Trainer demonstrating CPR to school staff in a classroom.

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Emergency First Aid for Schools

Certificate course

Emergency First Aid for Schools

Practical first aid for teachers and school staff.

Duration: 1 day6 contact hours
Onsite: £495per group, up to 12

Train your team onsite.

Practical training at your workplace.

£495per group

Up to 12 learners

Course details

Everything you need to know about this course.

Who is this course for?

This course is designed specifically for teachers, classroom assistants, school leaders, office staff, lunchtime supervisors, after-school club staff and anyone responsible for the care and wellbeing of children in an education setting.

Whether you’re working in a primary school, secondary school, nursery, special educational needs (SEN) setting or college, this practical course provides the confidence and skills to respond effectively to the emergencies most commonly encountered in schools.

No previous first aid experience is required.

What you’ll learn

This course is built around school life, giving staff the confidence to respond calmly when a pupil, colleague or visitor is hurt or taken ill. You’ll learn how to assess what’s happening, decide what needs to be done first and give the right first aid until further help arrives.

It’s a practical day, with scenarios based on real school situations. You’ll practise CPR on adults and children, using an AED, the recovery position and helping someone who is choking. You’ll also learn how to deal with the incidents schools see most often, from head injuries, bleeding and nosebleeds to fractures, sprains, asthma attacks, seizures and severe allergic reactions, so you know when you can manage it and when to call for help.

Your role and assessment

Your role as a school first aider, including looking after children who see an incident
Medicines in school: policies, health care plans and records
First aid kits and medical information
Assessing a child or adult: primary survey, levels of response and secondary survey
Getting the right help: 999, or collection by a parent and a visit to a GP or minor injuries unit

Life-saving skills

Adult and child CPR
Using an AED (defibrillator)
The recovery position
Choking in adults and children
Shock in children and adults
Severe bleeding

Injuries

Minor cuts, nosebleeds and splinters
Head injuries and concussion
Fractures, dislocations, sprains and strains

Illness and medical emergencies

Asthma attacks
Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis)
Seizures, including absence seizures

Every topic on this course, free

Open the Emergency First Aid for Schools guide →

Ongoing trainer assessment is used throughout the course to provide support, monitor your progress and ensure you develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to achieve the learning outcomes.

Practical learning

You'll take part in practical activities and realistic scenarios to apply what you've learned.

Trainer assessment

Your trainer will observe your performance throughout the course, giving feedback and support to help you build confidence and competence.

Achieve the learning outcomes

By the end of the course, you'll be assessed as competent in the key skills and knowledge covered.

Practical, real-world skills

Gain the confidence and skills to respond in real-life situations.

Northlight certificate

Successful learners receive a Northlight certificate.

Successful learners receive the Northlight Emergency First Aid for Schools Certificate, valid for three years.

This course is designed specifically for education settings and provides practical, school-focused first aid training.

If your first aid needs assessment calls for workplace first aiders, we also deliver Emergency First Aid at Work, First Aid at Work and Paediatric First Aid qualifications.

Does this cover our school’s workplace first aid requirements?

Emergency First Aid for Schools is built around the incidents schools see most often. If your first aid needs assessment calls for named workplace first aiders, we can also deliver Emergency First Aid at Work and First Aid at Work at your school, as well as Paediatric First Aid for nursery and early years staff.

Does the course include child CPR?

Yes. Staff practise both adult and child CPR, along with what to do if someone is choking and how to use an AED safely.

Can the content be tailored to our school?

Yes. We can adapt practical scenarios and discussions to reflect your school’s age groups, facilities, activities and existing emergency procedures.

Can the course be delivered on a staff development day?

Yes. The course is designed for onsite delivery, so it works well on a staff development (Baker) day.

What do we need to provide?

A room with enough clear floor space for the practical work, such as CPR and the recovery position, for up to 12 staff per course. Your trainer will need access at least 45 minutes before the start, plus parking and unloading space for the training equipment. If you’d like a projector, we can bring one at no extra charge if you let us know in advance. You’ll just need a suitable wall or screen.

When will we receive certificates?

Certificates are usually issued within 72 hours of the course. Each member of staff receives theirs by email, and you can access the whole group’s certificates any time through My Northlight.

Is this available as a public course?

No. Emergency First Aid for Schools is delivered onsite for schools, colleges and other education providers across Northern Ireland.

Who is this course for?

No previous first aid experience is required.

What you’ll learn

FREE WITH THIS COURSE

Read the Emergency First Aid for Schools guide

All 31 topics on the course, written and reviewed by our trainers. Use it to prepare, and keep coming back to it after your certificate.

Concussion

Head Injury

Asthma Attack

Anaphylaxis

Low Blood Sugar

Child CPR

Febrile Seizures

Meningitis

Open the Emergency First Aid for Schools guide

Free on Northlight Knowledge. No sign-up.

CHOOSING A COURSE

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Emergency First Aid at Work

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Emergency Paediatric First Aid

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Helpful guidance

Read all guidance →

A trainer kneels beside a CPR training manikin and an open first aid kit on a mat in a school hall, talking to a group of seated staff.

Guide · Schools

First aid in schools in Northern Ireland

Who is responsible for first aid in a Northern Ireland school, what you need in place for staff and pupils, and which training suits which role.

Guide · Schools

First aid in schools in Northern Ireland

A worker checks a wall-mounted first-aid kit beside a clear walkway in a furniture workshop.

Guide · Workplaces

How do I carry out a first-aid needs assessment?

How to carry out a first aid needs assessment for a Northern Ireland workplace: hazards, people, working arrangements and what to record.