CalmComplianceRisk Assessment template
School First-Aid Needs and Provision Assessment
- Version
- v1
- Updated
- 1 October 2026
- Audience
- School leaders, employers, governing bodies, academy trusts, health and safety advisers and persons responsible for assessing first-aid needs and arrangements.
- Jurisdiction
- england
Activity assessed
Assessment of first-aid needs and provision across school premises and relevant school activities, including personnel, facilities, equipment, first-aid-box contents, off-site work, emergency medication, AED provision and activity-specific risks.
Assess each hazard and its controls against your site before use. Template ratings require local review.
Hazards and controls
First-aid arrangements may not be sufficient for the school's employees, pupils, visitors and other relevant people, or may not identify who takes charge of first-aid arrangements.
- Existing controls
- Record the school's current first-aid needs assessment, appointed-person arrangements, first-aider arrangements and the groups of people covered. Do not assume that arrangements exist or are adequate without evidence.
- Proposed controls
- Complete or review a first-aid needs assessment covering the school's staffing, premises, population, activities and actual hazards. Use the findings to determine whether an appointed person or appropriate numbers of suitably trained first-aiders are needed, and record the person or persons responsible for coordinating the arrangements.
Local assessment and additional controls
Employees and other relevant people may not know how first-aid arrangements operate or how to obtain assistance.
- Existing controls
- Record how information about first-aid arrangements is currently communicated, to whom, when and through which channels. Do not assume that communication has occurred.
- Proposed controls
- Provide employees with information about the first-aid arrangements identified by the assessment. Record the information provided, the intended audience, the communication method and any arrangements for keeping information current.
Local assessment and additional controls
First-aid facilities, equipment or access arrangements may not match the school's identified workplace, workforce or activity-related needs.
- Existing controls
- Record the first-aid facilities, equipment locations, access arrangements and any workplace or workforce issues identified by the school. Record any unavailable, restricted or unverified provision rather than treating it as present.
- Proposed controls
- Use the needs assessment to determine whether adequate facilities and additional equipment are required. Where the assessment identifies workplace or workforce issues or more significant health and safety risks, consider whether additional equipment and facilities and sufficient appropriately trained first-aiders are needed.
Local assessment and additional controls
First-aid boxes may be absent, inaccessible, unsuitable or insufficiently stocked for the school's actual hazards.
- Existing controls
- Record each first-aid box or other first-aid stock location, its accessibility and its current contents only after checking them. Record whether the contents reflect the needs assessment.
- Proposed controls
- Provide a suitable stocked first-aid box or boxes determined by the needs assessment. If the assessment identifies low-hazard activities, consider the suggested minimum stock of general first-aid guidance, sterile plasters, sterile eye pads, triangular bandages, safety pins, sterile unmedicated wound dressings and disposable gloves. Treat this as a suggested list and adapt contents to the school's actual hazards.
Local assessment and additional controls
Activities involving machinery, hazardous materials or other significant risks may require more first-aid provision than a low-hazard arrangement.
- Existing controls
- Record the school's actual activities, machinery, hazardous materials and other relevant hazards, together with existing first-aid personnel, equipment and facilities. Do not classify activities as low hazard unless the assessment supports that conclusion.
- Proposed controls
- Where the assessment identifies machinery, hazardous materials or other significant risks, determine whether sufficient appropriately trained first-aiders, additional equipment and additional facilities are required. Review provision for practical subjects, laboratories, workshops, physical activity, sports, outdoor activities and any other identified school-specific risks.
Local assessment and additional controls
The level, mix or availability of first-aid training may not be appropriate to the school's needs and circumstances.
- Existing controls
- Record current first-aid training, expiry or renewal information, staffing patterns, working hours, absences and any areas or activities without reasonably available trained personnel. Do not assume that a particular training level is appropriate without assessment.
- Proposed controls
- Select the level and mix of workplace first-aid training appropriate to the school's needs and circumstances. Consider EFAW, FAW or another appropriate level where justified by the assessment, and determine whether sufficient appropriately trained first-aiders are available for the identified workplace, workforce and activity-related risks.
Local assessment and additional controls
Employees travelling, working remotely, working elsewhere or undertaking off-site school activities may not have suitable first-aid arrangements.
- Existing controls
- Record the types and frequency of travel, remote work, work away from the main site and off-site activities, together with existing communication and first-aid arrangements. Do not assume that main-site provision covers mobile or off-site work.
- Proposed controls
- Assess the first-aid needs of employees working away from the main site. Determine whether people who travel long distances or are continuously mobile should carry a personal first-aid box and whether employees should be issued with personal communicators or mobile phones. Record any arrangements for off-site activities based on the identified needs.
Local assessment and additional controls
If the school chooses to provide an AED, users may lack information, written instructions, confidence or arrangements for its use and maintenance.
- Existing controls
- Record whether AED provision has been considered or selected, the equipment location and availability, current written instructions and information, and any training or maintenance arrangements. Do not assume that an AED is present or that training has occurred.
- Proposed controls
- If the needs assessment identifies that the school wishes to provide an AED, provide information and written instructions, such as the manufacturer's instructions, on how to use it and consider fuller training for users because this is likely to increase confidence. Record arrangements for access, checks, maintenance and replacement only where they have been established by the school.
Local assessment and additional controls
Where the assessment identifies a possible need to administer Schedule 19 prescription-only medication to save life in an emergency, first-aiders may not have appropriate additional training.
- Existing controls
- Record whether the school's needs assessment identifies a possible emergency need for Schedule 19 medication, such as adrenaline for anaphylaxis, and record any existing training, role allocation and arrangements relevant to that need. Do not assume that medication, authorisation or training is available.
- Proposed controls
- Where the first-aid needs assessment identifies that Schedule 19 medication may need to be administered in an emergency to save life, consider providing workplace first-aiders with additional training in its use. Keep the applicability of this control conditional on the assessment identifying such a need.
Local assessment and additional controls
Standard first-aid materials may not address particular workplace circumstances or hazards identified by the assessment.
- Existing controls
- Record any additional first-aid materials or equipment currently provided and the assessment basis for providing them. Do not assume that examples such as foil blankets, cleansing wipes or cutting shears are required.
- Proposed controls
- Where the needs assessment indicates that standard provision is insufficient, determine whether additional materials or equipment are required, such as foil blankets, cleansing wipes or cutting shears. Store them in the first-aid kit where suitable or separately where appropriate, and record the rationale for the selected provision.
Local assessment and additional controls
The number and location of people, the premises layout or differing school populations may result in first-aid provision that is not reasonably matched to need.
- Existing controls
- Record the relevant employee, pupil, visitor and other population groups, premises areas, operating times and any existing arrangements for reaching people in those areas. Do not invent population figures, locations or coverage assumptions.
- Proposed controls
- Consider the school's staffing, premises, population and operating arrangements when determining the number and location of first-aiders, facilities, first-aid boxes and other equipment. Identify any areas, times or groups for which the assessment indicates additional provision may be needed.
Local assessment and additional controls