More than 1,000 people trained face to face since the start of term. One shared purpose: helping schools respond confidently when every second matters.
That is the latest milestone from the SkillBase First Aid Hero Makers Collective, where school staff have been taking part in practical Emergency Anaphylaxis Training delivered under Benedict’s Law.
And this is not about collecting another certificate or completing a quick tick-box module.
It is about making sure the person in the dining hall, classroom, office, playground or minibus knows what to do if a child or adult experiences anaphylaxis.
It is about asking the questions people genuinely have.
It is about handling an adrenaline auto-injector trainer device, practising the correct technique and building the confidence to act.
Most importantly, it is about filling schools with Heroes-on-Standby.
Why Benedict’s Law matters
Benedict’s Law came into force in September 2026, introducing statutory allergy awareness and emergency response expectations for state and independent schools.
The law is named after Benedict Blythe, a five-year-old with a known allergy who tragically died at school. His death highlighted the devastating consequences of gaps in allergy awareness, emergency planning and staff confidence.
The new requirements mean schools must take a whole-school approach to allergy safety. This includes:
- Training every member of staff in allergy awareness and emergency response
- Providing training that includes hands-on practice with trainer adrenaline auto-injector devices
- Holding spare, in-date adrenaline auto-injectors for emergency use
- Maintaining a dedicated whole-school allergy policy
- Creating individual healthcare plans for pupils with serious allergies
- Reviewing procedures, recording incidents and learning from near misses
That means training cannot be limited to designated first aiders.
Teachers need to know what to do. So do teaching assistants, office teams, lunchtime supervisors, catering staff, cleaners, caretakers, club leaders and school transport drivers.
Anaphylaxis can happen anywhere. So confidence needs to be everywhere.
Read the latest government information on stronger allergy protections in schools.
The numbers behind the urgency
The need for meaningful allergy safeguarding is clear.
- On average, two pupils in every class have allergies.
- Around 20% of severe and fatal anaphylaxis cases happen at school.
- Allergy-related illness and medical appointments resulted in approximately 500,000 days of learning lost, according to DfE 2025 figures.
- 67% of teachers had no formal allergy training before these new requirements came into force.
Behind every statistic is a child who deserves to feel safe and included at school. There is also a family placing enormous trust in the school community.
That is why Benedict’s Law represents more than a compliance change. It is a safeguarding milestone.
1,000 people trained : and counting
Since the start of term, more than 1,000 people have received face-to-face Emergency Anaphylaxis Training through the SkillBase Hero Makers Collective.
We are incredibly grateful to every school and every member of staff who has taken the time to train.
Some delegates arrived with previous experience. Others had never held an adrenaline auto-injector trainer device before. Many had practical questions:
- What does anaphylaxis actually look like?
- How quickly should adrenaline be given?
- What if the person has no known allergy?
- What if their own device is missing or unavailable?
- Where should spare devices be stored?
- What should happen on a school trip?
- How do we make sure our policy works in real life?
These questions matter.
A relaxed, face-to-face session gives people the space to ask them without embarrassment. It also allows the trainer to correct misunderstandings and make sure every participant has a go.
That practical interaction is where confidence grows.
From awareness to emergency action
Emergency Anaphylaxis Training focuses on the practical tools staff need when a serious allergic reaction is suspected.
Delegates learn how to recognise signs of an allergic reaction and identify the symptoms that may indicate anaphylaxis, such as:
- Difficulty breathing, wheezing or noisy breathing
- Swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue or throat
- Difficulty speaking or swallowing
- Sudden dizziness, confusion or collapse
- Pale, clammy skin
- A widespread rash or flushing, particularly alongside breathing or circulation problems
The response must be prompt.
In a suspected anaphylaxis emergency, staff should follow the person’s individual healthcare plan where available and current clinical guidance. The key actions generally include:
- Give adrenaline without delay using the person’s prescribed device or an appropriate spare device, where permitted and available.
- Call 999, clearly stating that the person is experiencing anaphylaxis.
- Position the person appropriately. They should usually lie flat with their legs raised. If breathing is severely difficult, they may need to sit up with their legs outstretched. They should not be allowed to stand or walk.
- Monitor their condition continuously while waiting for emergency services.
- Give a second dose after five minutes if there is no improvement and another device is available.
The exact circumstances will vary. That is why schools need clear policies, individual healthcare plans and staff who feel ready to use them.
Confidence does not mean guessing. It means knowing the next safe step.
Why hands-on practice changes everything
Would you feel confident using an adrenaline auto-injector if you had only watched a video?
Many people would understandably hesitate.
Trainer devices turn an abstract instruction into something familiar. Staff can hold the device, identify the safety features, practise the correct position and understand what happens when it is activated.
They can also practise in a calm room rather than trying to learn during a frightening emergency.
This is the difference between saying, “I think I know what to do,” and feeling, “I can do this.”
Our one-hour face-to-face course is designed to train up to 40 staff in a single session. It is suitable for all school staff and can be delivered as:
- INSET training
- Twilight training
- A dedicated staff development session
- A whole-school safeguarding activity
Every participant gets practical hands-on experience with a trainer device, alongside time for questions and discussion.
The course also includes a ready-to-use allergy policy template to help schools move from training into action.
Training is one part of a whole-school system
Face-to-face training is essential, but it should sit within a wider safeguarding framework.
Schools should also check that they have:
- A published and regularly reviewed allergy policy
- Individual healthcare plans for pupils with serious allergies
- Clear arrangements for prescribed and spare adrenaline auto-injectors
- Named responsibilities for checking expiry dates and storage
- Allergy information shared appropriately with relevant staff
- Risk assessments for meals, clubs, trips and off-site activities
- A process for recording incidents and near misses
- A plan for welcoming and training new staff
The Anaphylaxis UK guidance on Benedict’s Law provides useful background, templates and practical resources for schools.
Our training is designed to help schools meet the staff training element confidently. It does not replace clinical advice, a pupil’s individual healthcare plan or the school’s responsibility to put the wider requirements into practice.
This is bigger than a certificate
There is a place for certification. Schools need clear evidence that training has taken place.
But the certificate is not the point.
The point is the teacher who recognises that something is wrong.
The lunchtime supervisor who does not wait for symptoms to become worse.
The office administrator who knows where the spare devices are kept.
The driver who understands that an allergic reaction can happen away from the school site.
The colleague who says, “I’ll call 999,” while another person administers adrenaline.
That is what meaningful safeguarding looks like.
It is practical. It is shared. It is human.
And it is why we place confidence over competence. People need the knowledge, of course. But in a high-pressure emergency, they also need to believe they can use it.
Make your school a community of Heroes-on-Standby
More than 1,000 people have already taken part in face-to-face Emergency Anaphylaxis Training through our Hero Makers Collective since the start of term.
We would love your school to join them.
Our one-hour Benedict’s Law training gives your whole team the opportunity to learn together, practise with trainer devices, ask honest questions and leave feeling prepared to respond.
No stressful test. No intimidating jargon. Just realistic, practical training designed to build life-saving confidence.
Click here to connect with you Local SkillBase Approved Trainer to Book Emergency Anaphylaxis Training for your school or to discuss INSET, twilight and whole-school delivery.
Together, we can make every school safer, more prepared and filled with Heroes-on-Standby.
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