Oxfordshire school welcomes new programme which better protects children with allergies
It's as figures show around two thirds of teachers have had no formal allergy training.
Children with allergies in Oxfordshire are soon to be better protected in schools, clubs and nurseries, as The King is backing a new allergy awareness programme.
The programme comes from the foundation set up in memory of 15-year-old Natash Ednan-Laperouse, who suffered a fatal allergic reaction in 2016.
“The more training the better"
A survey by the NASUWT teachers' union, in collaboration with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation (NARF), found 95% have children with food allergies in their schools, yet two thirds of teachers have had no formal allergy training.
The figures expose a critical gap in knowledge which could be the difference between life and death in an allergy emergency.
Sarah Gordon-Weeks, Principal at Dashwood academy in Banbury, welcomes the new programme, she said: “The more training the better, the more equipped and knowledgeable we are to support children and their needs – the better. I think it’s really important that parents feel that their children are safe in school.”
Ms Gordon-Weeks also feels that allergy awareness should be implemented into school curriculum, adding: “We have online safety and all sorts of things to keep them safe, so I think this is something that we may have to look at.
“Sometimes at lunch time they may be sharing their food and it’s really important that they’re not doing that because of children who have allergies. So, I think that it’s about educating children and educating staff as well.”
One in five teachers across the country have never been taught how to use an adrenaline auto-injector - an essential, life-saving tool in the event of a severe allergic reaction, and 60% don't know if their school has an allergy policy.
20% of all food allergy reactions occur in schools, and hospital admissions for food-induced anaphylaxis has tripled in the last 20 years.
Katy Bennett, Inclusion and Welfare Manager, said: “We have many first aiders in school as well as four EpiPen trained staff who are specialist and spread across the school to cover all areas. We have some in the office, the kitchen and different key stages just to make sure that someone is there.”
The NARF has now launched Allergy School, a £1 million initiative designed to transform food allergy education in nurseries, primary schools, and out-of-school clubs across the UK.
What will the Allergy School initiative include?
Developed in partnership with The King's Foundation, St John Ambulance, the children's charity Coram Life Education, and Tesco Stronger Starts, Allergy School offers free, practical resources for teachers and school staff, including:
• Training on how to recognise and respond to allergic reactions
• Educational films, quizzes, and first aid advice
• Lesson plans and assembly packs for Key Stages 1 and 2
• A self-assessment tool to help schools improve their allergy policies
• Engaging content featuring real-life stories from children and teachers