School Allergy Awareness Training - Preparing Your School for Benedict's Law

Be Ready for the New Statutory Allergy Safety Requirements from September 2026

From September 2026, schools in England must meet new statutory allergy safety requirements introduced through the Department for Education’s Allergy Safety in Schools guidance, commonly referred to as Benedict’s Law. The guidance requires schools to strengthen how they identify, manage and respond to severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis, helping create safer learning environments for children.

At Optimal First Aid, we deliver practical, engaging School Allergy Awareness Training that helps schools prepare staff with the knowledge and confidence to recognise an allergic reaction, respond appropriately in an emergency and understand their responsibilities under the new guidance.

Whether you’re a primary school, secondary school, academy, SEND school or independent school preparing for September, we can deliver training at your premises across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset and the South West.

Is Your School Ready?

The Department for Education now expects schools to have robust arrangements in place for allergy management. This includes:

• Allergy awareness training for all staff.
• A published whole-school allergy policy.
• Appropriate Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs) for pupils with allergies.
• Spare adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) available for emergency use.
• Clear emergency procedures and effective incident recording.

Preparing before the start of the new academic year helps ensure your school is ready to meet these expectations with confidence.

Who Should Attend?

This training is designed for everyone who may have responsibility for children during the school day, including:

• Teachers
• Teaching Assistants
• Senior Leadership Teams
• School Office Staff
• Midday Supervisors
• Breakfast and After School Club Staff
• Caretakers and Site Teams
• School Minibus Drivers
• Sports Coaches
• Volunteers

The statutory guidance makes clear that allergy awareness should extend across the whole school, not just teaching staff.

What Your Staff Will Learn

Our practical course covers:

Understanding Allergies

• Common allergens
• Food and environmental allergies
• Risk reduction within schools

Recognising Anaphylaxis

• Early warning signs
• Mild versus severe reactions
• Recognising life-threatening symptoms
• When to act immediately

Emergency Response

• What to do during an allergic emergency
• Calling 999
• Positioning the casualty
• Ongoing casualty care until ambulance arrival

Adrenaline Auto-Injectors

Practical familiarisation with common devices including:

• EpiPen®
• Jext®
• Emerade® (where applicable)

Delegates gain hands-on confidence using trainer devices in realistic scenarios.

Practical Scenarios

Realistic school-based scenarios help staff develop confidence in responding under pressure.

Practical Based Training

Our instructors have extensive operational experience in emergency care and deliver realistic, practical training rather than simply reading from slides.

Staff leave understanding not only what to do, but why rapid recognition and early intervention are critical during anaphylaxis.

Supporting Schools Beyond the Training

We don’t simply deliver a course and leave.

We can also provide guidance on:

• Preparing for the new statutory guidance
• Developing emergency procedures
• Staff confidence and refresher training
• Practical implementation within the school environment

Delivered at Your School

We provide on-site allergy awareness training throughout:

• Devon
• Cornwall
• Somerset
• Dorset
• The South West

Training is delivered around your timetable, reducing disruption and allowing larger groups of staff to attend together.

Why Choose Optimal First Aid?

• Experienced emergency care instructors
• Practical, scenario-led training
• Delivered at your school
• Suitable for all school staff
• Flexible course delivery
• Training across Devon, Cornwall and the South West

Our focus is on giving your staff the confidence to recognise an emergency quickly and respond effectively while waiting for the ambulance service.