First Aid Training

• Maintained schools, including special schools but excluding maintained nursery schools  
• PRUs 
• Academies, including free schools and alternative provision academies (but excluding 16–19 academies) 

While it is not currently statutory guidance, the Government intends to introduce equivalent allergy safety requirements through the relevant regulatory standards for:

independent schools (including independent special schools) 

 non-maintained special schools

In addition, it will also be of assistance to other education providers as they fulfil their wider statutory duties, including:

• Early years settings 
• Further education (FE) colleges and other post-16 institutions (including 16-19 academies) 

All staff present during times when pupils are scheduled to be on site should receive allergy awareness training. This includes permanent staff, temporary staff, supply teachers, peripatetic staff, agency workers and regular volunteers. It includes catering staff and others who may oversee children and young people at breakfast or after school clubs.

 It is not intended to include contractors carrying out work with no pupil-facing role such as builders, electricians or other ad hoc maintenance personnel.

Allergy awareness training 

First aid training is not sufficient. We expect that allergy awareness training should ensure all staff: 

• Have an awareness of allergy, the risks it poses, how allergic reactions can occur and how to manage it; 

• Understand that allergy includes multiple conditions (food allergy, asthma, eczema, hay fever, others), which can co-exist; 

• Understand the difference between food allergy, coeliac disease and food intolerance; 

• Know where to find information on allergy triggers; 

• Can identify the range of symptoms of allergic reactions; 

• Understand and can recognise anaphylaxis; 

• Know how to respond in an emergency, including:  calling emergency services and informing parents;  how to locate and administer emergency medication (adrenaline for anaphylaxis, asthma reliever inhaler for an asthma attack).  training on how to use the medication/device in an emergency (whether prescribed to a given person or a school’s “spare” adrenaline devices); 

• Understand the impact allergy can have on a child or young person’s wellbeing; 

• Understand the school, college or setting’s allergy safety policy; 

• Know how to check whether an individual is on the record of those with known allergy and how to use an Allergy or Asthma Action Plan; 

• Understand their responsibilities in reducing the risk of individuals with known allergy coming into contact with their known allergens; 

• Understand how to report an allergic reaction or case of anaphylaxis (whether an incident or a “near miss”). 

Training under this guidance should be understood as allergy awareness and emergency response training. It should not be read as replacing any separate clinical governance, competency or delegation arrangements that may be needed where a child or young person requires individual healthcare support beyond school-level allergy safety arrangements. The allergy safety policy should set out induction arrangements for new staff, as well as arrangements to ensure supply and cover staff have received allergy awareness training. 

For the full guidance plus an Allergy Safety Policy Template, follow this link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/allergy-safety-in-schools