First Aid Policy

This policy sets out the procedures that our school follows in the event of an accident, an injury or an illness.

Policy details

Date created - 16.9.2024

Next review date - September 2025

Terminology

Accident book / form = bump note

Incident form = a specific form that needs to be completed when a serious injury, illness or incident occurs. This includes any near-miss events (Near-miss events are incidents that do not result in an injury or illness, but could if nothing is done about it).

Contents

Policy details        1

Aims        2

Legislation and guidance        2

1. Roles and responsibilities        3

2. First aid procedures        5

3. First aid equipment        6

4. Record-keeping and reporting        7

5. Training        8

6. Monitoring arrangements        9

7. Links with other policies        9

Appendix 1: First Aid Flowchart        10

Appendix 2: Example of a list of appointed person(s) for first aid and/or trained first aiders        11

Appendix 3: Incident Report        12-13

Appendix 4: First aid training log        14

Aims

The aims of our first aid policy are to:

•        Ensure the health and safety of all staff, pupils and visitors

•        Ensure that staff and governors are aware of their responsibilities with regards to health      and safety

•        Provide a framework for responding to an incident and recording and reporting the outcomes

Legislation and guidance

This policy is based on the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, advice from the Department for Education on first aid in schools and health and safety in schools, and the following legislation:

·       The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, which state that employers must provide adequate and appropriate equipment and facilities to enable first aid to be administered to employees, and qualified first aid personnel

·       The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, which require employers to make an assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees

·       The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which require employers to carry out risk assessments, make arrangements to implement necessary measures, and arrange for appropriate information and training

·       The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013, which state that some accidents must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE),  and set out the timeframe for this and how long records of such accidents must be kept

·       Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, which set out rules on the retention of accident records

·       The School Premises (England) Regulations 2012, which require that suitable space is provided to cater for the medical and therapy needs of pupils

This policy complies with our funding agreement and articles of association.

1. Roles and responsibilities

In schools with Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provision, at least one person who has a current paediatric first aid certificate must be on the premises at all times. At Smithies Moor, we try to ensure everyone who works in EYFS holds a paediatric first aid certificate.

Beyond this, in all settings – and dependent upon an assessment of first aid needs – employers must usually have a sufficient number of suitably trained first aiders to care for employees in case they are injured at work. However, the minimum legal requirement is to have an ‘appointed person’ to take charge of first aid arrangements, provided the assessment of need has taken into account the nature of employees' work, the number of staff, and the location of the school. The appointed person does not need to be a trained first aider. 

Section 3.1 below sets out the expectations of appointed persons and first aiders as set out in the 1981 first aid regulations and the DfE guidance listed in section 2.

1.1 Appointed person(s) and first aiders

The school’s appointed person is Alison Moran. They are responsible for:

• Taking charge when someone is injured or becomes ill if necessary
• Ensuring medical materials are ordered and kept in stock in school for First Aiders to replenish individual first aid kits when necessary
• Ensuring that an ambulance or other professional medical help is summoned when appropriate

First aiders are trained and qualified to carry out the role (see section 7) and are responsible for:

·       Acting as first responders to any incidents; they will assess the situation where there is an injured or ill person, and provide immediate and appropriate treatment

·       Sending pupils home to recover, where necessary. SLT or a designated deputy will need to authorise any pupils being sent home. Unless a parent insists that they come and collect their child after a phone call home.

·       Filling in an incident report on the same day, or as soon as is reasonably practicable, after an incident (see the template in appendix 3)

·       Ensuring the workplace has up to date contact details for you.

School keeps a list of appointed persons and first aiders with the dates their training is due to expire. Their names and photographs are displayed prominently around the school.

1.2 The governing council

The governing council has ultimate responsibility for health and safety matters in the school, but delegates operational matters and day-to-day tasks to the headteacher and staff members.

 1.4 The Head of Academy

The Head of Academy is responsible for the implementation of this policy, including:

·       Ensuring that an appropriate number of appointed persons and trained first aid personnel are present in the school at all times

·       Ensuring that first aiders have an appropriate qualification, keep training up to date and remain competent to perform their role

·       Ensuring all staff are aware of first aid procedures

·       Ensuring appropriate risk assessments are completed and appropriate measures are put in place

·       Undertaking, or ensuring that managers undertake, risk assessments, as appropriate, and that appropriate measures are put in place

·       Ensuring that adequate space is available for catering to the medical needs of pupils

·       Reporting specified incidents to the HSE when necessary (see section 6)

 1.5 Staff

School staff are responsible for:

·       Ensuring they follow first aid procedures

·       Ensuring they know who the first aiders in school are

·       Completing incident reports (see appendix 3) for all incidents they attend to whether an appointed person is called or not

·       Informing the headteacher or their manager of any specific health conditions or first aid needs

2. First aid procedures

2.1 In-school procedures

In the event of an accident resulting in injury:

·       The closest member of staff present will assess the seriousness of the injury and seek the assistance of a qualified first aider, if appropriate, who will provide the required first aid treatment

·       The first aider, if called, will assess the injury and decide if further assistance is needed from a colleague or the emergency services. They will remain on scene until help arrives

·       The first aider will also decide whether the injured person should be moved or placed in a recovery position

·       If the first aider judges that a pupil is too unwell to remain in school, parents will be contacted and asked to collect their child. Upon their arrival, the first aider will recommend next steps to the parents

·       We may contact parents via telephone to advise of minor injuries sometimes if deemed necessary

·       If emergency services are called, the Admin Assistant/Learning Mentor will contact parents immediately

·       The first aider will complete an incident report form on the same day or as soon as is reasonably practicable after an incident resulting in an injury

·       If the first aider requires assistance they can call on the appointed person to ask for their advice.

See Appendix 1 - First Aid Flowchart

Situations where an ambulance will be required (please note that this is not an inclusive list and there may be other situations that arise where an ambulance is required):

• Loss of consciousness
• A suspected fracture
• A crush to the head
• Serious burns
• Any damage to eyes
• A deep cut

2.2 Off-site procedures

When taking pupils off the school premises, staff will ensure they always have the following:

·       A school mobile phone

·       A portable first aid kit

·       Information about the specific medical needs of pupils

·       Parents’ contact details

Risk assessments will be completed by the Educational Visits Coordinator (EVC) prior to any educational visit that necessitates taking pupils off school premises.

For EYFS trips, there will always be at least one first aider with a current paediatric first aid certificate on school trips and visits, as required by the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

For the rest of the school (Years 1-6) there will always be at least one first aider on school trips and visits.

3. First aid equipment

A typical first aid kit in our school will include the following:

·       A leaflet with general first aid advice

·       Regular and large bandages

·       Eye pad bandages

·       Triangular bandages

·       Adhesive tape

·       Safety pins

·       Disposable gloves

·       Antiseptic wipes

·       Plasters of assorted sizes

·       Scissors

·       Cold compresses (These are kept in the fridge in the staffroom)

No medication is kept in first aid kits.

First aid kits are stored in:

·       The first aid room near the offices with the First Aid sign

·       All classrooms in a cupboards

·       Staff room – in First Aid bum bags (for use by lunchtime staff)

·       The school kitchen

4. Record-keeping and reporting

4.1 First aid and accident record book

·       An accident form (bump note) will be completed by the first aider on the same day or as soon as possible after an accident or incident resulting in an injury. If the incident is minor, it may be that a call home to parents and a bump note is adequate. The bump note is completed on duplicate paper - one copy needs to go home to parents and one copy needs to stay in school.

·       If the incident is more serious, as much detail as possible should be supplied when reporting an accident or incident, including all of the information included on the incident form in appendix 3.

·       If an incident report form is necessary to be completed, this needs to be scanned and input onto Arbor, tagging in any relevant staff and the Head Teacher.

·       Records held in the first aid and accident book will be retained by the school for a minimum of 3 years, in accordance with regulation 25 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, and then securely disposed of.

4.2 Reporting to the HSE

The Head of Academy and Business Manager will keep a record of any accident which results in a reportable injury, disease, or dangerous occurrence as defined in the RIDDOR 2013 legislation (regulations 4, 5, 6 and 7).

The Head of Academy and Business Manager will report these to the Health and Safety Executive as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any event within 10 days of the incident.

Reportable injuries, diseases or dangerous occurrences include:

·       Death

·       Specified injuries, which are:

• Fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes
• Amputations
• Any injury likely to lead to permanent loss of sight or reduction in sight
• Any crush injury to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs
• Serious burns (including scalding)
• Any scalping requiring hospital treatment
• Any loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia
• Any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space which leads to hypothermia or heat-induced illness, or requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours

·       Injuries where an employee is away from work or unable to perform their normal work duties for more than 7 consecutive days (not including the day of the incident)

·       Where an accident leads to someone being taken to hospital

·       Near-miss events that do not result in an injury, but could have done. Examples of near-miss events relevant to schools include, but are not limited to:

• The collapse or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment
• The accidental release of a biological agent likely to cause severe human illness
• The accidental release or escape of any substance that may cause a serious injury or damage to health
• An electrical short circuit or overload causing a fire or explosion

Information on how to make a RIDDOR report is available here:

How to make a RIDDOR report, HSE

http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/report.htm

4.3 Notifying parents

School will inform parents of any accident or injury sustained by a pupil, and any first aid treatment given, on the same day, or as soon as reasonably practicable. This will be done via a bump note (to be completed by the member of staff who deals with the incident) sent home with the child on the same day. If a child sustains any head injury, the member of staff who dealt with the incident will phone parents immediately.

4.4 Reporting to Ofsted and child protection agencies

The Head of Academy will notify Ofsted of any serious accident, illness or injury to, or death of, a pupil while in the school’s care. This will happen as soon as is reasonably practicable, and no later than 14 days after the incident.

The Head of Academy will also notify the Regional Safeguarding Lead of any serious accident or injury to, or the death of, a pupil while in the school’s care.

5. Training

All school staff are able to undertake first aid training if it is deemed necessary.

All first aiders must have completed a training course, and must hold a valid certificate of competence to show this. The school will keep a register of all trained first aiders, what training they have received and when this is valid until (see appendix 4). See the current list of trained first aiders here.

Staff are encouraged to renew their first aid training when it is no longer valid.

At all times, at least one staff member will have a current paediatric first aid (PFA) certificate which meets the requirements set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework and is updated at least every 3 years.

6. Monitoring arrangements

This policy will be reviewed by the Business Manager and Head of Academy once every year or whenever procedures are changed in response to an incident.

First aid records will be analysed each term by the Business Manager in order to identify any patterns or trends and these will be reported to the SLT.

At every review, the policy will be approved by the Governing Council.

7. Links with other policies

This first aid policy is linked to the

·       Health and safety policy

·       Policy on supporting pupils with medical conditions

Appendix 1: First Aid Flowchart

Appendix 2: Example of a list of appointed person(s) for first aid and/or trained first aiders 

 Appendix 3: Incident Report

A copy of this form must be given to the person or parent/carer of the child who was injured