TEACH - Training & Education Around Child Health

08/09/2025

With the September return to school known as "week 38" being the highest annual surge of asthma hospital admissions for children in the country, it's crucial schools and educational settings have yearly, up-to-date training for all school staff in Anaphylaxis, Allergies and Asthma.

"Week 38" refers to the third week of September when asthma hospital admissions increase drastically due to the return to school after summer holidays and an increased exposure to viral illnesses and allergies. It is also known that many children's daily asthma management protocols may have slipped during the summer holidays and so many asthmatic children arrive back at school with more sensitive airways.

We offer Anaphylaxis, Allergies and Asthma training in a variety of packages designed to suit the different needs of different schools and settings. Go to our website to read more about our programs: https://teachhealth.co.uk/course-categories/anaphylaxis-asthma/

04/09/2025

"Week 38" refers to the third week of September when asthma hospital admissions spike throughout the country as children return to school after the summer holidays. School‑age children are hit hardest, with asthma hospitalisations in this group peaking more than twice their usual levels.

The spike is attributed to the following factors:

- children mixing again after the holidays and bacterial and viral infections circulating and affecting asthmatic children more severely.
- exposure to poor indoor air quality in schools.
- stress and anxiety in some children on returning to school which can exacerbate symptoms.
- changes in weather as the summer comes to an end.
- children not adhering to their asthma management plans with the same vigilance as usual during the summer holidays, leading to heightened airway sensitivity.

Schools have a duty of care to prepare for the asthma surge as best they can, and there are a number of ways to do this. TEACH offer stand alone whole-school training that can be delivered both virtually and in-person (region dependent). TEACH also offer the Anaphylaxis & Asthma Safe School Programme. This is a specialist programme designed to support schools over the duration of 1 year across 5 key areas to ensure they are meeting all statutory and non-statutory guidance in supporting pupils with asthma and allergies and implementing best practice.

To find out more about the programme go to our website: https://teachhealth.co.uk/courses/anaphylaxis-asthma-safe-school-programme-2/

02/09/2025

Calling all SENCo's, Head Teachers and Leadership Teams!
Have you booked your school's annual staff health training sessions for the new school year?

In the rush back to school with so many things to juggle it can seem overwhelming to know where to begin when it comes to organising staff health training. There are many platforms and companies out there offering training progams, and it's not easy to tell which are offering the best quality when it comes to on the ground, practical and digestible information.

TEACH is a small, independent training platform run by registered nurses with current clinical experience working in schools. All of our training programs are researched, written and delivered by nurses and we integrate our clinical expertise with decades of combined practical experience in schools. Our training programs are offered face-to-face (location dependent), live virtually on zoom/teams, and we have some E-learn options.

For more information go to our website www.teachhealth.co.uk or drop us an email: info@teachhealth.co.uk

18/08/2025

In July 2025, the inquest took place into the tragic death of school pupil Benedict Blythe. Benedict died from exposure to his food allergy whilst at school, and during the inquest a cascade of failings were found to have contributed to his death.

As Benedict's mother stated during the inquest, schools are left with "patchy, vague guidance" are expected to "carry life-or-death responsibility alone". This is why the family have campaigned to introduce mandatory changes to the way allergies are managed in schools which would reduce the risks pupils with allergies face in the school environment.

The key failures identified during the inquest shine light on the gaping inconsistencies throughout schools across the country in the way allergies are managed, and the way procedures for reducing risks of allergen exposure are implemented. It is vital schools are confident and feel prepared to not only manage emergency situations, but have robust and whole-school procedures in place to reduce the risks of allergen exposure. All school staff should be trained in allergies, including lunchtime supervisor staff, admin staff, and temporary staff.

For schools, it can be a challenge to know where to start to make changes as information and guidance online can appear scattered. This is why we have put together our Anaphylaxis & Asthma Safe School Programme, designed from our decades of years of experience working as Nurses in schools. The programme integrates current evidence-based practices and statutory requirements across five key areas creating a safe and supportive environment for pupils with allergies, anaphylaxis and asthma.

To read more about the programme click here: https://teachhealth.co.uk/courses/anaphylaxis-asthma-safe-school-programme-2/

26/07/2025

The summer holidays have arrived and offer a time of relaxation and reflection. However, it's important that school Leadership Teams plan ahead for the next school year and schedule whole-school training so that pupil's with medical conditions can be safely supported in the school environment.

Schools are responsible for supporting pupils with medical conditions and staff must receive adequate training to be able to confidently meet the needs of these pupils and respond in emergency situations. This training should be delivered by a healthcare professional or someone with appropriate qualifications, as stated in the Department for Education statutory document 'Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions' (2015).

TEACH is the only educational training platform run by registered Nurses and delivering bespoke training sessions that are researched, written and delivered by Children's Nurses with current clinical practice. We offer a variety of courses in child health conditions and medication management, and offer different packages of support.

Get in touch to see how we can support your school today at info@teachhealth.co.uk
and go to our website to read about our current course offerings: https://teachhealth.co.uk/

17/07/2025

The Schools (Allergy Safety) Bill has been in the news recently, but what does it actually mean?

Known also as Benedict’s Law, this Private Member’s Bill was tabled in the UK House of Commons on 9th July 2025 by MP Chris Bloore. Benedict's Law proposes changes aiming to make schools safer for children with allergies following the tragic death of Benedict Blythe, a 5 year old boy who suffered a fatal anaphylactic reaction at school.

There are 3 main components, which include:

1. Mandatory standardised Allergy Policy in every school

Each school must have a written, publicly available allergy policy.

The policy must include procedures for:

- Preventing exposure to known allergens

- Managing allergy risks at meal and snack times

- Emergency responses to allergic reactions........................................................................................................

2. Spare Adrenaline Auto-Injectors

Schools must keep spare adrenaline auto-injectors on-site that can be used if a pupil's own is missing, broken or unusable.

Schools would also be required to:

- Monitor expiry dates

- Store injectors accessibly but securely

- Know who is trained to use them........................................................................................................

3. Compulsory Allergy Training for All Staff

All school staff (not just teachers!) would need to undergo certified allergy-awareness and emergency-response training.

Training would include:

- Recognising early signs of anaphylaxis

- Safe food handling

- How and when to administer adrenaline........................................................................................................

The Second Reading, where MPs debate and vote on the principle of the law, is scheduled for 12 September 2025. In the meantime, school's can get prepared and book in training for the next school year and ensure that they have a robust policy in place.

For information on how we can support your school contact us at info@teachhealth.co.uk or go to our website: www.teachhealth.co.uk

30/06/2025

In the UK less than 1 in 100 children are at risk of a severe reaction to stings. But for those who are allergic, being stung could potentially trigger a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. This is why it’s so important for school staff to stay allergy aware especially in the warmer months when bees and wasps are out and about.

If you have a child in your class with a known bee allergy, make sure all staff are aware and have read their care plan, they know where their adrenaline auto-injector is kept and how to administer it.

Stay allergy aware this summer, and go to our website to find out how we can support your school with our various courses and support programs in child health: https://teachhealth.co.uk/

25/06/2025

Individual Health Care Plans (IHCPs) are vital documents for pupils with health care needs and medical conditions to have in place to support and shape their experience at school.

IHCPs are collaborative, living documents ensure that a pupil's evolving requirements and needs are consistently met to create a safe and supportive learning and social environment. By regularly updating IHCPs, schools can adapt to changes in the child's health status and provide personalised care.

Supporting schools in designing and implementing effective IHCPs is essential to ensure comprehensive support for every child. To find out how we can support your school go to our website: https://teachhealth.co.uk/

20/06/2025

With such warm weather and heatwaves in certain parts of the country it's important that schools take extra care to support pupil's with Epilepsy.

Warm weather and changes of body temperature (moving from an indoor, air-conditioned environment to outside and vice versa) are common seizure triggers for many people with Epilepsy. Here we have listed several things that can be done to help reduce the risks of seizure occurrence and to ensure staff are equipped to manage seizures and emergency situations if they arise.

We offer Epilepsy Awareness and Buccal Midazolam that is researched, written and delivered by registered School Nurses with current practical experience working in schools. For more information in how we can support your school or workplace go to our website: https://teachhealth.co.uk/

09/06/2025

In our Epilepsy Awareness and Buccal Midazolam training we very often get asked by school staff in which particular situations they should call an ambulance when a pupil has a seizure at school. The truth is, there is no one size fits all rule, and every situation will be different. Here is a list we have compiled of scenarios where staff should definitely call an ambulance. Ultimately, staff need to make an assessment taking into account the pupil and their specific needs as they are presenting in the moment, the resources to hand, the environment, and the staff's own confidence in managing the situation safely.

For more information about our Epilepsy Awareness and Buccal Midazolam training go to our website: https://teachhealth.co.uk/

29/05/2025

Maintaining thorough and clear documentation when administering medicines on school premises is vital in protecting the interests of pupils and staff. Accurate records help in monitoring compliance with school policies and procedures, facilitate effective communication between staff and parents, ensuring that pupils receive the correct dosage of their medications at the right time, and help to reduce medication errors.

To find out more about our 'Managing Medicines in Schools' training course that has been researched, written and is delivered by school nurses with current clinical practice, go to the TEACH website: https://teachhealth.co.uk/course-categories/managing-medicines/

12/05/2025

Check out our latest article in support of Allergy Awareness Week!

Written by Nina Ferraro Msc, RNC Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Managing food allergies in schools goes far beyond the lunchbox. While most school staff are familiar with allergy aware policies, many are surprised to learn that allergens can be lurking in unexpected places throughout the