The Government has introduced mandatory basic first aid training in all state-funded secondary schools in England. This training is part of relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE), and health education, with the aim being that all pupils will have been taught basic first aid skills by the time they leave secondary school. In countries that already teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), survival rates are more than double those of the UK.
Department for Education guidance says that pupils should know:
- Basic treatment for common injuries
- Life-saving skills, including how to administer CPR
- The purpose of defibrillators and when one might be needed
First Aid Awards (FAA) have developed the FAA Award in Student First Aid with the qualification being available to young people from the age of 11. The qualification covers CPR and the safe use of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator), choking and common injuries such as head injuries, bleeding control, broken bones and sprains/strains.
Learning first aid skills such as CPR will give young people the confidence to know that they can help someone and potentially save a life.
Detailed information can be found in the Qualification Specification including the qualification structure and codes, entry requirements, qualification delivery, certification and requalification, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria and assessment information.