Research published to mark the launch of the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation Allergy School initiative has revealed a huge training gap that could be putting lives at risk.
The Allergy School initiative is aiming to promote the understanding of food allergies in primary schools. It is a free national programme that has been created by NARF in partnership with The King’s Foundation and St John Ambulance among others.
A survey of 1,900 teachers conducted by the NASUWT, which is supporting the new programme, reveals that while 95% know of pupils with allergies in their schools, only 67% have received appropriate training.
Furthermore, while 40% said that their school has an allergy policy; 46% said they didn’t know either way and 13% said that their school had no allergy policy at all.
It comes after Headteacher Update reported last year that only half of primary schools in the UK say they are confident managing anaphylaxis.
It is estimated that 8% of children in the UK are affected by allergy and 20% of allergic reactions happen at school (in 2017, three children died following allergic reactions at school – which can take place anywhere on the school grounds, not just in the canteen).
Children can be allergic to a range of foods and cow’s milk is now the most common single cause of fatal anaphylaxis among children aged under-15.
The seven most common foods that trigger an allergic reaction are cow’s milk, egg, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Other recognised allergens include celery, gluten, lupin, molluscs, mustard, sesame and sulphites.
Allergy seems to be a growing issue. Between 2013 and 2019, the number of hospital admissions for children caused by anaphylaxis rose by 72% in England, while the rate of food allergies worldwide has increased from 3% of the population in 1960 to 7% in 2018 (for all references see HTU, 2024).
In our article last year, Tracey Dunn from the charity Anaphylaxis UK said that considering the picture of increasing allergies, it is concerning that not more primary schools feel prepared. She wrote: "Thankfully fatalities are rare, but they do happen, and they can happen in school."
The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation has developed its Allergy School programme to supply school settings with resources to promote allergy awareness.
The NASUWT research found that 84% of the teachers said they knew how to access information on children’s food allergies and medication at their school.
When asked if they had received training on administering an adrenaline pen, only 28% said they had received training in the current academic year; 20% had received training last year, and 34% in the last two academic years – 17.5% said they had never received training.
When asked if they had received training on allergy awareness more broadly, such as how to adapt classroom practices to reduce risk, ensuring activities are safe yet inclusive, and the impact of food allergies on mental health, 67% said they had not.
The research also revealed that 30% of the teachers themselves had allergies.
Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of NASUWT, said: “It is essential that children and staff in schools with food allergies get the help they need to keep them safe. This includes ensuring that schools are given the support, advice and resources they need to establish effective allergy management policies and that action can be taken to protect those in schools with food allergies from harm.”
The launch of the Allergy School comes after the charities Benedict Blythe Foundation and Allergy Team last year launched a Schools Allergy Code resource to help primary schools to support and protect pupils with allergies.
- For details on the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation’s Allergy School programme, visit www.narf.org.uk/allergy-school
- For details and to access the Schools Allergy Code, visit https://theallergyteam.com/schools-allergy-code/
- The various statistical references in this article can be found via the article Managing allergies in the primary school which was published in Headteacher Update in 2024: www.headteacher-update.com/content/best-practice/managing-allergies-in-the-primary-school