Supervision Ratios

Courts are high risk environments. The courts have set a supervision ratio for this experience at student:teacher 20:1. We strongly encourage schools to consider bringing additional staff members to enable maximum supervision of students at all times while in courts and in the court complex.

There are offenders present throughout the complex, including offenders on drug supply and child related offences, who are sitting in public galleries in courts with students, attending bathrooms and awaiting proceedings in public seating areas. Schools should attempt to increase supervision where possible to ensure minimal interaction with offenders. The ratio for Law Days Out is consistently under review for compliance with child safety needs.

Please email courtvisit@ruleoflaw.org.au for further information.

PLEASE do not leave the students at the Complex and ‘pop out’ for a coffee.

**Please note that for the remainder of 2025, the Law Days Out are running at the Supreme Court complex at Queens Square. The arrival time is 9.00am whilst the current arrangements prevail.**

Groups need to arrive at the Downing Centre at 9.00am. The Law Day Out experience will conclude at 11.30am. Groups are welcome to remain in the courts to continue observations following the conclusion of the Law Day Out program. 

The Downing Centre is currently unavailable to school groups due to a flooding incident in June 2026. The Department of Communities and Justice anticpates repairs will be completed at the end of 2025, however, this date may change. Law Days Out will run at the Supreme Court complex at Queens Square until the Downing Centre is operational.

Generally speaking, the Supreme Court complex is a quieter environment and hears serious criminal matters and a wide range of civil matters. Some District Courts are also hearing trials and setencing hearings and decisons at the Queen St complex while the Downing Centre is closed. Local Courts are busy and cover a wide range of matters that address the great majority of the syllabus points in the Crime unit, so students will still have a valuable experience.

Rule of Law Education Centre staff will try to facilitate as much observation as we can in the complex available to us. Groups are not able to enter closed courts, which will be indicated by signage on the doors to the court, or matters involving children. We may attend matters involving sexual assault. If you feel this this is not appropraite for your group, please advise your facilitators on arrival. 

You may see some civil matters in amongst criminal matters. Even though not in the HSC syllabus, this is still a valuable learning experience for your students as citizens, and more specifically for those who will go on to have a career anywhere in the justice system. The aim of this experience is to create knowledge of and respect for the legal system in operation and to see the rule of law in action.

You can find teacher and student information booklets, a sample timeline of the experience, student workbooks, risk management documents and our terms and conditions here: https://www.ruleoflaw.org.au/court-education/court-excursion-documents/

Please prepare your students to have questions for the judicial speaker, and be willing to ask your own questions should your students become silent!

Given the closure of the Downing Centre due to flooding and the pressures this has placed on all courts across the system, the Law Day Out will look different to past experiences you may have had. We will be running Law Days Out at the Supreme Court complex at Queens Square for the remainder of 2025, or until the Downing Centre becomes available to school groups again. 

Recently, whilst observing a matter in District Court, Parramatta, the presiding judge went to great lengths to explain to the lawyers and members of public in the court room that there is great uncertainty and will most likely be delays for all matters due to the flooding. All court staff are working hard to normalise proceedings, but there are many parameters out of their control on a daily basis making the environment more changeable than it was.

The staff at the Rule of Law Education Centre will do as much as they can to guide you and make the experience as beneficial as possible for your students. Please be patient with them while they navigate the system in its present form and make changes where necessary as each morning unfolds.

**Please note that we are currently transitioning to a new booking system for 2026 bookings**.

To make a booking, either go the ‘Bookings’ button at the top of this page or click here. Choose a date that shows in black. Dates not showing in black are no longer available. You should receive a booking confirmation email within 24 hours of booking. If you do not receieve one, please let us know.

If you have any questions or issues, please email the team at courtvisit@ruleoflaw.org.au.

Invoices are issued the term before your scheduled Law Day Out. As per the Flowchart, payment is due 45 days before the LDO. 

We do have a waitlist available for schools that have missed out on a Law Day Out booking. If a school cancels a LDO, we will do our best to offer the date to schools on the waitlist in order of receiving the waitlist request. However, if the cancellation is recieved close to the LDO date, we may need do a first in, best dressed offer to all schools on the waitlist in order to fill the space quickly. 

If you would like to join the waitlist, please click here.