My headteacher tells me that governors now have to give permission for all off-site visits, not just residential trips. She is concerned about the implications for staff. Given that the full governing body only meets once a term, this will require an onerous degree of forward planning. I am concerned that this is yet another responsibility for governors. Our staff are wonderful, conscientious, professional people but accidents will happen. When they do, they hit the headlines and parents and the press look for someone to blame. I’d rather it wasn’t me. I do not want to see “Governors approved disaster day out“in our local newspaper.

Will we be more culpable if we simply trust teachers’ judgment and rubber-stamp their trip plans or if we carry out a detailed risk assessment (for which we are unqualified) but still fail to spot the banana skin? So, if I am asked, as chair, to permit Reception to visit the woods one glorious autumn day, the answer is no. Look what happened to Red Riding Hood.