Demand for Free School Allergy Training Rises After Government Announcement

Free School Allergy Course Sees 270% Surge After Rule Change

A free online course designed to help school staff recognise and respond to allergic reactions has seen a dramatic rise in demand following a government announcement earlier this month.

High Speed Training, an online training and e-learning provider, says demand for its Allergy & Anaphylaxis for Schools course increased by 270% after the government confirmed on 5th March that schools in England must provide allergy awareness training for all staff.

The course is free for all education establishments in the UK and has already been completed by more than 17,000 learners.

It is officially supported by the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, an organisation established following the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse after an allergic reaction in 2016.

Training Designed to Help Staff Respond to Allergies

Created in partnership with industry experts, the course is designed to help school staff recognise, prevent and respond to allergic reactions in pupils.

It covers common allergens that may be present in school settings and explains the procedures schools should have in place to manage allergy risks.

The course, which is assured by City & Guilds and accredited by CPD, is available free of charge to all UK education staff through High Speed Training’s Allergy & Anaphylaxis for Schools course.

According to the training provider, the programme aims to give staff the confidence to:

• Identify common allergens and recognise signs of life threatening anaphylaxis

• Respond effectively in emergencies, including using adrenaline auto-injectors

• Understand the wider impact of allergies, including mental health effects and “allergy bullying”

• Implement policies and documentation that support inclusive practice in schools

Calls For Allergy Awareness Across Schools

Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBE, founder and trustee of the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, said all school staff should understand how to keep children with allergies safe.

Tanya Ednan-Laperouse said:

“Everybody in schools needs to understand how to safeguard allergic children. We need training for everybody in schools, so it’s not the parents having to tell teachers how to keep their child safe. How can we expect people to safely look after children in their care if they’re not given the tools and resources with which to do it?”

Jan Parnell, Director of Education at the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, added:

“Making sure that the whole school has allergy awareness training is essential. And particularly knowing how to respond to an allergy emergency. It’s sort of a non-negotiable really for all staff. So we’ve created really good high-quality resources, free to schools so that they can be supported in their safeguarding and also supported in their inclusive practice.”

Developed With Medical And Allergy Experts

The training was developed with Natalie Hopkins, an allergy trainer and parent of a child with life threatening allergies. Natalie is accredited in anaphylaxis by the Royal College of Nursing.

Expert advice was also provided by Dr José Costa MD FRCPCH, a paediatric allergy consultant with more than 16 years of experience. José Costa holds a postgraduate certificate in Paediatric Allergy from Imperial College London and is a fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health as well as a member of the British Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Gareth Greenwood, Strategic Partnerships Lead at High Speed Training, said the number of learners already completing the course highlights the scale of the issue.

Gareth Greenwood said:

“Reaching 17,500 certified learners is a testament to the urgent need for this training, but it is also a reminder of the scale of the challenge we face in keeping children safe. We have created an expert-led course that will equip school staff with the knowledge and confidence to create safe environments for children and young people.

“Teachers and educators are on the frontline when it comes to managing student health, and we know how challenging this can be, from both a workload and a budgetary perspective. By offering this course free of charge, we want to ensure that as many people as possible have access to this vital knowledge, removing the barriers to safety and ensuring that no school is left behind due to a lack of resources.”

Additional Free Safeguarding Resources

Alongside the allergy training, High Speed Training has also created a free safeguarding INSET pack which provides advice on identifying and reporting potential abuse and guidance on building an effective safeguarding culture.

The pack has been shortlisted for a Teach Award and can be downloaded from the High Speed Training INSET pack page.

The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation also provides a free toolkit called Allergy School, supported by His Majesty the King and closely involved with the King’s Foundation. The toolkit aims to help children, teachers and club leaders better understand food allergies and includes High Speed Training’s course as part of its resources.

High Speed Training, a registered B-Corp, has also donated more than 240,000 breakfasts to schoolchildren across the UK through its partnership with the charity Magic Breakfast.