From September, schools across England will be expected to meet new allergy safety requirements under Benedict’s Law, helping to create safer environments for pupils with allergies and ensuring staff are better prepared to respond to allergic emergencies.
Named in memory of Benedict Blythe, who died following an allergic reaction at school in 2021, the changes aim to introduce a more consistent approach to allergy management across education settings.
What will schools need to do?
Key expectations include:
Having a dedicated whole-school allergy policy
Providing allergy awareness and emergency response training for staff
Ensuring appropriate access to emergency adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs)
Maintaining individual healthcare or allergy action plans for pupils with diagnosed allergies
Strengthening incident reporting and communication processes
More than compliance
Benedict’s Law is about more than meeting legal requirements. It is designed to give schools the systems, training and confidence needed to safeguard pupils with allergies and respond quickly if an emergency occurs.
Schools should begin reviewing their current policies, procedures and staff training arrangements now to identify any gaps before the new requirements take effect.
Find out more
If you’d like support preparing for Benedict’s Law, or to register your interest in staff training, please get in touch.
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