In a crisis situation, knowing some key first aid can be the difference between life and death. No matter how young a person is they could be in a situation where someone needs immediate first aid assistance. Oftentimes, a child is the only person with a parent at home or could be watching their siblings. Ensuring they have basic skills in first aid could make all the difference.
Since September 2020, state-funded schools throughout the UK have been required to teach first aid for children from KS2 to KS4 as part of the national curriculum. Students in primary school will learn how to make an emergency call and basic first aid protocols, like how to deal with a head injury. In secondary school, they will go on to learn about defibrillators and how to carry out CPR.
The first and most reliable place to look for lesson plans and information to teach children about first aid is St Johns Ambulance. Lesson plans target pupils in Key Stage 2 and up. All lessons are built in line with the national curriculum and link up with topics children will be learning in science at the same time to give them greater context.
On the website, lessons are organised by Key Stage and offer recommended teaching pathway posters to help teachers plan their lessons. Teachers can also download free scenario cards which pose different emergency situations like choking, bleeding and asthma attacks. Students are then asked questions about what they should and shouldn’t do and the resources available to them in the situations.
It’s important that children take first aid lessons seriously and know that first aid situations aren’t a game, but adding some fun to these activities in the classroom can get children excited to learn about the topic and make them feel more immersed. Considering gathering some toy equipment and acting out a scenario at the doctor’s surgery. Children can take it in turns to role play as the doctor and tend to an injury. Our Doctor Role Play Set is a useful kit for a game like this.
First Aid for Life is run by a group of first aid, medical, and emergency services experts who provide tailored training to individuals and groups. The award-winning group offers practical courses for primary and secondary school children. They will tailor a first aid course to the pupils and budget of a school and incorporate first aid teachings into PSHE, other curriculums the students are learning, or relate the course to an upcoming trip.
Online courses and resources are available through the website to buy or for free when a practical course is booked. Here teachers will find infographics, posters showing what to in different situations, worksheets, and presentations to be used in the classroom.
You may want to stock up on some first aid supplies to help children practice what they have learned for a first aid course, or just for the peace of mind that the classroom is prepared should an accident or injury happen. Storing supplies in a First Aid Trolley can help everyone in the class to remember where to fetch items from if they need them urgently.
For 150 years the British Red Cross has been dedicated to supporting people in crisis situations, including delivering first aid. The organisation offers free teaching resources online that give children fundamental skills to act when someone needs help, and the confidence to take action when they can. Primary and secondary teaching resources on the website are aimed at teaching children what to do in an emergency, how to stay safe, how to cope in a challenging situation, and how to overcome barriers to take action when a person is hurt.
First Aid Champions is a new online platform for children aged five to 18 offering videos, quizzes, activities, and guidance for teachers leading the class. Primary school-aged children will learn about the Red Cross, about why it’s important to help others and get to practice basic first aid skills. Children can relate to other real-life first aid champions their own age through profile videos on the website.
Children are expected to know the fundamentals of CPR by the end of primary school. To teachers get students up to speed on CPR as part of the national curriculum The British Heart Foundation offers resources for guidance. Visit the website to access a guide to getting started for teachers, as well as videos, posters, certificates, quizzes, and PSHE resources to help facilitate learning.
School can see if they are eligible for a free CPR kit that contains inflatable mannequins, inflation pumps, cleaning wipes, and an instructional DVD.
For worksheets that you can download and print out for free to support first aid lessons, Daisy First Aid is a great resource. On the website, teachers will find worksheets that ask questions snd make children think about what to do in an emergency situation, like ‘what is an emergency?’, ‘which emergency service to call’, and ‘making a 999 call’.
Worksheets can be printed out and handed around as an exercise to supplement what children have learned, or sent home to be completed as homework.
