Overnight Activities on School Grounds
At St Joseph's School, we may organise or allow overnight activities on school grounds. Overnight activities include any activity where school community members (i.e. students, parents) or third-party users stay anywhere on school grounds overnight, regardless of whether participants intend to sleep. The board has a responsibility to maintain the school as a safe place for all students, staff, and visitors and to manage and minimise health and safety risks (Health and Safety at Work Act 2015). To meet this responsibility, we ensure that the safety of participants on overnight activities is prioritised. We have a written agreement with organisers of overnight activities that sets out arrangements and conditions to ensure participants health and safety. This may include compliance with relevant school policies (e.g. School Community Conduct Expectations, Smokefree and Vapefree, and Alcohol, Drugs, and Other Harmful Substances).
School-organised activities
Staff organising an overnight activity follow the planning and risk management processes for Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC), including notification, obtaining consent/approval, and supervision. Also see EOTC Event Planning and Approval.
- The person organising an overnight activity must have a written agreement setting out arrangements and conditions for the overnight activity (including fire safety compliance).
- Overnight school activities must be approved by the principal and board.
Also see Volunteer Involvement.
Third-party activities
For this policy, "third party" means anyone that wants to use the school for non-school activities, and who does not already have 
authority for use.
Groups that may not be included in the definition of third party for this policy are those that do not need a third-party agreement because they have authority to use the school for non-school activities. Depending on the school and the circumstances, this may include:
- Civil Defence – see the Civil Defence Emergency Act 2002 (s 90)
- Electoral Commission – see the Electoral Act 1993 (s 156)
- Proprietors of state-integrated schools – subject to the Education and Training Act (s 161-163), Schedule 6, and the school integration agreement.
- Third-party users of the school must have a casual use or lease agreement with the school as required – see Third-Party Use of School Property.
- In addition, anyone organising overnight activities on school grounds must have a written agreement setting out arrangements and conditions for the overnight activity (including fire safety compliance).
- Overnight third-party activities must be approved by the board.
Fire safety and evacuation
To ensure safe overnight activities at our school, we:
- may consult with our local Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) fire risk management office
- notify the FENZ officer of the date(s) that people will be staying overnight, and the areas they will be using
- inform organisers of the activity about expected emergency and evacuation procedures on the school site.
To ensure safe overnight activities at our school, the organisers of the activity are expected to:
- ensure that any area used for sleeping meets fire safety requirements
- The sleeping area must be on the ground floor of a building and have an automatic fire alarm system with automatic smoke detectors and manual call points allowing people to push a button to set off the fire alarm.
- If there are more than 40 people in a sleeping area, there must be an automatic sprinkler system and at least two exits.
- If there is no sprinkler system, no more than 40 people can stay in that area and the area must not contain a kitchen but may contain tea-making facilities.
- No more than 160 people may be in one sleeping area.
- be responsible for fire safety and evacuation during the activity
For example, this may include checking:
- power points are not overloaded
- mattresses and other items are kept away from heaters, vents, etc.
- everyone knows where the exits and fire extinguishers are, and the exits are well lit
- everyone has unobstructed access to all exits
- everyone knows the evacuation procedure and assembly points
- there are torches available.
- contact emergency services and school staff if needed.
Also see Property Management (building safety and compliance).
Related policies
Legislation
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
- Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017
- Education and Training Act 2020
Resources
: Term 3 2025, Term 2 2023, Term 2 2021
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