Health and safety

Get 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.

Learn how to seek permission to give non-prescription and prescription medicines to pupils, and what to do if a parent/carer doesn't consent. Plus, download our multi-purpose consent form.

Find templates for recording medication administered to all pupils and to individual pupils, and guidance on how long to store these records.

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.

Understand when a pupil should be absent from school and share our factsheet with parents/carers so they know how long their child should be off. Learn how to reduce the spread of illness during winter to improve attendance in your school/trust.

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.

Get to grips with the statutory requirements for recording and reporting accidents on your school site, including serious incidents and 'near misses' involving allergies. Find out about additional rules for early years settings and special schools.

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.

Learn about your school's requirements for fire evacuation plans. You can also see templates from local authorities.

Understand the statutory requirements for fire safety in schools, including risk assessments, fire alarms and staff training.

Use our template to help you conduct a health and safety audit in your school and identify corrective actions to keep your school safe.

Use these classroom checklists to make sure staff and pupils are working in a safe environment. You'll find our specialist classroom checklists to use alongside a general classroom one from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

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.