First Aid for Schools and Colleges

Level 3 Award in First Aid for Schools and Colleges

Many schools and colleges have traditionally trained staff using the three-day First Aid at Work (FAW) qualification. This remains a widely recognised and valid option for workplace first aid training. However, FAW was originally designed for adult workplaces, and as a result it does not always cover some of the specific situations encountered when providing first aid to children and young people in education settings.

Because of this, schools that use FAW sometimes choose to extend the training or provide additional whole-staff training to ensure that staff are confident managing incidents involving students.

The First Aid for Schools and Colleges course has been developed to address this need by combining the most relevant elements of workplace first aid and paediatric first aid into a qualification specifically designed for the school and college environment.

This qualification combines appropriate elements from First Aid at Work and Paediatric First Aid, creating a programme tailored to the situations faced by school staff. Training scenarios reflect incidents that may occur:

• In classrooms and corridors
• On playgrounds and during break times
• In sports halls and on playing fields
• During school trips and educational visits

Participants are assessed throughout the course to ensure they can demonstrate both knowledge and practical competence, leading to a regulated Level 3 qualification.

Choosing the Right First Aid Training for Your School

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advises that employers should select first aid training based on a first aid needs assessment, rather than automatically choosing a particular qualification.

HSE guidance documents GEIS5 (Selecting a First Aid Training Provider) and L74 (Health and Safety Regulations - First Aid 1981) explain that courses such as Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) and First Aid at Work (FAW) are examples of suitable training, but employers should select the course that best meets the specific risks and circumstances of their workplace.

• For schools and colleges this may include considering factors such as:
• The presence of children and young people
• Injuries during playground and sports activities
• School trips and outdoor learning
• Medical conditions common among pupils
• Emergencies involving both staff and students

While FAW may still be appropriate for many schools, some settings choose training that more directly reflects the school environment and student population.

Department for Education Guidance

The Department for Education’s guidance document “First aid in schools, early years and further education” highlights the importance of ensuring that first aid training reflects the needs of the setting.

The guidance suggests that schools may wish to consider additional training in paediatric first aid topics, particularly where staff are responsible for the care of children and young people.

This does not mean that schools must replace workplace first aid training with a full Paediatric First Aid qualification, except where this is required for Early Years settings. Instead, schools should ensure that staff are trained in areas relevant to working with children.

For example, the Resuscitation Council UK guidelines were updated in 2021 to extend child resuscitation guidance to cover patients up to 18 years of age, making it increasingly relevant for education settings.

The First Aid for Schools and Colleges qualification has been designed with this guidance in mind.

Course Duration

ITC Level 3 Award in First Aid for Schools and Colleges

• Duration: 12 hours (typically delivered over two days)
• Qualification: Regulated Level 3 Award
• Assessment: Trainer observation of practical competencies throughout the course. There are no written workbooks or exams.

The course is shorter than the traditional three-day First Aid at Work qualification, while still providing comprehensive training relevant to educational settings.

Course Content

Topics covered include:

• Responsibilities of the school first aider
• Incident management - a systematic approach to managing first aid incidents using the ABCDE system
• Airway Management - causes and treatment of unconscious collapse. Safe Airway Positions
• CPR for adults and children
• Use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
• Choking
• Bleeding and shock
• Seizures
• Anaphylaxis recognition and treatment, including the use of adrenaline auto-injectors
• Other adult medical conditions - heart attack, stroke, asthma attack. diabetic emergency
• Other child medical conditions - asthma attack, diabetic emergency
• Injuries commonly seen in schools and sports settings - sprains and strains, arm injuries, head and chest injuries, suspected spinal injuries, eye injuries, burns and scalds.
• Temerature related illness - hypothermia and hyperthermia

Early Years Settings

This qualification is designed for schools and colleges, but it does not replace the statutory paediatric first aid requirements for Early Years provision.

Where settings operate under the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, staff must still meet the requirements for the two-day Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid, often referred to as the Ofsted-approved course, which meets the statutory EYFS guidance.

You can find more information about full Paediatric First Aid training here: Paediatric First Aid Training