A TEACHING union has debated whether there should be stricter guidelines over school trips or whether they should be banned.

The Professional Association of Teachers (PAT) debated the future of school trips at their conference in Cardiff this week and narrowly voted against a ban.

Some teachers believe school outings are becoming too risky following recent tragedies where children have been killed or injured.

Teacher Hazel Perfitt, who works at St Mary and All Saints C of E Combined School, Beaconsfield, is a member of PAT.

She said: "They may decide there needs to be even stronger guidelines. I think it is all a bit of a shame, but even one death on a school trip is one too many.

"Teachers are very concerned about children's safety and very conscious of it on school trips and the debate may mean schools will have to be much stricter about risk assessments."

She said it would be a shame for pupils to lose out.

However, she said that while some schools were very careful others were taking unnecessary risks. She was quite disturbed to see another party of children from a different school swimming in the North Sea at 8.30pm.

Andrew MacTavish, retired head of John Hampden Grammar School, High Wycombe, said that Bucks is one of the best counties for safety procedures on school trips.

He said: "It is right and proper to investigate accidents on school trips. But when people are pointing fingers at teachers it is hardly surprising they do not want to go outside the school gates with children. They are frightened."