Safety fears and pressure of exams hit private school trips

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Worries over health and safety and the pressure of exams have led to expeditions, sport and trips being "compromised" in the independent sector.

Traditionally, private schools have been able to focus more on extra-curricular activities than state schools because they have more time and resources.

But the report, funded by the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, found the "imposed framework of national examinations" leaves little time for extra curricular activities. Pressure for students to score top grades means teachers are also wary of teaching outside the curriculum. Senior teachers from 68 private schools and 76 students were interviewed for the study.

It said: "The increasing focus on health and safety issues and the effects of the examinations system in the final year of both GCSE and A-level means that sport, expeditions and trips have been compromised."

The report comes as MPs were warned that outings such as geography field trips were being cancelled as a result of changing state school teachers' contracts. Heads are no longer allowed to ask them to cover the lessons of colleagues on schools trips.