Free online courseFirst Aid for Schools

Course Description

Confidence in an emergency can make all the difference in a school setting. This free online course helps you build practical first aid awareness for the situations most likely to happen around children and adults on school grounds, from the classroom to the playground. You will learn how to stay calm, assess what is happening, and take safe, effective action while getting the right help.

The course focuses on high-impact, real-world responses: what to do when someone is not breathing, how CPR differs for children and adults, and the first steps that matter most when seconds count. You will also strengthen your ability to respond to choking, including how to react when coughing is effective versus when it is not. These are moments when a clear sequence of actions is essential, and the lessons are designed to reinforce decision-making as well as technique.

Schools also face medical and injury-related incidents that can escalate quickly. You will explore how to manage severe allergic reactions and breathlessness, support someone during an asthma attack, and recognize what safe positioning looks like for an unconscious person who is breathing. Guidance is included for controlling bleeding, responding to burns, and dealing with head injuries, with an emphasis on prioritizing safety, reducing harm, and knowing when to escalate to emergency services.

In addition, the course addresses seizures and how to help without putting the person at further risk, as well as serious bleeding scenarios, including what to do if initial methods are not enough and when wound packing may be appropriate. Throughout, quick knowledge-check questions help you confirm you understand the correct next step, so you can act decisively under pressure.

Whether you work in education, supervise children, support extracurricular activities, or simply want to be better prepared, this training offers a practical foundation in first aid for schools. It is a straightforward way to develop a life skill that improves safety, supports safeguarding, and can help protect students, colleagues, and visitors when emergencies happen.