Health and safety
7 articles
First aid and medical care
- Administering medicines in school: guidance Read advice on administering medication to pupils in school, including on school trips and in the early years. Download our printable sheet of 'dos and don'ts' that staff can refer to.
- Administering medicines: parental consent Learn how to seek permission to give non-prescription medicines to pupils, and what to do if a parent/carer doesn't consent. Plus, download and use our multi-purpose consent form.
- Administering medicines: template record forms Find templates for recording medication administered to all pupils and to individual pupils, and guidance on how long to store these records.
- Adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) in school: guidance and examples Find advice on keeping spare EpiPens and other brands of AAI on site for use in emergencies. Plus, find examples of consent forms and AAI protocols from other schools.
- First aid provision: requirements and guidance Find out what you need to do to comply with requirements on first aid provision in schools and early years settings.
- Individual healthcare plans: guidance and templates Learn when and how to create an individual healthcare plan to support pupils with medical conditions. See a template plan from the DfE, and example plans for pupils with epilepsy, diabetes and allergies.
- Supporting pupils with asthma Get expert advice on supporting pupils with asthma, and on the use of emergency inhalers, in your school. Find guidance on staff responsibilities, parental consent and what to include about asthma in your school policies.
4 articles
Health and safety of pupils and staff
- Keeping school pets: guidance Get guidance on whether keeping a pet is right for your school. Learn about keeping and handling animals, and see an example of a pet policy from a school.
- Managing late collection of pupils Get expert advice on what to do if parents don't collect their children from school on time or fail to collect them. See examples of school policies on late or non-collection.
- Schools' duty of care to pupils Find out about your school's duty of care to pupils, when you might be held liable for an injury and how to minimise the risk of this happening.
- Social media for teachers: cheat sheet Help staff members keep their social media profiles secure and be clear on what to do if they're contacted by a pupil or parent online. Find practical tips for protecting staff privacy on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
7 articles
Incident planning and response
- Accident recording and reporting: requirements and guidance Get to grips with the statutory requirements for recording and reporting accidents and incidents on your school site, including the additional rules for early years settings and special schools.
- Emergency school closures: guidance Understand when you can close your school in an emergency. Find out how and when to contact your local authority and parents, and how to request an Ofsted inspection deferral due to emergency closure.
- Fire drills: guidance Understand best practice around running fire drills, and see examples of fire drill and evacuation information from a school and a local authority.
- Fire safety: emergency evacuation procedures Learn about your school's requirements for fire evacuation and see example fire evacuation plans.
- How to keep pupils and staff safe during hot weather Is it too hot for sports day, PE or playtime? Read our article to help you decide. Also, learn how you can keep your pupils and staff safe and avoid sunstroke when they're outside in the sunshine.
- Personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs): templates See templates for personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) for individuals with disabilities, including examples from schools, local authorities and the government. Also, get tips on how to write a PEEP.
- Recording violent incidents: template and examples See examples of forms from schools, and download our template to add to your existing policies on violent and aggressive behaviour.
6 articles
School premises: health and safety
- Fire safety in schools: requirements and guidance Understand the statutory requirements for fire safety in schools, including risk assessments, fire alarms and staff training. Read guidance about limiting flammable materials and get expert advice from the London Fire Brigade and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
- Health and safety audit: template and guidance Use our template to help you conduct a health and safety audit in your school.
- Health and safety checklist: school office Download and use our checklist to assess the health and safety arrangements in your school offices, and record any actions you need to take.
- Health and safety checklists for classrooms Use these health and safety checklists for classrooms to save time and make sure staff and pupils are working in a safe environment. Download our specialist classrooms checklist to use alongside a checklist from the Health and Safety Executive.
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Health and safety duties of trusts: overview template and how to comply
As a trust, you have health and safety duties because you're the employer. Be clear on what these are and understand how to fulfil them. Use our overview tool to help you keep track of and monitor your requirements across your trust.
For Trust Leaders
- School temperatures: guidance Workplaces, including classrooms, must be kept at a 'reasonable' temperature. Read guidance on maximum and minimum temperatures, including recommendations from unions.
1 article
Transport and visits: health and safety
- School trip health and safety: planning checklist and guidance Ahead of a school trip, use our checklist and find guidance to help you feel confident you’ve considered everything from a health, safety and safeguarding perspective.
