The Academy is committed to promoting a whole school approach to health care, welfare and wellbeing and the safe management of those members of our school community who live with specific allergies.
We believe that all allergies should be taken seriously and dealt with in a professional and appropriate way.
By our actions we will work proactively to:
This policy should be read alongside.
The Academy and Cabot Learning Federation have a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the common law duty of care to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of pupils, staff and visitors. This includes taking reasonable steps to identify, assess, manage and minimise risks associated with allergies and anaphylaxis.
Under Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014, schools have a statutory duty to make arrangements to support pupils with medical conditions, including allergies and anaphylaxis, enabling them to access education safely and participate fully in school life.
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 introduced a requirement for maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to have, publish and review an Allergy Safety Policy and to have regard to statutory guidance on allergy safety.
The Department for Education’s statutory guidance Allergy Safety in Schools (July 2026) sets out expectations for allergy management in schools, including the publication of an Allergy Safety Policy, allergy awareness training for staff, effective emergency response arrangements, the use of Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs), and systems for recording and learning from allergy-related incidents and near misses.
The statutory guidance Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions continues to apply and should be read alongside the allergy-specific guidance. Schools are expected to make appropriate arrangements for pupils with medical conditions and to implement Individual Healthcare Plans where required.
The Human Medicines Regulations 2012, as amended by the Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017, permit schools to purchase and hold spare adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) without a prescription for emergency use. The Department for Education expects all schools to stock spare AAIs of appropriate doses and to ensure that pupils prescribed adrenaline devices have rapid access to them at all times. Spare AAIs should be stocked and stored in pairs for emergency use.
The Food Information Regulations 2014 require food businesses, including school catering services, to provide information about the 14 regulated allergens present in food supplied. Schools must ensure that catering providers, kitchen staff and contractors comply with these requirements and that allergen information is available, accurate and accessible to pupils and parents.
The Equality Act 2010 may apply to pupils with severe allergies where their condition has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on day-to-day activities. Schools must ensure that they do not discriminate against pupils with allergies and must make reasonable adjustments where required.
The Academy Council will:
The Academy has a named member of staff who, working alongside the Principal, is responsible for leading and overseeing allergy safety arrangements and the implementation of this Allergy Safety Policy.
The designated Allergy Lead for the Academy is Jo George, Operations Manager.
The Allergy Lead is responsible for:
This person will act as the central point of contact for allergy management within the Academy and will coordinate arrangements to ensure the safety and inclusion of students with allergies.
Academy Staff will:
Information relating to a pupil’s allergy, medical condition and medication is personal data and may constitute special category data. The Academy will ensure that such information is stored securely, accessed only by those who need it to support the pupil, and processed in accordance with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and Trust policies. Relevant allergy information may be shared with staff, healthcare professionals and catering providers where necessary to safeguard a pupil’s health, safety and wellbeing.
An allergy is a condition in which the body’s immune system reacts abnormally to a normally harmless substance (allergen). Reactions can range from mild symptoms such as itching, sneezing or skin rashes to severe allergic reactions.
Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that can develop rapidly following exposure to an allergen. Common triggers include foods, insect stings, medicines and latex.
Symptoms of anaphylaxis typically affect the Airway, Breathing or Circulation (ABC) and require immediate emergency treatment with adrenaline and a call to emergency services.
Although any substance may trigger an allergic reaction, common allergens include peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, soya, insect venom, latex, pollen and animal dander.
This policy sets out how Minerva Primary School will identify, manage and reduce allergy risks, ensuring that pupils with allergies are safe, supported and able to participate fully in all aspects of academy life
An Allergy Action Plan (AAP) is a document provided by a healthcare professional which sets out how to recognise and respond to an allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis, and may include consent information relating to emergency medication. The AAP should be attached to the pupil’s Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP) where one is required.
It is the responsibility of parents/carers to provide the academy with an up-to-date Allergy Action Plan completed and signed by an appropriate healthcare professional.
The academy will ensure that current Allergy Action Plans are securely stored and made accessible to staff who need the information to support the pupil safely.
Staff who have responsibility for a pupil with allergies must be familiar with the contents of their Allergy Action Plan and follow it in the event of a suspected allergic reaction.
Allergy Action Plans must be reviewed at least annually, or sooner if the pupil’s condition, treatment or medication changes.
Parents/carers are responsible for ensuring that all prescribed medication remains in date and is supplied to the academy in accordance with the requirements set out in the Allergy Action Plan.
Individual healthcare plans are an essential communication tool that provide clarity about the arrangements which need to be in place to ensure that a student is fully included in the life of the school. It will identify exact risk-mitigation measures that need to be followed.
Individual Healthcare Plans are academy owned documents that are co-created by staff, parents/carers and students.
They should include any advice received from health professionals. If there is no advice from health professionals, information and support can be requested of the school nurses if this is needed.
Where a child has an allergy action plan and or an asthma plan, this must be included with the IHP.
It is good practice to review IHPs annually or when staff change however they must be reviewed if an incident or near miss occurs. They need to be brought to the attention of supply or cover staff and be passed on during transition to a new school.
Symptoms usually come on quickly, within minutes of exposure to the allergen. Mild to moderate allergic reaction symptoms may include:
More serious symptoms are often referred to as the ABC symptoms and can include:
The term for this more serious reaction is anaphylaxis. In extreme cases there could be a dramatic fall in blood pressure. The person may become weak and floppy and may have a sense of something terrible happening. This may lead to collapse and unconsciousness and, on rare occasions, can be fatal.
If the pupil has been exposed to something they are known to be allergic to, then it is more likely to be an anaphylactic reaction.
Anaphylaxis can develop very rapidly, so a treatment is needed that works rapidly. Adrenaline is the mainstay of treatment, and it starts to work within seconds.
What does adrenaline do?
Whilst you are waiting for the ambulance, keep the child where they are. Do not stand them up, or sit them in a chair, even if they are feeling better. This could lower their blood pressure drastically, causing their heart to stop.
All pupils must go to hospital for observation after anaphylaxis even if they appear to have recovered as a reaction can reoccur after treatment
Pupils prescribed adrenaline devices should be encouraged, where appropriate to their age, understanding and competence, to carry their own medication, including both prescribed adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs), at all times.
Older pupils should be supported to take increasing responsibility for managing their medication. However, staff must be prepared to respond and administer emergency medication if required.
For younger pupils, or those who are unable to carry their own medication, an allergy emergency kit should be stored in a clearly identified, accessible location known to staff and not locked away.
All medication must be clearly labelled with the pupil’s name and stored in an appropriate container.
The pupil’s allergy emergency kit should contain, where prescribed:
Parents/carers are responsible for ensuring that all medication supplied to the academy is in date, clearly labelled and replaced before expiry.
The Academy’s designated Allergy Lead will undertake regular checks of medication held on site and notify parents/carers when replacement medication is required.
Parents/carers are encouraged to register for manufacturer expiry reminder services where available.
The academy will maintain appropriately dosed spare AAIs in accordance with statutory guidance and academy procedures.
Used or expired AAIs must be disposed of safely as sharps in accordance with local procedures. Used AAIs may be handed to attending ambulance crews or disposed of via an approved sharps disposal route.
The academy maintains its own spare adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) for emergency use in accordance with current statutory guidance and academy procedures. Spare AAIs may be administered where a pupil’s prescribed device is unavailable, has been used, has misfired, or where emergency treatment for suspected anaphylaxis is required.
In exceptional circumstances, a spare AAI may also be administered to a pupil or other person not previously known to be at risk of anaphylaxis where staff reasonably believe they are experiencing an anaphylactic reaction and immediate treatment is necessary to preserve life.
Spare AAIs are stored in a clear container, clearly labelled and located in an area that is known to staff, readily accessible and never locked away.
Spare AAIs are stored in the following location(s): main school office; kitchenette in Tone Bridge building.
The Operations Manager is responsible for carrying out regular checks to ensure spare AAIs remain in date, are stored correctly and are replaced when required.
Wherever possible, parental consent for the use of spare AAIs for pupils with a known allergy should be documented within the pupil’s Allergy Action Plan and/or Individual Healthcare Plan. However, emergency treatment must not be delayed where anaphylaxis is suspected.
In an emergency, a spare AAI may be administered to any pupil or other person showing signs of anaphylaxis, including those with no previous diagnosis or known history of severe allergic reactions, where staff believe immediate treatment is necessary to save life.
Spare AAIs will be stored at room temperature and protected from direct sunlight and temperature extremes in accordance with manufacturer instructions.
Spare AAIs will be clearly identified and kept separate from pupils’ individually prescribed medication.
All staff, including teaching staff, support staff, catering staff and others who may oversee students including at breakfast or after school clubs will be trained in allergy awareness and emergency response. The academy is responsible for ensuring that supply, cover, coaching, peripatetic staff have received allergy awareness training.
Staff with specific responsibilities for supporting pupils with diagnosed allergies, will receive additional role-specific training appropriate to their responsibilities.
New staff joining during the academic year will complete the required training as part of their induction process.
The level of training provided will be proportionate to the individual’s role and responsibilities, ranging from general allergy awareness to enhanced training in the recognition and emergency treatment of anaphylaxis.
Awareness training includes:
The Academy is committed to providing a safe, inclusive dining environment for all pupils, including those with food allergies. The academy will manage the risk of food allergy and provide clear information on allergens in food provided by working in partnership with parents/carers, healthcare professionals, catering providers and academy staff. Catering arrangements will comply with all relevant food safety legislation, including the Food Information Regulations 2014 and Food Standards Agency (FSA) allergen management requirements, to minimise risks, prevent cross-contamination and support pupils in making safe and informed food choices.
The Academy will:
Where food is provided by the academy for celebrations, rewards, events or activities, parental consent will be obtained in advance where necessary to ensure the inclusion and safety of pupils with allergies. No food will be given to primary-aged pupils with known food allergies without prior agreement from parents/carers.
Food used in curriculum activities, including cooking, science experiments, cultural events, fundraising activities and celebrations, will be risk assessed and appropriate controls implemented to protect pupils with allergies.
Parents/carers are encouraged to:
These procedures apply to all school-led breakfast clubs, after-school clubs and holiday provision. Where such services are provided by a third-party organisation, the Academy will ensure that this policy is shared and that equivalent allergen management procedures are implemented.
The Academy will work with parents/carers to ensure that pupils entitled to benefits-based Free School Meals can safely access their entitlement through agreed reasonable adjustments where necessary.
As a matter of best practice, PTA and other academy community events involving the sale or provision of food should follow Food Standards Agency guidance on allergen management and food labelling. Individuals serving food at such events should have a basic understanding of allergen awareness and know how to access allergen information when requested
The Academy will ensure that students with allergies are fully included in every trip, sporting event, or extracurricular activities. A risk assessment addressing allergen exposure in each activity, emergency medication, transport, and proximity to local emergency care will be undertaken with control measures identified. This will include the safe storage adrenaline for the duration of the offsite trip.
Staff leading offsite trips will ensure they carry all relevant emergency supplies. Trip leaders will check that all students have their medication including adrenaline devices with them before departure. Students unable to produce their required medication may not be able to attend the excursion. The academy is not expected to provide or carry its own supply of emergency adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) pens on off-site visits.
The Academy will notify the host school, when arranging a sporting fixture, that a member of the team has an allergy. When food is provided the students’ school will ensure the students’ allergies are communicated and appropriate food is provided.
The Academy prioritises allergy safety and is committed to ensuring that students with allergies are included, supported and safe. The Academy recognises that students with allergies may experience anxiety due to the risk of allergen exposure and the potential for anaphylaxis. The Academy is committed to supporting the wellbeing of students with allergies and ensuring they can participate fully in academy life.
The Academy will:
The Academy recognises that a safeguarding referral may be needed if an incident highlighted concern that the child or young person might be at an increased risk of being neglected, abused or exploited by persons inside or outside of their family unit because of their medical condition. This might occur where relevant information about a child or young person’s medical condition is not provided to an academy college or setting, or where they are repeatedly sent without essential medication, thereby putting the individual at risk.
Academy staff are clear about what constitutes unacceptable practice and are committed to ensuring that only good practice occurs. Should unacceptable practice occur the academy will follow its own procedures to identify and address this using staff conduct policies.
Examples of unacceptable practice include (but are not limited to):
| Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP) Template NAME – Individual Healthcare Plan for allergy | |
| Date of birth: | Current photo |
| Year / class: | |
| Emergency contacts:
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| Staff who need to be aware:
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| Allergy:
Note what allergy the child or young person has. Note any known allergens. Note whether the child or young person is likely to be aware that they are having an allergic reaction and whether they can alert others. |
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| How the allergy is managed:
Note any care or action plans or prescribed medication issued by healthcare professionals. If the allergy can be partly or wholly managed by practical adjustments (for example avoidance of known allergens), note them here. Note the extent to which the child or young person is able to take responsibility for managing their allergy. |
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| Impact on education:
Indicate the potential harm which might come to the child or young person if their allergy is not managed properly. Indicate how the allergy may impact on the child or young person’s learning. Indicate how the allergy may impact on the child or young person’s emotional wellbeing. If relevant, note any interaction between allergy and SEN. |
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| Arrangements for support:
Give details of the specific support or adaptations which the school, college or early years setting will put in place, within its educational remit. Outline measures to reduce the risk of contact with known allergens. Give details of the specific support or adaptations to manage food allergy at meal and snack times. Note arrangements for maintaining educational progress where absence or missed learning occurs due to allergy. |
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| Visits and trips:
· Give details of any arrangements or procedures which may be required for school trips or other activities outside of the normal timetable that will ensure the child can participate. · Note any requirement for a risk assessment and prompts for specific issues which should be considered. |
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| Emergency response:
Where an Action Plan issued by a healthcare professional covers emergency response, refer to it and ensure it is attached. Otherwise summarise the signs or symptoms which would indicate an emergency. Set out what to do in an emergency, including whom to contact. If relevant, note where “spare” adrenaline devices are located. |
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| Last discussed with parents: | Date |
| Issued by: | Date: |
| Next planned review: | Date: |
| NAME – Individual Healthcare Plan for allergy
Annex: Medication needed while in school / college / setting |
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| Non-prescription medication:
Record any non-prescription medication (e.g. oral antihistamines) which the child or young person may require to manage their allergy in the education setting · Note whether it is emergency medication; where the medication is stored; and how and when the child or young person may need access Note whether parental consent has been given for the allergy medication to be administered, and the date of consent. |
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| Parental consent: | Date: |
| Prescription medication:
Record any prescription medication for allergy prescribed by a healthcare professional (e.g. adrenaline). Note whether it is emergency medication; where the medication is stored; and how and when the child or young person may need access. Note whether parental consent has been given for the allergy medication to be administered, and the date of consent. |
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| Prescribed by: | Date: |
| Parental consent: | Date: |
| Use of “spare” adrenaline devices:
Note whether parental consent has been given to administer adrenaline (e.g. using “spare” adrenaline devices) in an emergency. |
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| Parental consent: | Date: |
| Use of “spare” salbutamol inhaler:
If relevant (i.e. the child or young person is prescribed an asthma reliever inhaler), note whether consent has been given to use a “spare” salbutamol reliever inhaler. |
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| Parental consent: | Date: |
| NAME – Individual Healthcare Plan for allergy
Annex: Care or Action Plans issued by healthcare professionals |
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| Allergy / Asthma Action Plan:
Attach any Action Plan to the IHP for use in an emergency. Note which healthcare professional issued the plan, their role and the date issued. |
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| Issued by: | Date: |
| Care Plan:
Note where any relevant care plan can be found. Note what staff are responsible for delivering / supporting delivery of the care plan. Note which healthcare professional issued the plan, their role and the date issued. |
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| Date: | Date: |
