An Essex school needs four kinds of first aid training in 2026–27: trained first aiders for the school as a workplace, paediatric first aid wherever the Early Years Foundation Stage applies, allergy awareness for every member of staff, and confidence using the school’s defibrillator. This guide sets out what each one involves, who it applies to and where the requirement comes from.
It is written for headteachers, school business managers and anyone who holds the first aid brief. It covers schools in England and reflects the guidance in force in October 2026.
1. First Aiders For The School As A Workplace
A school is an employer, so the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 apply. They require adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and trained people so that staff receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work.
The regulations cover employees, not pupils. The Department for Education’s guidance, however, strongly recommends that schools take pupils and visitors into account when deciding their first aid provision, and expects every school to have a first aid policy informed by a first aid needs assessment.
HSE says there are no hard and fast rules on numbers. Its published guide suggests, as a starting point for a lower-hazard workplace with more than 50 employees, at least one first aider trained in First Aid at Work for every 100 employees. In a school, the assessment then needs to allow for:
- several hundred pupils on site who are not counted as employees
- higher-risk areas such as science labs, design and technology workshops, PE and kitchens
- split sites, separate buildings and playing fields
- breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, lettings and holiday provision
- trips, sports fixtures and residentials
- part-time staff, absence and cover at lunchtime
In practice most schools end up with a small core of staff holding the three-day First Aid at Work qualification and a wider group holding the one-day Emergency First Aid at Work qualification, spread across buildings, key stages and the school day. Both certificates last three years, and HSE strongly recommends annual refresher training in between.
Our free first aid needs assessment calculator gives you a written starting point to keep with your health and safety records.
2. Paediatric First Aid Under The EYFS
If your school has a nursery or reception class, the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage applies to that provision. The version in force from 1 September 2026 sets out the following.
- Always available. At least one person with a current paediatric first aid certificate must be on the premises and available at all times when children are present, and must accompany children on outings.
- Renewed every three years. Paediatric first aid training must be renewed every three years and be relevant to people caring for young children and babies.
- Ratios. Staff who gained a level 2 or level 3 early years qualification since 30 June 2016 must obtain a paediatric first aid qualification within three months of starting work to be counted in the staff to child ratios at that level.
- Mealtimes. While children are eating there should always be a member of staff in the room who holds a valid certificate for a full paediatric first aid course.
- Visible to parents. Providers should display staff paediatric first aid certificates, or a list of the staff who hold one, or make them available to parents and carers.
The mealtime point is the one that catches schools out. One qualified person somewhere on site satisfies the first rule, but it does not put a qualified person in every room where early years children are eating. Count the rooms, the lunch sittings and the snack times, then allow for absence.
The framework distinguishes a full paediatric first aid course from the shorter emergency course. For the on-premises and mealtime requirements it is the full course that counts. We deliver the full course as two days in the classroom or as a blended course, with online learning followed by a practical day. Details are on our Paediatric First Aid page.
3. Allergy Awareness For Every Member Of Staff
From 1 September 2026, statutory guidance on allergy safety applies to schools in England, following the campaign known as Benedict’s Law. It expects a basic level of allergy awareness across the whole staff body, not only designated first aiders: teaching staff, teaching assistants, catering teams, midday supervisors, office staff, site staff and senior leaders.
Alongside training, schools are expected to have a whole-school allergy policy, spare adrenaline auto-injectors on site and Individual Healthcare Plans for pupils with allergies.
This is separate from first aid training. A first aider learns to manage a range of emergencies. Allergy awareness training makes sure the adult who happens to be nearest, in the dining hall, the corridor or on a trip, can recognise anaphylaxis and knows exactly what to do next. We deliver it on site for whole staff teams, usually on an INSET day or as a twilight session. More detail is on our allergy awareness training for schools page.
4. Defibrillators
There is no legal requirement under health and safety law for a workplace to have a defibrillator, but the Department for Education encourages schools to have one as part of their first aid equipment, and most state-funded schools in England now do.
A defibrillator only helps if people are willing to fetch it and use it. Defibrillator use is part of both the First Aid at Work and Emergency First Aid at Work courses, so every workplace first aider you train will have practised with a training unit. It is also worth making sure all staff know where the school’s defibrillator is kept, that it is checked regularly, and that it is registered on The Circuit, the national defibrillator network, so the ambulance service can direct people to it.
Who Needs What: A Quick Summary
| Training | Who | Length | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Aid at Work | A core group of lead first aiders | 3 days | Every 3 years |
| Emergency First Aid at Work | A wider group across buildings, clubs and trips | 1 day | Every 3 years |
| Paediatric First Aid (full course) | Nursery and reception staff, enough to cover every room, mealtime and outing | 2 days, or blended | Every 3 years |
| Allergy awareness | All staff | A single session | In line with your allergy policy |
Planning It Around The School Year
- Keep one training record. A single matrix showing who holds what and when it expires stops certificates lapsing unnoticed, and it is the first thing an inspector or governor will ask to see.
- Stagger expiry dates. If every first aider qualified on the same day, every certificate expires on the same day. Training in two or three groups across the year spreads the cost and the cover.
- Use INSET days and twilights. Whole-staff allergy awareness and one-day courses fit INSET days well. Three-day courses are easier in the last weeks of the summer term or at the start of a holiday.
- Train on site where you can. We bring the trainer and all the equipment to you and charge one fixed fee for up to 12 learners, with no travel charges in Essex, Southend-on-Sea or Thurrock. Prices are on our on-site group training prices page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many first aiders does a school need?
There is no fixed number. It depends on your first aid needs assessment, which should consider staff numbers, pupil numbers, the layout of the site, higher-risk activities, clubs and trips. HSE’s suggested starting point for a lower-hazard workplace with more than 50 employees is at least one First Aid at Work first aider per 100 employees, and most schools need more than that once pupils and the spread of the site are taken into account.
Do teachers have to be first aiders?
No. First aiders are usually volunteers from the teaching and support staff. The school’s duty is to make sure enough trained people are available, not to require any particular member of staff to take it on.
Does a workplace first aid certificate cover the early years requirement?
No. The Early Years Foundation Stage requires a paediatric first aid certificate. First Aid at Work and Emergency First Aid at Work are adult-focused workplace qualifications and do not meet it.
Is allergy awareness training the same as first aid training?
No. It is a separate, shorter session for all staff, focused on recognising an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis and responding with an adrenaline auto-injector.
Talk To Us About Your School
Essex Medical Training works with primary, secondary and special schools across Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock. Our trainers are healthcare professionals with frontline emergency ambulance and emergency department experience. Call 0800 820 3692 or send us a message with your staff numbers and the dates you have in mind, and we will come back with a plan and a price.
