Allergy Awareness Policy

Policy details

• Date created -December 2025
• Next review date - December 2026
• Policy owner - Claire Spivey

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Objectives
3. Reducing the risk of allergic reactions
4. Responsibilities for allergy management
5. Emergency Auto- Injectors
6. Training and Awareness
7. Staff and Parental awareness
8. The In-house Catering Team
9. Educational Visits and Trips

Appendixes

1. Introduction

Co-op Academy Oakwood is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for all students. An allergy is the body’s response to normally harmless substances. While in most people, these substances (allergens) pose no problem, in allergic individuals, their immune system identifies them as a ‘threat’ and, in some cases, can produce a severe anaphylactic reaction, which can affect or restrict the airway and could possibly, in extreme cases, lead to death.

Certain responses can be life-threatening and extremely harmful, producing a reaction such as anaphylaxis or can be less severe, producing responses such as itching, runny eyes, hives, funny taste in the mouth, swollen eyes and lips. All staff should be aware of the symptoms discussed in this policy.

The academy is not in a position to guarantee a completely allergen-free environment but rather to minimise the risk of exposure. Our academy will ask, encourage self-responsibility and plan for an effective response to emergencies.

2. Objectives

2.1 The Academy takes responsibility for the health, safety, and welfare of its students and staff very seriously and is committed to ensuring that those with allergies, especially those likely to have a severe reaction (anaphylaxis), are supported in all aspects of the academy life.

2.2 Where practicably possible we will try to control allergens in our academy, however the academy is not in a position to guarantee a completely allergen free environment, but rather to minimise the risk of exposure.

2.3 We will:

• Provide a written policy which promotes allergy awareness, which all academy staff are aware of
• Ensure our academy raise awareness of food allergies and anaphylaxis to the whole academy community
• Aim to reduce the risk of exposure to allergens.

3. Reducing the risk of allergic reactions

3.1 The academy should be aware that insect bites and animal allergies could also cause severe reactions, food types causing analgesic reactions, other substances and exposure to certain animals. Therefore, all staff must be diligent and report any signs of insects or animals to the site and/or office team who will log this.

3.2 If pets or animals are visiting or kept in school, careful consideration will be given to where the animals are kept, hygiene and cleanliness during animal handling, and consideration of individual children’s allergies, including completion of risk assessments where necessary.      

3.3 Substances that cause allergic reactions are known as allergens. Common allergens include:

• Grass
• Tree pollen
• Dust mites
• Animal dander
• Food (particularly nuts, fruit, shellfish, eggs and milk)
• Insect bites and stings
• Medication (including Ibuprofen, aspirin and certain antibiotics)
• Latex (used to make gloves and condoms)
• Mould
• Household chemicals (including detergents and hair dyes).

3.4 There are also 14 Food Allergens, all of which can produce an allergic reaction, these include:

• Cereals containing gluten
• Crustaceans
• Eggs
• Fish
• Peanuts
• Soya
• Milk
• Nuts tree nuts
• Celery
• Mustard
• Sesame
• Sulphur Dioxide
• Lupin
• Molluscs

There are some pupils and staff who have allergies to items beyond this list within the academy.

3.5 The academy cannot prevent these substances from being brought on-site, so everyone must be vigilant. We can all reduce the risk of exposure to allergens by implementing simple strategies and encouraging participation by all in the academy community; any visitors, parents, carers, and pupils are asked to ensure bottles and drinks are clearly labelled with the child’s name for whom they are intended.

Pupils and staff must avoid food sharing and sharing of utensils and containers at all times:

• Encourage all pupils and staff to check any food they are offered should they have allergies.  
• Remind parents and parent careers with packed lunches to give thought to eliminating food which may be of risk to other members of the school community with allergies;
• Those staff who have food handling as part of their role must ensure they access appropriate training.

4. Responsibilities for allergy management

4.1 The member of staff responsible for Health and Safety will be responsible for ensuring that all staff are aware of this policy and their role.

4.2 Appropriate training and support are in place to raise awareness of pupils with allergies and how to administer the necessary medication. A procedure is established for communicating and catering for any special dietary requests.

There are sufficient trained staff available to provide treatment to anyone having an allergic reaction or anaphylaxis, and staff are trained to recognise and understand the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction.

4.3 Staff understand how rapid anaphylaxis can progress to a life-threatening reaction. Staff are aware that anaphylaxis can occur with or without prior mild symptoms.

4.4 Staff are aware where pupil/staff medication (and if appropriate, staff medication) is stored and the academy’s emergency medication is held, and that this is accessible at all times.

4.5 Staff attend anaphylaxis awareness training on an annual basis. This should include how to recognise the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction/ anaphylaxis, the treatment of anaphylaxis and awareness of how to use an AAI.

4.6 Staff leading educational visits should ensure they are competent to act in the case of anaphylaxis and carry all the relevant emergency supplies, including residential trips and sporting fixtures.

4.7 During educational visits, staff must supervise any food-related activities, ensuring that where food is being provided—used or consumed—food allergen information is available. Equally, pupils are also expected to be self-aware and follow processes in line with their condition.

4.8 The Catering Manager will be responsible for using only authorised suppliers and being the controlling point and contact for all food eaten at lunchtime.

Ensure that all food suppliers and catering suppliers are aware of the school’s food allergy policy and the requirements under the labelling law.

4.9 Ensuring food suppliers are nut-free or labelled ‘may contain nuts’.

Be aware of pupils and staff with such food allergies and update this training annually. All staff must be informed of this during their in-house induction training.

Pupils of any age, where possible, must be familiar with what their allergies are and provide, where possible, information about how their allergies affect them. This is part of our curriculum.

4.10 Pupils should be fully involved in discussions about reducing the risk of an allergic reaction and be empowered to reduce those risks. Students should already be trained to administer their auto-injector and will be encouraged to carry it on their person.

4.11 Staff are responsible for storing and when on school trips carrying medication to ensure it is up to date, kept safe, and not used for any purpose other than its intended use.

4.12 On entry to the academy, parents/carers are responsible for notifying the academy via the Medical Form of any history of allergy, previous severe reactions and, if any, history of anaphylaxis. Parents are responsible for ensuring the academy is provided with sufficient and up-to-date information about their child’s medical needs. If an Allergy or Individual Health Care Plan has not been provided by the school nurse, specialist nurse, hospital or previous school, parents/carers are required to participate in preparing an Individual Health Care Plan and inform the academy in line with the medical needs policy.

The SENDCO will be consulted and provide input on a student's allergy management plan when the allergy is deemed unstable or has a significant impact on the pupil's ability to access education safely. The SENDCO will not be directly involved in the management of allergies that are considered stable and well-controlled.

4.13 Parents/carers are required to provide consent to the academy to administer medication.

4.14 Parents/carers are responsible for ensuring any required medication is always kept on site, is in date, provided in its original packaging, and replaced as necessary (The MHRA recommend). This will be shared in line with the medical needs policy.

4.15 Parents are responsible for ensuring that they or another nominated adult are always contactable and that pupil records are current.

4.16 Due to the families having additional language, allergen information must be accessible to all visitors and available in different languages and formats.

4.17 During bookings for external events, it is important that guests are informed of the requirements for any known person with food allergies/intolerances. This should be undertaken during the booking process. The catering teams should then be passed this information to allow them to plan appropriate menus and food selections.

4.18 The Catering Team will also hold information lunch service outlining the contents of all food dishes at that specific service. Guests can refer to these upon request.

4.19 Health Care Professionals, including GPs, paediatricians and specialist nurse practitioners, should provide parents with an appropriate Allergy Healthcare Plan or Individual Health Care Plan for pupils at risk of anaphylaxis.

4.20 If the Academy is notified that a pupil is at risk of anaphylaxis and does not have an Allergy or Individual Health Care Plan, actively seek to locate the appropriate Plan.

5. Emergency Auto-Injectors

5.1 The Department of Health released non-statutory guidance in October 2017 permitting Academies to hold emergency Adrenaline Auto-Injectors (AAI) on site for emergency use. The academy is allowed to use and hold emergency auto-injectors.

5.2 The use of the spare AAIs is intended for emergency use only on children regarded as being at risk of anaphylaxis or whose own AAI is not available or working. Spare AAIs can be administered to a child if their own AAI cannot be used.

The academy can administer spare AAIs without prescription for use in emergencies if:

• A pupil is at risk
• Parent/carer consent has been received for the use of the spare AAI.
• If the child is known to be at risk of anaphylaxis.

NOTE: The academy must highlight that if the emergency services (paramedics) instruct the academy to administer an adrenaline auto-injector and parental consent cannot be obtained to administer the academy’s spare AAI, the academy should follow the instructions provided by the emergency services.

5.3 Purchasing AAIs for emergency use

The academy can purchase AAIs from pharmaceutical suppliers (local pharmacies). All requests must come from the Principal in written form. (Appendix 2 Sample letter for purchasing emergency AAIs). Academies are advised to use this letter rather than writing their own.

AAIs are available in different dosages; therefore, anaphylaxis should be treated as per the dose provided.

5.4 Storage and Access to Emergency AAIs

AAIs will not be locked away but should be available and accessible from a known location in the general office. This includes offices where access might be restricted or controlled. AAIs should be stored at most five minutes away from where they are needed. Spare AAIs must be clearly labelled and should not be confused with a pupil's own medication.

5.5 Emergency AAI Kit

Spare AAI kits should include:

• Instructions how to use the devices;
• One or more AAI.
• Storage instructions (in line with manufacturers’ guidelines)
• Manufacturer’s information.
• List of AAIs held including information about the make, model, batch number and expiry dates.
• Arrangements for replacement of the AAIs – by who, when and how;
• Record of AAIs administered to include, name, date, AAI name, AAI type, dosage given and batch number

5.6 The spare AAIs are kept in the same location as the emergency inhaler kits within the academy identified on the academy inhaler posters.

The academy will keep all records on AAIs in line with the medical policy.

5.7 Disposal of spent AAIs

Once used, an AAI cannot be reused. It/they can be given to the paramedics on arrival for them to dispose of, or will be disposed of in a yellow sharps bin. Out of date medication will be returned to the parents/carers, or if not collected from the academy must be returned to a pharmacy for safe controlled disposal.

5.8 Spare AAIs on Educational Visits

With all emergency medication the medication will be stored in the classroom and when on trips with the group leader of the group the child is in. Spares will be held by the group leader/first aider. If it is considered appropriate, spare AAIs will be taken on a school trip; but only if there are sufficient supplies also left at the academy.

The academy's spare AAI should only be used as a spare, not a replacement for a child’s own AAI. Spare AAIs held by the school are in addition to those prescribed for a student.

Communication with Paramedics:

If an AAI is administered, schools will be required to relay the following information to the paramedics:

• if the child is known to have an allergy
• what might have caused the reaction
• time the AAI was given
• if a second AAI was used

6. Training and Awareness

6.1 We will arrange specialist anaphylaxis training for staff. This will include practical instruction in how to use the different AAI devices available. Staff will also get the opportunity to practise using training pens.

6.2 Location of epi pen School office

6.3 Further resources for schools are available via the following sites:

Anaphylaxis Campaign:  https://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/ 

Spare Pens in Schools: https://www.sparepensinschools.uk/for-school-pupils/ 

Allergy UK: https://www.allergyuk.org/information-and-advice/for-schools

7. Staff and Parental awareness

Under GDPR, the academy will issue a letter that allows the parent to confirm that they are happy that emergency allergy treatment can be administered if required. This letter will be issued annually, and the information will be uploaded to the student records as soon as possible.

The academy will also update the transition information which is issued when pupils arrive at the academy.

All staff must be made aware of allergies of the pupils in their class. All staff who suffer from allergies must be identified, and a list must be made available. This record must also contain photo identification of the staff member. A risk assessment should determine a buddy who understands the medical condition. In the event of an incident, the buddy would be able to locate any stored medication, the dosage and the regime to administer in an emergency.

8. The In-house Catering Team

8.1 Special Diet Requests—Where food allergy is a concern, parents/carers will be required to cooperate with the academy’s catering provision and adhere to the caterer’s special diet procedure regarding any special diet requests.

8.2 Depending on the complexity of the allergy/allergies, parents may be required to meet with the catering team to inform them of their child’s dietary needs fully

8.3 Special Diet Request forms and Procedures and a list of FAQs are available to parents via the academy main office. The catering manager also provides allergen reports for core menu items, which parents should refer to in case of an allergen query.

8.4 Staff preparing food on residential visits must consider the dietary and allergy needs of all participants. See the educational visits policy for further information.

8.5 Specialist dietary requirements for staff and students on residential trips need to be planned well in advance to ensure adequate accommodation during the trips. Parents/carers will need to be involved in all aspects of the planning to ensure that students are not exposed to allergens that put them at risk.

8.6 Pupils will not be excluded from educational visits due to their dietary or medical needs. We will work around these where possible, carrying out a risk assessment as required.

9. Educational Visits and Trips

9.1 All staff undertaking an offsite trip will have attended the School’s Medication and Anaphylaxis training.            

This is part of the risk assessment. Staff must also:

• Physically check that pupils have their medication before leaving the site.
• Ensure that all food collected from the Catering Department has been clearly labelled and they are aware of any foods that should not be given to pupils with allergies.
• Ensure that they have the academy emergency first aid kit, which includes the Epi-Pen and Asthma pump for emergencies and when a person develops symptoms for the first time.

Appendix 1

Definitions

Key definitions are detailed below:

AAI – Adrenaline Auto-Injector

Allergy – An allergy is the response of the body's immune system to normally harmless substances, such as pollens, foods, and house dust mites

Allergen – A substance which causes an allergic reaction

Anaphylaxis – Anaphylaxis, or anaphylactic shock, is a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction affecting more than one body system, such as the airways, heart, circulation, gut and ski

EPIPEN® – Brand name for a hypodermic device which delivers epinephrine (adrenaline) used for the treatment of an acute allergic reaction

Jext® - A brand name for an adrenaline auto-injector used in the emergency treatment of anaphylactic shock or anaphylactic reaction.

Emerade® – Brand name for adrenaline auto-injector used for the emergency treatment of severe acute allergic reactions

IHCP – Individual Health Care Plan

Appendix 2

Allergy step by step emergency plan

PUPIL NAME

1. The pupil has been exposed to the allergen

2. The pupil is showing a reaction to the allergen

This can include: hives, shortness of breath, running nose and coughing

3. The pupil is to be given 10ml cetirizine. They can be given this even if she has had a dose in the morning.

4. The pupil is to be monitored by an adult while another adult gets the needed medication and a first aider. Injector pen is kept in Class xx and a spare can be found in the main office.

5. If the condition worsens, Pupil’s family is to be called

Parent 1  07xxxxx and Parent 2 07xxxx

6. If the condition worsens, call an ambulance 999

7. If the condition worsens, use the auto injector pen