CalmComplianceRisk Assessment template
School First-Aid Needs and Provision Assessment
- Version
- v1
- Updated
- 1 October 2026
- Audience
- School employers, headteachers, senior leaders, premises managers, first-aid coordinators, educational visit leaders and persons responsible for early years or complex medical provision in maintained and academy schools.
- Jurisdiction
- england
Activity assessed
Assessment and provision of first-aid arrangements across school premises and activities, including site layout, population, work and learning activities, off-site visits, early years provision, complex needs, medical accommodation, equipment, staffing, availability and absence cover.
Assess each hazard and its controls against your site before use. Template ratings require local review.
Hazards and controls
First-aid provision may not reflect the school's actual population, premises, layout, activities, working patterns, visitor numbers, off-site activities or foreseeable medical needs.
- Existing controls
- To be completed from the school's current arrangements and evidence. This reusable template does not assert that a needs assessment or any particular control is currently in place.
- Proposed controls
- Complete and maintain a site-specific first-aid needs assessment covering staff, pupils, students, visitors and others; consider the number and distribution of people, premises and site layout, activities, isolated or remote areas, operating hours, off-site activities, early years provision, complex needs, medical accommodation, equipment, staffing, availability and absence cover. Record assumptions, evidence, gaps, responsible persons and review triggers.
Local assessment and additional controls
First-aid materials or equipment may be insufficient, inaccessible, unidentified or unsuitable for the needs identified.
- Existing controls
- To be completed from the school's current inventory, inspection records, locations and arrangements for access. No current quantity, condition, location or maintenance status is asserted.
- Proposed controls
- Determine the materials and equipment required from the completed needs assessment. Provide sufficient provision, make it readily accessible, label it suitably, identify locations and access arrangements, and establish a process for checking contents, condition, replenishment and removal of unsuitable or expired items.
Local assessment and additional controls
The location or distribution of first-aid equipment and personnel may result in delayed assistance in parts of the premises or during different operating periods.
- Existing controls
- To be completed from current site maps, access arrangements, communication arrangements, staffing rotas and response procedures. The template does not assert that any map, rota or response time has been established.
- Proposed controls
- Review the distribution of equipment and first-aid personnel against the school's actual layout, activities and occupancy. Identify areas or periods requiring additional provision, ensure access arrangements are clear to relevant staff, and document how assistance is requested and obtained during normal hours, breaks, events, extended activities and other operating periods.
Local assessment and additional controls
Accommodation for medical examination, treatment or short-term care of sick or injured pupils may be unavailable, unsuitable, inaccessible or unavailable when needed.
- Existing controls
- To be completed from the school's current accommodation, condition, access, availability and use arrangements. No room, washbasin, toilet proximity or exclusive-use arrangement is asserted.
- Proposed controls
- Identify suitable accommodation for medical examination and treatment and short-term care of sick or injured pupils. Check that it is appropriate and readily available when needed, includes a washbasin, is near a toilet, is not used for teaching, and is considered alongside the first-aid needs assessment. Record any limitations and proposed remedial actions.
Local assessment and additional controls
Where pupils or students have complex medical or care needs, standard first-aid accommodation or arrangements may not meet those needs.
- Existing controls
- To be completed from the school's current pupil and student support information, medical accommodation and care arrangements, subject to appropriate confidentiality and information-governance controls. Applicability is conditional and no complex-needs provision is asserted.
- Proposed controls
- Where the school caters for pupils or students with complex needs, identify the additional medical accommodation and arrangements required for those needs. Consult relevant responsible persons and specialist advice where appropriate, record equipment and access requirements, and define review arrangements when needs or placements change.
Local assessment and additional controls
There may be insufficient suitably trained or available first-aid personnel during the school day, extended hours, staff absence, activities, events or changes in occupancy.
- Existing controls
- To be completed from current training records, availability information, duty rotas, absence arrangements and activity plans. The template does not assert that any person is trained, available or assigned.
- Proposed controls
- Use the needs assessment to determine the number, competence, distribution and availability of first-aid personnel required. Record training status and expiry dates, provide arrangements for foreseeable absence and turnover, check coverage for all relevant operating periods and activities, and identify escalation arrangements where planned cover is unavailable.
Local assessment and additional controls
First-aid provision for educational visits, outdoor learning or other off-site activities may be insufficient or inappropriate for the group, destination, duration, transport arrangements or specialised activities.
- Existing controls
- To be completed by the relevant visit leader from current visit documentation, staffing, communications, equipment and emergency arrangements. No visit, kit or level of provision is asserted.
- Proposed controls
- Before each off-site activity or educational visit, assess the level of first-aid provision required and identify additional items for specialised activities. Provide a suitable travelling first-aid kit. Consider the group, destination, itinerary, remoteness, transport, activity hazards, access to emergency services, communications, medication and relevant early years arrangements. Record the visit-specific arrangements and any limitations.
Local assessment and additional controls
Where the school provides early years education, required paediatric first-aid availability or qualification arrangements may not be met when children are present or on outings.
- Existing controls
- To be completed from the school's early years staffing, certificate and rota records. Applicability is conditional and the template does not assert that early years provision exists or that any certificate is current.
- Proposed controls
- Where the EYFS statutory framework applies, verify that at least one person with a current paediatric first-aid certificate is on the premises and available whenever children are present and accompanies children on outings. Check relevant level 2 and level 3 qualification and certificate arrangements, including the applicable three-month timeframe for counting staff in required ratios, and provide cover for absence.
Local assessment and additional controls
Staff, pupils, visitors or activity leaders may be unable to identify, access or request first-aid assistance promptly.
- Existing controls
- To be completed from current signage, induction, communication, emergency-contact and access arrangements. No signage, training or communication method is asserted.
- Proposed controls
- Provide clear information on how to summon first-aid assistance and where equipment and medical accommodation are located, subject to the school's actual layout and accessibility needs. Include relevant arrangements in staff and visitor information, activity planning and early years or off-site procedures where applicable. Check that access and communication arrangements remain usable during foreseeable disruptions.
Local assessment and additional controls
The school may not have considered whether an automated external defibrillator would be appropriate as part of its first-aid equipment in light of local needs, risk assessment and resources.
- Existing controls
- To be completed from the school's current first-aid equipment review and local decision-making records. No AED, location, maintenance arrangement or procurement decision is asserted.
- Proposed controls
- Consider whether to purchase and provide an AED as part of the school's first-aid equipment, taking account of the local first-aid needs assessment, risk assessment and available resources. If provision is considered, define its location, accessibility, maintenance, checking, user information and arrangements for relevant activities without assuming that provision will be adopted.
Local assessment and additional controls
Changes to the school's population, premises, activities, staffing, early years provision or medical needs may make first-aid arrangements incomplete or unsuitable if they are not reviewed.
- Existing controls
- To be completed from current review schedules, change-management arrangements, incident information, equipment checks and consultation records. No review cycle or monitoring activity is asserted.
- Proposed controls
- Define a review process linked to material changes, new or changed activities, off-site visits, changes in early years or complex medical provision, staffing changes, equipment findings and relevant incidents. Record the review date, information considered, identified gaps, actions, owners and target dates, without assigning risk scores unless a separate approved scoring method is adopted.
Local assessment and additional controls