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First Aid Supplies For Schools

Ensure your school is prepared for any emergency with the most commonly used first aid supplies across all UK school tiers, these essentials are ideal for first aid kits, cabinets, and medical rooms. Our range includes plasters, dressings, bandages, and ice packs to keep classrooms, playgrounds, and sports facilities fully equipped.

School First Aid Standards and Best Practices

Why Schools Need Adequate First Aid on Site

Every school has a duty of care to keep pupils, staff, and visitors safe. Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 and Department for Education (DfE) guidance, schools must provide “adequate and appropriate” first aid equipment and trained staff.

With pupils taking part in lessons, playground activities, and sports every day, accidents such as bumps, sprains, or cuts are common. Having the right first aid provisions ensures staff can respond quickly, prevent minor injuries from becoming more serious, and gives parents confidence in the school’s safety standards.

Choosing the Right First Aid Supplies for Your School

Every school is required by the DfE to carry out a first aid needs assessment. This assessment helps shape the school’s policy and ensures the right facilities, equipment, and trained staff are in place.

A useful step in this process is to keep clear records of accidents and injuries on site. Tracking these incidents helps identify the most common risks, such as playground bumps or sports-related strains, and ensures policies are based on real evidence. Browse our school accident recording range to stay compliant and make documentation simple.

Your health and safety risk assessment should also feed into this process. It highlights likely hazards across the site and indicates the type, quantity, and location of first aid equipment required. For example, a sports hall or science lab may need extra kits or specialist supplies such as instant ice packs or eye wash.

When choosing a first aid kit, it’s also important to consider the size and capacity of your school. Larger facilities with more pupils and staff will naturally require more equipment to stay prepared. The guide below will help you match your school size to the most suitable first aid kit size:

First Aid in School Legal Requirements

Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981

Schools, like all employers, must provide “adequate and appropriate” first aid equipment, facilities and trained personnel. HSE recommend at minimum first aid kits should contain:

DfE Guidance: Schools, Early Years and Colleges

DfE first aid guidance requires schools to have a clear first aid policy and trained staff available whenever pupils are on site.

Schools are expected to provide well-stocked first aid kits in key areas such as classrooms, playgrounds, sports halls, and other high-traffic or high-risk spaces. These kits must be checked regularly and restocked when needed to ensure they are always ready for use.

Along with sufficient travel first aid kits for trips and off-site activities. With staff, pupils, and parents informed of these arrangements accordingly.

First Aid Training For Staff & Students

Available First-Aid trained staff is mandatory under both HSE and DfE regulations.

In England, since September 2020, first aid has been included in the National Curriculum. This ensures all pupils receive age appropriate training.

By the end of primary school, children learn how to call 999 and treat common injuries.
By the end of secondary school, they are taught how to perform CPR, use a defibrillator (AED), and provide basic lifesaving support.