the school services of the subsidized centers, which in any case will be voluntary…”.

Organic Law 2/2006 on Education (LOE)

In article 91 that regulates the functions of the teaching staff, a reference to these activities is included: “f) The promotion, organization and participation in the complementary activities, inside or outside the educational premises, programmed by the centers”.

Organic Law 8/2013 for the improvement of educational quality (LOMCE)

It maintains the previous regulations on complementary or extracurricular activities, slightly modifying some considerations.

In article 57 of the LOMCE, it briefly refers to activities outside the classroom when enunciating the powers of the School Council. In particular it collects:

“… Propose, where appropriate, to the Administration the authorization to establish payments to the families of the students for carrying out complementary school activities.

“.. Participate in the application of the global pedagogical line of the center and inform the guidelines for the programming and development of complementary school activities, extracurricular activities and school services…”. Referring to outings, excursions and school trips.

Draft Organic Law amending Organic Law 2/2006, of May 3, on Education

“…Students have basic duties to participate in training activities and, especially, in school and complementary activities.”