If you’ve been asked to organise a school camp, it’s easy to feel a bit overwhelmed at first — there’s a lot to think about. But with a solid plan and enough lead-in time, it quickly becomes manageable.
This page is here to help you get started. From setting the purpose of the camp to building a timeline and getting your team on board, it covers the groundwork you’ll need before diving into the finer details.
Why Planning Early Matters
The earlier you start, the easier things get. Most camps book out months in advance, especially the popular ones. Transport, parent permissions, risk assessments — these all take time to organise, and it’s much less stressful when you’re not rushing.
A good rule of thumb is to start planning at least two terms ahead. That gives you space to confirm bookings, get approval from school leadership, coordinate with other staff, and keep families in the loop. It also helps when you’re fundraising or managing a tight budget — the more notice parents have, the easier it is for everyone to plan.
Define the Purpose of Your Camp
Before you start picking activities or booking buses, it helps to be clear about why you’re running the camp. Is it to build teamwork? Support a unit on environmental science? Give students their first experience away from home? Having a clear purpose not only guides your planning — it also helps get approval from leadership and support from parents.
Link to Curriculum Goals
Camps are a great way to bring classroom learning to life. Whether it’s physical challenges that tie into the Health and PE curriculum, or exploring native bush as part of a science unit, connecting your camp to specific learning outcomes makes it easier to justify the time and cost involved.
You might link your camp to:
- Outdoor education and physical activity
- Science and environmental studies
- Social studies and local history
- Team-building and leadership development
- Wellbeing and personal growth
If you’re stuck, think about what you want students to come away with — and work backwards from there.
Decide on Year Levels and Duration
What works for Year 5s probably won’t suit Year 10s. Younger students may only need a day trip or one night away, while older students can manage multi-day camps with more physical or social challenges.
Consider:
- Year level maturity: Can they manage overnight stays, shared spaces, or time away from home?
- Camp length: Half-day, overnight, or multi-day?
- Group readiness: Do they work well together? Are there behavioural or medical needs to plan for?
Even if you’ve run the same camp in the past, it’s worth checking whether it still suits this year’s class.
Create a Planning Timeline and Checklist
Getting everything in place for camp takes time — but breaking it down into smaller tasks makes it far more manageable. A clear timeline helps you stay on track, delegate where needed, and avoid last-minute scrambles.
Key Milestones to Plan For
Start by mapping out the major tasks that need to happen from the first term of planning right through to the day you leave. These might include:
- Choosing and booking a campsite
- Preparing a RAMS form and getting approvals
- Confirming dates with the school calendar
- Collecting permission and medical forms
- Meeting with parents and whānau
- Booking transport
- Organising activities and gear lists
- Coordinating staff and parent helpers
- Confirming final numbers and dietary requirements
- Planning pre-camp activities in class
The earlier you can get dates and responsibilities locked in, the smoother everything else will run.
Using a Shared Planning Document
It’s worth creating a shared document — even a simple spreadsheet — that tracks each task, who’s responsible, and when it’s due. That way, other staff or helpers can jump in and stay informed.
Helpful tools:
- Google Docs or Sheets for collaborative tracking
- A term-by-term or week-by-week timeline
- A printable checklist for quick reference
This also makes it easier to hand the plan over next year or share with another teacher running a different camp.
Engage Your School Community Early
School camps work best when you’ve got support behind you. Getting the right people involved from the start makes planning easier — and it helps build trust with whānau, staff, and leadership.
Get Buy-In from Leadership
Before anything gets booked, check in with your principal or senior leadership team. Most schools will want to see:
- A clear purpose for the camp
- How it supports curriculum goals
- A draft budget and funding plan
- Your approach to health and safety (including RAMS)
Getting early approval helps avoid issues later on — especially when it comes to board sign-off or accessing school funds.
Involve Other Staff and Parent Helpers
You don’t need to do everything yourself. Talk to:
- Other teachers who may be joining the camp
- The school’s EOTC coordinator, if you have one
- Admin staff who can help with forms or bookings
- Parents who are willing to volunteer as helpers or drivers
Giving people time to plan ahead means they’re more likely to say yes — and you’ll have a stronger team to support the trip.
Start Gathering Ideas for Campsites
Once you’ve got a clear purpose and the green light from leadership, you can start looking at potential camp locations. You don’t need to book anything just yet — this is about exploring your options and narrowing down what might work for your group.
Things to consider:
- Location: How far is it from school? Will travel fit within your budget and timeframe?
- Type of camp: Are you looking for bush, beach, rural, or urban-based experiences?
- Activities: Do they align with your learning goals and student needs?
- Facilities: Sleeping arrangements, accessibility, dining spaces, and bathroom setups
- Capacity: Can the site handle your group size comfortably?
- Safety and experience: Do they provide qualified instructors? What’s their health and safety track record?
It’s also a good time to ask around — other teachers at your school may have suggestions or recent experiences that can save you a lot of legwork.
Once you’ve shortlisted a few possible campsites, the next step is making sure the numbers stack up. Head over to our guide on Budgeting and Funding Your School Camp to plan costs and explore funding options.
