At our school, every child matters. Our values of Confidently Me, Belonging Together, and Challenged to Contribute guide everything we do, including the way we support children with allergies and medical conditions.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive school where no child feels excluded or different because of an allergy. We believe that every pupil should feel safe, valued and able to participate fully in school life. Through careful planning, staff training and strong partnerships with families, we ensure that children with allergies are supported to thrive alongside their peers.

A Nut-Free School

To help protect pupils with severe allergies, we are a nut-free school. We ask all members of our school community to support this approach and to avoid bringing nuts or nut-containing products onto the school site.

Whilst we maintain a high level of allergy awareness across the school, we recognise that allergies can extend beyond nuts. We therefore take additional daily precautions to ensure children are kept safe in line with their individual medical needs and Individual Healthcare Plans (IHCPs).

Our Commitment to Allergy Safety

We take our responsibility to support children with medical conditions seriously. Under Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014, schools have a duty to make arrangements to support pupils with medical conditions, including allergies.

To ensure the highest standards of care:

• All staff receive allergy awareness and allergy response training as part of our annual start-of-year induction programme.
• Staff are trained to recognise the signs and symptoms of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.
• Individual Healthcare Plans are developed and reviewed in partnership with parents, carers and healthcare professionals where appropriate.
• Emergency procedures are clearly communicated and understood by relevant staff.
• Appropriate medication, including prescribed adrenaline auto-injectors, is stored and accessed in line with agreed procedures.
• School leaders regularly review allergy management practices to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all pupils.

 

We maintain age-appropriate emergency adrenaline auto-injectors across both school sites. These are located in the Main Office on the Junior side of the school and the in the Staffroom on the Infant side of the school and may be used, in accordance with national guidance, for any child displaying symptoms of a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis. All staff are aware of these locations and receive regular training on emergency allergy response procedures.

Emergency Adrenaline Auto-Injectors

In addition to supporting pupils who have prescribed adrenaline auto-injectors as part of their Individual Healthcare Plans, our school maintains emergency adrenaline auto-injectors across both the Infant and Junior sites.

We hold age-appropriate emergency adrenaline auto-injectors (EpiPens) that can be used, in accordance with national guidance, for any child who is displaying the symptoms of a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis. This provides an additional layer of protection and supports our commitment to responding quickly and effectively in an emergency.

Emergency adrenaline auto-injectors are stored in clearly identified locations on both sites:

• Junior School: Main Office
• Infant School: Staffroom

These locations are known to all staff and form part of our regular training and emergency response procedures.

All staff receive allergy awareness and response training, including recognising the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, understanding emergency protocols, and knowing how to access and administer emergency medication when required. This training is reinforced through regular allergy safety updates and simulated allergy safety drills.

By maintaining emergency medication on both sites, providing comprehensive staff training, and regularly reviewing and practising our procedures, we ensure that every child can be Confidently Me, experience Belonging Together, and be Challenged to Contribute in a safe, supportive and inclusive environment.

Leadership and Oversight

Mr Samuel, Executive Headteacher, is the school's nominated Senior Leader for Allergy Support.

In this role, he oversees our allergy procedures, ensures statutory guidance is followed, monitors the implementation of Individual Healthcare Plans, and works closely with staff, parents and external professionals to maintain a safe and inclusive environment for all children (please see his training certificate below). 

Catering and Food Safety

We work closely with our catering providers to ensure that pupils with allergies and other special dietary requirements are fully supported.

If menus need to be changed, food products are substituted, or adjustments are made due to supply issues, religious requirements or cultural considerations, we ensure that the dietary needs of pupils with allergies remain a priority.

Our catering procedures include:

• Checking any product changes with food suppliers.
• Carefully reviewing food labels and product information before use.
• Maintaining accurate allergen information for meals served.
• Ensuring allergen ingredients remain clearly identifiable.
• Following Food Standards Agency guidance on allergen management.
• Implementing measures to minimise the risk of cross-contamination.

The Food Information Regulations 2014 require school caterers to provide allergen information for the food they serve. We work closely with our catering team to ensure these requirements are met and that families can have confidence in the information provided.

Responding to Allergic Reactions

Although most allergic reactions are mild, we recognise that some can become serious very quickly. We follow national statutory guidance on allergy safety and have clear procedures for responding to allergic reactions and anaphylaxis.

Our staff are trained to:

• Recognise the symptoms of an allergic reaction.
• Administer emergency medication where appropriate.
• Contact emergency services promptly when required.
• Follow individual emergency care plans.
• Communicate effectively with parents, carers and healthcare professionals following any incident.

The school also maintains access to emergency medication in accordance with Department of Health and Social Care guidance.

Working Together

The safety of children with allergies is a shared responsibility. We work closely with parents and carers to ensure that medical information remains accurate and up to date, and we encourage families to communicate any changes to their child's health needs as soon as possible.

By working together, we create a culture where every child can be Confidently Me, where everyone experiences Belonging Together, and where all pupils are Challenged to Contribute without barriers created by medical needs or allergies.

We are proud to be a school where inclusion, safety and wellbeing go hand in hand, ensuring that every child feels secure, supported and fully part of our community.

Incidents and Near Miss Reporting

At our school, pupil safety is paramount. As part of our robust approach to allergy management, we record and investigate all allergy-related incidents and near misses thoroughly on our CPOMS system. 

Any allergic incident or near miss will be carefully reviewed to identify contributing factors and any learning points. Details of the incident will be shared with the parents or carers of the affected child and reported appropriately to governors as part of our ongoing oversight and monitoring processes.

Following every incident or near miss, we will review our allergy safety procedures and policy to identify any further actions required to reduce risk and prevent recurrence. This reflective approach helps us continually strengthen our practice and ensures that lessons learned contribute to an even safer environment for all pupils.

Allergy Safety Drills

When a severe allergic reaction occurs, such as anaphylaxis, a rapid and effective response is essential. Whilst regular staff training ensures that adults can recognise the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction and respond appropriately, we also understand the importance of practising our procedures.

To ensure the highest levels of preparedness, the school conducts allergy safety drills, similar to fire evacuation exercises. These simulated scenarios help us assess emergency response times, test communication procedures, check access to emergency medication, and identify any areas that may require improvement.

The outcomes of these drills are reviewed by school leaders and used to further develop and strengthen our allergy safety procedures. Through regular practice and reflection, we can be confident that staff are prepared to act quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency.