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Health and safety
Contents
10 articles
First aid and medical care
- Administering medicines in school: guidance What guidance is there on administering medicines to pupils? This article summarises key points in guidance from the Department for Education on administering medicines in schools and the early years. You will also find a KeyDoc with advice for staff on administering medicines to pupils.
- Administering medicines: parental consent Find out how you can seek permission to give non-prescription medicines to pupils, and what to do if a parent doesn't consent. Plus, download and use our multi-purpose consent form.
- Administering medicines: template record forms Is there a template for recording which pupils we have administered medicine to? We point to a template form for recording all medication administered to pupils, and one for recording medication administered to individual pupils. We also provide guidance on how long to store these records.
- First aid provision on school trips Must we have a first aider on school trips? This article refers to government guidance on first aid provision when off the school premises. We also look at requirements in the EYFS, local authority guidance and procedures from two 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, templates and examples Is there a set format for individual healthcare plans (IHPs)? The Department for Education (DfE) explains that there is no set format, as IHPs will vary based on individual needs. We point to examples of IHPs, including a template from the DfE, and look at what they should include.
- Individual healthcare plans: when should pupils have one? Which pupils require an individual healthcare plan (IHP)? In this article, we relay guidance from the DfE about when a pupil might need to have an IHP. We also include advice about pupils with temporary medical conditions.
- Keeping EpiPens in school Can schools keep spare EpiPens? Schools can keep spare EpiPens on site and administer them to certain pupils in an emergency. We summarise guidance from the Department of Health and link to further information on administering medicines in school and examples of consent forms for using EpiPens.
- Supporting pupils with asthma: guidance Are there any guidelines on supporting pupils with asthma? We refer to the latest guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions from the Department for Education. We also look at guidance from the Department of Health on the use of emergency inhalers.
- Supporting pupils with complex medical needs Supporting pupils with complex medical needs or when there is a significant number of medical needs in your school can be challenging. Find out about the statutory requirements and how to seek additional support if you are struggling to meet pupils' needs.
6 articles
Health and safety of pupils and staff
- Facebook for teachers: 'cheat sheet' Help your staff to keep their social media profiles secure and to know what to do if they're contacted by a pupil or parent online.
- Jewellery in PE lessons: asking pupils to remove it Can we insist that pupils remove jewellery for PE lessons? We explain that schools are free to insist that pupils remove jewellery, including earrings, for PE lessons. We also relay advice from local authorities and one of our associate experts on pupils participating in PE lessons while wearing jewellery.
- Keeping school pets: guidance Can we keep a school pet? We explain that it is up to schools whether to keep a pet, although it is not recommended by animal welfare charities. This article relays guidance on keeping exotic pets and handling animals in school, and links to examples of pet policies.
- 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, and when you might be held liable for a pupil injury.
- Supervision of pupils during breaks and lunchtimes (primary) Are there lunchtime supervision requirements in primary schools? This article cites advice from the DfE and looks at school policies, including examples of how schools manage pupils using the toilets during breaks. It also links to The Key’s article on EYFS supervision requirements.
10 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, and additional rules for early years settings and special schools.
- Business continuity plans Have a look at examples of business continuity plans, including local authority templates and plans from primary, secondary and special schools. (For planning support right now in light of COVID-19, please see our free checklist for preparing for self-isolation and closure in our coronavirus resource hub.)
- Emergency school closures: guidance Is there guidance on closing a school in emergencies? We link to advice from the DfE on when schools may close. We also link to Ofsted guidance on inspections that fall on a day where the school has closed due to an emergency, and examples of closure procedures from LAs.
- Fire drills: guidance How often should fire drills take place? This article relays advice from the Department for Education, a union and one of our associate experts on how frequently fire drills should be conducted. We also link to fire drill procedures from local authorities, and highlight a primary school's policy.
- Fire safety: emergency evacuation procedures Is there guidance on fire evacuation plans? We set out requirements for fire risk assessment and emergency plans and relay guidance on creating a plan. You will also find advice on taking roll call and evacuating people with disabilities. This article links to examples of fire evacuation plans.
- Forms for recording and reporting violent incidents Are there examples of violence report forms? In this article you will find forms for reporting violent and aggressive incidents, including examples from the HSE, a local authority and two schools. We also link to another article from The Key which sets out the requirements for reporting incidents.
- 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, find out ways to keep your pupils and staff safe and avoid sunstroke when they're outside in the sunshine.
- Investigating accidents What steps should be taken following an accident? We set out step-by-step guidance from the Health and Safety Executive on investigating an incident, and point to a form for recording the investigation. We also link to documents used by schools after an incident.
- Personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs): templates and guidance Are there any templates for personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs)? We look at emergency evacuation plans for individuals with disabilities, from schools, a fire and rescue service and the government. We also link to guidance on writing a PEEP.
- Severe weather: how to prepare Make sure you know what to do if severe weather such as snow or flooding is on the horizon, including the decisions you'll need to make about closing the school and cancelling events or trips. Download our template risk assessment to support your decision-making.
8 articles
School premises: health and safety
- Dealing with abusive or aggressive visitors in school Find out what you can do to deal with an abusive or aggressive visitor. You'll also learn how to manage challenging interactions with parents who have mental health issues.
- Fire safety in schools: guidance What guidance is there on fire safety in schools? We point to guidance on fire safety in school buildings from the Education Funding Agency. We also answer a series of frequently asked questions about fire safety in schools.
- Health and safety audit Use our template to help you conduct a health and safety audit. You can also see examples of audit and inspection checklists from schools and local authorities.
- 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 you time and make sure staff and pupils are working in a safe environment. Download our KeyDoc checklist for specialist classrooms to use alongside a checklist from the Health and Safety Executive for generic classrooms.
- Health and safety: regular duties for schools Find out which health and safety checks you should perform daily, weekly, termly and yearly. We also signpost to examples from other schools on their health and safety checks.
- School temperatures: guidance There are no legal lower or upper temperature limits for schools, but workplace temperatures must be kept 'reasonable'. Read guidance on 'reasonable' minimum and maximum temperatures for schools.
- Signing visitors in and out Schools often ask visitors to sign in and out. Find out about your school's obligations when parents and other visitors come into your school, and have a look at the approaches some schools take.
5 articles
Transport and visits: health and safety
- Educational visits: planning checklists Is there a checklist for planning an educational visit? We relay advice from the Department for Education on using checklists when planning visits. This article also includes a KeyDoc checklist of health and safety considerations, and links to examples from local authorities and schools.
- Parents accompanying pupils on school trips Know what to consider when parent volunteers take part in an educational visit. Make sure you understand who has duty of care, whether DBS checks are necessary, and how to make sure insurance issues are covered.
- Residential school trip report: template Use our downloadable template to evaluate the success of a residential trip and record details of any incidents which occurred.
- School travel plans and policies Do we need a travel plan? Schools are not required to have a travel plan. We look at the benefits of a plan and link to examples from schools and a template from a local authority. You’ll also find examples of travel policies.
- School trips following a terrorist attack Is there advice on managing school trips following a terrorist attack? We relay expert advice on managing risks during a school trip after a terrorist attack, and look at guidance on responding to incidents during a visit. We also link to examples of risk assessments for offsite visits.