School first aid requirements calculator How many first-aiders your school needs, and what else to put in place.
- Free, no account
- Based on DfE first aid guidance for schools
- Nothing is stored
Your first-aid cover
Enter how many people
How many first-aiders a school needs
There is no set number. DfE says your first aid needs assessment decides it, and expects that in the vast majority of schools this means at least one first-aider.
Start from HSE’s numbers for your staff, which is what the calculator gives you. Then consider pupils and visitors: the law only covers employees, but DfE strongly recommends including them.
| Who | What DfE says |
|---|---|
| Staff | Required by law. HSE’s numbers are the starting point. |
| Pupils and visitors | Not required by law, but strongly recommended. Include them in your assessment. |
| Reception and nursery classes | The EYFS applies: a paediatric first-aider on the premises whenever children are there, and on every outing. |
Standard workplace first aid courses don’t cover resuscitating children. If your first-aiders cover pupils, they may need paediatric training.
School first aid checklist
- A first aid policy and a needs assessment, reviewed after major changes to staff or premises.
- Cover for when a first-aider is absent.
- First aid on trips and other off-site activities.
- At least one stocked first aid kit per site, plus more for large or split-level sites, distant sports fields and high-risk areas.
- A room for sick or injured pupils with a washbasin, near a toilet and not used for teaching.
- A record of every incident a first-aider deals with. DfE strongly recommends it.
Medicines, allergies and defibrillators in school
First aid doesn’t include giving medicines, and medicines don’t belong in the first aid kit. A first-aider’s role is generally limited to helping a pupil take their own inhaler or adrenaline pen. If a pupil may need emergency medication, their individual healthcare plan records it and named staff know what to do. Staff can be asked to help give medicines but can’t be required to.
DfE has a guide to buying, installing and maintaining a defibrillator in school.
No member of staff can be required to give first aid. Staff are expected to do their best in an emergency, as a parent would.
Sources
- DfE, First aid in schools, early years and further education
- HSE, First aid at work
- DfE, EYFS framework for group and school-based providers (September 2026)
- DfE, Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions
- DfE, Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools
DfE’s guidance and the EYFS apply in England.