ALLERGY AND ANAPHYLAXIS POLICY

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Date CreatedDate 1st Review DueDate ReviewedVersionNext Review Due
June 2026June 2027   

The named staff member responsible for coordinating staff anaphylaxis training and the upkeep of the school’s anaphylaxis policy is:

Abby Stonell

Contents
  1. Introduction
  2. Roles and responsibilities
  3. Allergy action plans
  4. Emergency treatment and management of anaphylaxis
  5. Supply, storage and care of medication
  6. ‘Spare’ adrenaline auto-injectors in school
  7. Staff training
  8. Inclusion and safeguarding
  9. Catering
  10. School trips
  11. Allergy awareness and nut bans
  12. Risk assessment
  13. Useful links
1.     Introduction

An allergy is a reaction of the body’s immune system to substances that are usually harmless. The reaction can cause minor symptoms such as itching, sneezing or rashes but sometimes causes a much more severe reaction called anaphylaxis.

Anaphylaxis is a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction. The whole body is affected often within minutes of exposure to the allergen, but sometimes it can be hours later. Causes can include foods, insect stings, and drugs.

Most healthcare professionals consider an allergic reaction to be anaphylaxis when it involves difficulty breathing or affects the heart rhythm or blood pressure. Anaphylaxis symptoms are often referred to as the ABC symptoms (Airway, Breathing, Circulation).

It is possible to be allergic to anything which contains a protein, however most people will react to a fairly small group of potent allergens.

Common UK Allergens include (but are not limited to):-

  • Celery
  • Cereals containing gluten (such as wheat, barley, and oats)
  • Crustaceans (such as prawns, crabs, and lobsters)
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Lupin
  • Milk
  • Molluscs (such as mussels and oysters)
  • Mustard
  • Peanuts
  • Sesame seeds
  • Soybeans
  • Sulphur dioxide and sulphites
  • Tree nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts) 

This policy sets out how Egham Park School will support pupils with allergies, to ensure

they are safe and are not disadvantaged in any way whilst taking part in school life.

2.     Role and responsibilities

Parent Responsibilities

  • On entry to the school, it is the parent’s responsibility to inform reception staff of any allergies. This information should include all previous serious allergic reactions, history of anaphylaxis and details of all prescribed medication.
    • Parents are to supply a copy of their child’s Allergy Action Plan to school. If they do not currently have an Allergy Action Plan this should be developed as soon as possible in collaboration with a healthcare professional e.g. GP/allergy specialist.
    • Parents are responsible for ensuring any required medication is supplied, in date and replaced as necessary.
    • Parents are requested to keep the school up to date with any changes in allergy management. The Allergy Action Plan will be kept updated accordingly.
Staff Responsibilities
  • All staff will complete anaphylaxis training. Training is provided for all staff on a yearly basis and on an ad-hoc basis for any new members of staff.
    • Staff must be aware of the pupils in their care who have known allergies as an allergic reaction could occur at any time and not just at mealtimes. Any food-related activities must be supervised with due caution.
  • Staff leading school trips will ensure they carry all relevant emergency supplies. Trip leaders will check that all pupils with medical conditions, including allergies, carry their medication. Pupils unable to produce their required medication will not be able to attend the trip.
    • The Headteacher and Admin Officer will ensure that the up-to-date Allergy Action Plan is kept with the pupil’s medication.
    • It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure all medication in in date 0*66, the Admin Officer will check medication kept at school on a termly basis and send a reminder to parents if medication is approaching expiry.
    • The Business and Compliance Manager keeps a register of pupils who have been prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) and a record of use of any AAI(s) and emergency treatment given.
    • The Headteacher ensures that any reaction or near misses are recorded and reported internally or in accordance with RIDDOR.
Pupil Responsibilities
  • Pupils are encouraged to have a good awareness of their symptoms and to let an adult know as soon as they suspect they are having an allergic reaction.
3.     Allergy Action Plans

Allergy action plans are designed to function as individual healthcare plans for children with food allergies, providing medical and parental consent for schools to administer medicines in the event of an allergic reaction, including consent to administer a spare adrenaline auto- injector.

British Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI) Allergy Action Plans are produced by a medical professional and should not be created by school.  These are a national plan that has been agreed by the BSACI, Anaphylaxis UK and Allergy UK. The allergy action plans are designed to function as an individual healthcare plan.

4.     Emergency Treatment and Management of Anaphylaxis

What to look for:

Symptoms usually come on quickly, within minutes of exposure to the allergen.

Mild to moderate allergic reaction symptoms may include:

  • a red raised rash (known as hives or urticaria) anywhere on the body.
  • a tingling or itchy feeling in the mouth.
  • swelling of lips, face or eyes.
  • stomach pain or vomiting.

More serious symptoms are often referred to as the ABC symptoms and can include:

  • AIRWAY – swelling in the throat, tongue or upper airways (tightening of the throat, hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing).
  • BREATHING – sudden onset wheezing, breathing difficulty, noisy breathing.
  • CIRCULATION – dizziness, feeling faint, sudden sleepiness, tiredness, confusion, pale clammy skin, loss of consciousness.

The term for this more severe 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?

  • It opens up the airways
  • It stops swelling
  • It raises the blood pressure
As soon as anaphylaxis is suspected, adrenaline must be administered without delay. Action:
  • Keep the child where they are, call for help and do not leave them unattended.
  • LIE CHILD FLAT WITH LEGS RAISED – they can be propped up if struggling to breathe but this should be for as short a time as possible.
  • USE ADRENALINE AUTO-INJECTOR WITHOUT DELAY and note the time given. AAIs should be given into the muscle in the outer thigh. Specific instructions vary by brand – always follow the instructions on the device.
  • CALL 999 and state ANAPHYLAXIS (ana-fil-axis).
  • If no improvement after 5 minutes, administer second AAI.
  • If no signs of life commence CPR.
  • Call parent/carer as soon as possible.

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.

5.     Supply, storage and care of medication

Depending on their level of understanding and competence, At Egham Park, we will support pupils to develop their responsibilities for their own two AAIs and ensuring staff have them with them if with the pupil at all times in the original container in the net drawstring bag. This is not locked away and accessible to all staff.

Medication should be stored in a suitable container and clearly labelled with the pupil’s name and photo. The pupil’s medication storage container will contain:

  • Two AAIs i.e. EpiPen® or Jext®.
  • An up-to-date allergy action plan.
  • Antihistamine as tablets or syrup (if included on allergy action plan) and a spoon if required.
  • Asthma inhaler (if included on allergy action plan).

It is the responsibility of the child’s parents to ensure that the anaphylaxis kit is up-to-date and clearly labelled, however the School Admin Officer will check medication kept at school on a termly basis and send a reminder to parents if medication is approaching expiry.

Parents can subscribe to expiry alerts for the relevant AAIs their child is prescribed, to make sure they can get replacement devices in good time.

Storage

AAIs should be stored at room temperature, protected from direct sunlight and temperature extremes.

Disposal

AAIs are single use only and must be disposed of as sharps. Used AAIs can be given to ambulance paramedics on arrival. School does not have a sharps bin so it must be given to the ambulance paramedics.

6.     ‘Spare’ adrenaline auto-injectors in school

Egham Park School has purchased 2 spare AAIs for emergency use in children who are risk

of anaphylaxis, but their own devices are not available or not working (e.g. because they are out of date) or are experiencing anaphylaxis for the first time.

These are stored under the reception desk hanging on a hook in a black drawstring bag clearly labelled ‘Spare Emergency Anaphylaxis Adrenaline Pen’, kept safely, not locked away and accessible and known to all staff.

The School Admin Officer is responsible for checking the spare medication is in date on a termly basis and to replace as needed with the guidance of the Headteacher.

Written parental permission for use of the spare AAIs is included in the pupil’s allergy action plan.

7.     Staff Training

The named staff member responsible for coordinating staff anaphylaxis training and the upkeep of the school’s anaphylaxis policy is:

Abby Stonell (Headteacher)

All staff will complete AllergyWise® allergy and anaphylaxis training2 annually, and on an ad-hoc basis during induction of new staff.

Training includes:

  • Knowing the common allergens and triggers of allergies.
  • Spotting the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis. Early recognition of symptoms is key, including knowing when to call for emergency services.
  • Administering emergency treatment (including AAIs) in the event of anaphylaxis – knowing how and when to administer the medication/device.
  • Measures to reduce the risk of a child having an allergic reaction e.g. allergen avoidance, knowing who is responsible for what.
  • Managing allergy action plans and ensuring these are up to date.

Egham ParkSchool ensures that staff undertake a practical session using trainer devices (these can be obtained from the manufacturers’ websites: www.epipen.co.uk and www.jext.co.uk ) which is in the first aid training they complete and then annually with school.

8.     Inclusion and safeguarding

Egham Park School is committed to ensuring that all pupils with medical conditions,

including allergies, in terms of both physical and mental health, are properly supported in school so that they can play a full and active role in school life, remain healthy and achieve their academic potential.

9.     Food on site

All food businesses (including school caterers) must follow the Food Information Regulations 2014 which states that allergen information relating to the ‘Top 14’ allergens must be available for all food products.

The School Admin Officer will inform the staff and SLT of pupils with food allergies prior to the pupil joining us.

The school adheres to the following Department of Health guidance recommendations:

  • Bottles, other drinks and food provided by parents for pupils with food allergies should be clearly labelled with the name of the child for whom they are intended.
  • The pupil should be taught to also check with staff and reading ingredients on packaging.
  • Where food/snacks are provided by the school, staff should be educated about how to read labels for food allergens and instructed about measures to prevent cross contamination during the handling, preparation and serving. Examples include: preparing food for pupils with food allergies first; careful cleaning (using

warm soapy water) of food preparation areas and utensils. Food Hygiene =training is undertaken annually by staff.

  • Use of food in crafts, cooking classes, science experiments and special events (e.g. fetes, assemblies, cultural events) needs to be considered and may need to be restricted/risk assessed depending on the allergies of particular children and their age.
10.  School trips

Staff leading school trips will ensure they carry all relevant emergency supplies. Trip leaders will check that all pupils with medical conditions, including allergies, carry their medication. If pupils do not have the necessary medication, they will not be able to attend the trip.

All the activities on the school trip will be risk assessed to see if they pose a threat to pupils with allergies and alternative activities will be planned to ensure inclusion.

11.  Allergy awareness and nut bans

Egham ParkSchool supports the approach advocated by Anaphylaxis UK towards nut

bans/nut free schools. They would not necessarily support a blanket ban on any particular allergen in any establishment, including in schools. This is because nuts are only one of many allergens that could affect pupils, and no school could guarantee a truly allergen free environment for a child living with food allergy. They advocate instead for schools to adopt a culture of allergy awareness and education.

A ‘whole school awareness of allergies’ is a much better approach, as it ensures teachers, pupils and all other staff are aware of what allergies are, the importance of avoiding the

pupils’ allergens, the signs & symptoms, how to deal with allergic reactions and to ensure policies and procedures are in place to minimise risk. We do this through conversations with pupils and parents and in lessons to develop understanding and awareness

12.  Risk Assessment

Egham Park School will conduct a detailed individual risk assessment for all new

Pupils joining with allergies and any pupils newly diagnosed, to help identify any gaps in our systems and processes for keeping allergic children safe.

We use this template https://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/downloads-form/safer-schools-download/.

13.  Useful Links

Anaphylaxis UK – https://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/

Allergy UK – https://www.allergyuk.org

BSACI Allergy Action Plans:

https://www.bsaci.org/professional- resources/resources/paediatric-allergy-action-plans/

Spare Pens in Schools:

http://www.sparepensinschools.uk

Department for Education Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/803956/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf

Department of Health Guidance on the use of adrenaline auto-injectors in school:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_ data/file/645476/Adrenaline_auto_injectors_in_schools.pdf

Food allergy quality standards (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, March 2016): https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs118

Anaphylaxis: assessment and referral after emergency treatment:

(The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2020) https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg134?unlid=22904150420167115834

Footnotes:

  1. It is strongly recommended that all staff complete allergy and anaphylaxis training to ensure that any member of staff can react quickly and accurately when a child has a reaction. When the training is limited to one or only a few members of staff, children with allergies are left in a potentially life-threatening situation if that member of staff is absence or deployed elsewhere.

AllergyWise® training is produced by Anaphylaxis UK, the only charity in the UK supporting those with severe allergies.  The training is medically reviewed by leading allergy specialists.