Allergy Safety Policy

Prepared: October 2026

Next Review: Within 12 months of approval

Contents

• Introduction
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Identification and Individual Healthcare Plans
• Staff Training
• Reducing Exposure to Allergens
• Food Provision and Catering
• Visits and Activities Beyond the Usual Curriculum
• Medicines and Emergency Equipment
• Action in Emergencies
• Recording Incidents and Learning Lessons
• Inclusion Wellbeing and Information Sharing
• Complaints Publication and Review
• Appendix A Local Arrangements
• References and Related Policies

Introduction

The Academy will take reasonable steps to prevent exposure to known allergens and respond promptly when an allergic reaction occurs. Pupils with allergies must be able to learn, eat, socialise and take part in Academy activities safely, with support suited to their individual needs.

This policy covers food, insect venom, medicine, latex, contact and airborne allergies. It applies during the Academy day, clubs, visits and other activities organised by the Academy. Relevant arrangements also protect staff and visitors. Any nursery provision must additionally follow the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements.

The policy is informed by sections 100 and 100A of the Children and Families Act 2014, the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, the Equality Act 2010 and Department for Education allergy safety guidance. It complements the Academy's Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Policy and its first aid, safeguarding, educational visits and complaints arrangements.

Roles and Responsibilities

1. The Trust Board and Governing Body

   The Trust Board retains accountability for meeting the Academy's legal duties. The Governing Body will oversee implementation within its delegated responsibilities, review evidence of effective practice and ensure that suitable resources are available. Approval must follow the Trust's scheme of delegation.

2. The Principal

   The Principal will appoint a named senior leader for allergy safety, ensure adequate trained cover throughout Academy activities and require catering and other contractors to follow the relevant arrangements. The Principal will ensure that the policy is published, understood and put into practice.

3. The named senior leader

   The allergy safety lead will coordinate the allergy register, individual plans, staff training and risk assessments; arrange checks of emergency provision; and report incidents, outstanding actions and policy reviews to the Principal and Governing Body. The lead and deputy must be identified in Appendix A before implementation.

4. Teachers and support staff

   Staff will familiarise themselves with the needs of pupils they supervise, check relevant plans before activities, follow agreed controls and act immediately in an emergency. Staff must report changes, missing medication, reactions and near misses to the allergy safety lead. Supply and visiting staff must receive the information necessary for their role.

5. Parents and pupils

   Parents should notify the Academy of allergies and changes promptly, supply available clinical advice and prescribed medicines, and contribute to planning. Pupils will be supported to recognise risks, tell an adult when unwell and manage medication where appropriate to their age and competence. Responsibility for safe Academy arrangements remains with the Academy.

6. Catering and premises staff

   The catering manager will maintain reliable ingredient and allergen information, prevent cross-contact and ensure that agreed meals reach the correct pupil. Premises staff will support cleaning and environmental controls. Both will report concerns and participate in risk assessments affecting their work.

Identification and Individual Healthcare Plans

The Academy will request medical information on admission, at transition and through routine updates. A parent, pupil or member of staff may raise a new concern at any time through the Academy office. Where evidence is still being obtained, the allergy safety lead will agree proportionate interim safeguards rather than leave a pupil unsupported.

A restricted-access register will record known allergies, relevant triggers, emergency medicines, the existence of an Individual Healthcare Plan and the staff who need the information. Staff and visitors will be given an opportunity to disclose relevant allergies so that suitable arrangements can be considered.

An Individual Healthcare Plan will be agreed where an allergy affects participation or safety and requires support beyond the Academy's general arrangements. Parents, the pupil, relevant staff and healthcare professionals will contribute as appropriate. Any clinical Allergy Action Plan or Asthma Action Plan will be attached or clearly referenced.

• The plan will identify triggers, symptoms, medicines and doses, emergency actions, storage and access arrangements, responsible adults and contact details.
• It will describe adjustments for meals, lessons, exercise, examinations, transport where relevant, clubs and visits, including any associated asthma needs.
• Plans will be checked at least annually and sooner after a change, reaction or near miss. Relevant staff will receive updates promptly.

Staff Training

All staff working with pupils, including catering, supply, agency, peripatetic and regular volunteer staff, will receive allergy awareness and emergency response training at least annually. Induction and cover arrangements will address gaps before staff take responsibility for affected pupils. Device-specific practical instruction and any additional clinical training will be arranged where needed. A dated training record will identify staff trained, content, competency checks where relevant and refresher dates.

Reducing Exposure to Allergens

Staff planning lessons, events or activities will check relevant pupil needs and agree suitable controls. Assessments must consider food, practical ingredients, medicines, latex, animals, insect stings and airborne or contact triggers where relevant to the individual. Restrictions will be proportionate and communicated clearly; the Academy will not promise an allergen-free environment.

• Pupils must not share food, drinks or eating utensils. Staff will explain this sensitively and promote handwashing with soap and water before and after eating.
• Eating surfaces and equipment will be cleaned effectively. Practical activities will use suitable alternatives or additional controls where a known allergen presents a risk.
• Food used for rewards, celebrations, fundraising or visitors' events must be checked in advance. Where ingredients cannot be established, it must not be offered to an affected pupil.
• Specific requests about foods brought into the Academy will follow individual risk assessments and be communicated to families, staff and relevant visitors. A blanket label such as nut-free must not replace active risk management.

Food Provision and Catering

The Academy and caterer will agree how pupils with allergies are identified discreetly, how dietary information is transferred and how a suitable meal is served. The catering manager will maintain an allergen matrix and current ingredient records. Staff must check information rather than guess whether food is safe.

Suppliers, recipes and substitutions will be checked before use. Staff will manage storage, preparation, equipment, serving and cleaning to reduce allergen cross-contact. The Academy will provide required allergen information for food it supplies, including compliant labelling for food prepacked for direct sale where applicable.

A pupil's agreed dietary provision must remain available when menus change and for free school meals, packed lunches supplied for visits and special events. If safe provision cannot be confirmed, staff will stop service to that pupil, contact the catering manager and arrange a safe alternative. Families will be told how to raise a catering concern.

Visits and Activities Beyond the Usual Curriculum

The visit leader will discuss allergy arrangements with the allergy safety lead, parents and the pupil before departure. The assessment will cover travel, accommodation, meals, activities, communication and access to emergency care, including overseas language needs where relevant.

• A suitably briefed and trained adult will be available, with clear responsibility for medicines and the pupil's plan.
• The pupil must have access to both prescribed adrenaline devices where these are prescribed. Medicine and emergency information must accompany the pupil throughout the activity.
• The leader will check medicines before departure and make a contingency plan for loss, damage or delay. Any spare devices taken must not leave inadequate cover at the Academy.

Pupils will not be excluded automatically because of an allergy or required routinely to bring a parent. Concerns about missing medication will be escalated immediately so that a safe, individual decision can be made.

Medicines and Emergency Equipment

Prescribed medicines will be managed in accordance with the pupil's plan, parental consent and the Academy's medical conditions arrangements. Pupils able to self-manage will be supported to carry their medicines. Where an adult stores them, access must be immediate throughout lessons, breaks, clubs and visits. Adrenaline must not be locked away.

The Academy will maintain spare adrenaline auto-injectors in appropriate doses and quantities, following current national guidance and professional advice. Spare devices supplement each pupil's own prescription. Locations, responsibility for checks and replacement arrangements must be confirmed in Appendix A. Staff must know how to bring a device to the casualty promptly.

The designated medicines officer will check stock, expiry dates and device condition at least monthly and after use, arrange replacement before expiry and record each check. Devices will be stored in line with manufacturers' instructions, protected from temperature extremes and clearly distinguished from individual prescriptions. Used devices will be handed to ambulance staff or disposed of through approved sharps arrangements.

Advance consent for emergency spare adrenaline will be sought and recorded. In a life-threatening emergency, reasonable action to save life must not be delayed while seeking consent or checking a diagnosis. Staff will call 999 for immediate advice if needed.

Action in Emergencies

1. Recognising and responding to a reaction

   Treat sudden airway swelling, breathing difficulty, persistent wheeze or cough, collapse or marked faintness as possible anaphylaxis. A rash may be absent. Where a pupil has food allergy and asthma, sudden breathing problems may be anaphylaxis. Follow the clinical action plan and do not delay treatment.

2. Suspected anaphylaxis
   1. Stay with the person, summon help and bring the adrenaline device to them. Do not send them to the office or let them stand or walk.
   2. Give adrenaline immediately using the prescribed device or an appropriate spare auto-injector if necessary. Follow the device instructions and the action plan.
   3. Call 999 immediately and state "anaphylaxis". Give the Academy address, exact casualty location and time adrenaline was given. Another adult should call while treatment is given.
   4. Lay the person flat, raising their legs. If breathing is difficult, allow a supported sitting position with legs extended. If unconscious but breathing normally, use the recovery position. If not breathing normally, start CPR and follow 999 instructions.
   5. Give a second adrenaline dose after five minutes if symptoms have not improved. Continue following emergency instructions. Antihistamines and asthma inhalers do not replace adrenaline for anaphylaxis.
   6. Arrange for emergency access, notify parents and record treatment times. The person must receive emergency medical assessment even if they appear to recover. Send the action plan and medicine information with them.

   Academy address: Mitcham Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR9 3AS. Telephone: 020 8689 1255. The office will arrange for the ambulance crew to be met at the agreed entrance.

3. Mild or moderate reactions

   Follow the individual action plan, give authorised treatment and inform parents. Keep the pupil with a responsible adult and observe for at least 60 minutes, or longer if clinical advice requires. Escalate immediately if airway, breathing or circulation symptoms develop or the condition deteriorates. Staff must never leave a pupil alone or rely on antihistamines to prevent anaphylaxis.

Recording Incidents and Learning Lessons

All reactions, administration of emergency medicine and allergy-related near misses will be reported promptly to the allergy safety lead and recorded on the Academy's incident system. Parents may report delayed reactions or concerns through the office. The record will include the suspected trigger, food or activity involved, symptoms, times, actions, medicines and dose, witnesses, emergency contacts and outcome.

The Principal will arrange a proportionate investigation, preserve relevant food packaging or other evidence where appropriate and agree immediate protective action. The Academy will consider whether referral to the caterer, local authority food safety team, HSE, safeguarding services or another body is required under the applicable reporting rules. Not every allergic reaction is automatically reportable under RIDDOR.

The review will identify what changed, whether controls worked and who will complete improvements by when. The allergy safety lead will update plans, training or procedures and check that actions have been completed. Governors will receive an appropriately anonymised overview. Pupils and staff affected by an incident will be offered support.

Inclusion Wellbeing and Information Sharing

Staff will listen to pupils' concerns and support participation without unnecessary isolation. The Academy will address allergy-related teasing, exclusion, threats or deliberate exposure through its behaviour and safeguarding arrangements. Pupils will be taught age-appropriate allergy awareness without disclosing another pupil's private medical information unnecessarily.

Medical information will be kept securely and shared with those who need it to keep a person safe, including relevant catering, cover and visit staff. The Academy will explain these arrangements to families. Individual plans and identifiable medical details must not be published on the website. Emergency information will remain accessible to authorised staff when digital systems are unavailable.

Complaints Publication and Review

Concerns should be raised initially with the allergy safety lead or Principal. Unresolved complaints will follow the Academy's published complaints procedure. Raising a concern must not disadvantage a pupil.

This policy will be published on the Academy website and supplied on paper on request. It will be reviewed at least annually, and sooner following a serious incident, significant near miss, new guidance or a change in provision. The review will consider the views of pupils, families, staff and relevant professionals and assess equality impacts. The Principal will ensure that any changes are communicated and implemented.

Appendix A Local Arrangements

The Principal will complete and maintain the details below before implementation. Operational details will also be included in staff induction and emergency information. Personal medical information must be retained separately.

Arrangement	Academy details
Allergy safety senior leader	Grace Sheridan
Deputy and cover arrangements	Kirsty Hathaway
Medicines officer and deputy	Kirsty Hathaway
Catering contact	Christina Neophytou
Prescribed medicine access	Medicines kept in the Student Reception Office
Spare adrenaline locations	Student Reception Office
Spare device stock	Student Reception Office
Checks and replacement	Monthly and after use; [record location and supplier]
Emergency assistance	999 (call made by First Aider)
Ambulance entrance	Carpark and Visitor reception
Allergy register and plans	[Secure location and authorised access arrangements]
Training records	Grace Sheridan / Jayne Atkinson
Incident reporting	All issues reported to Allergy safety senior leader and Deputy

References and Related Policies

Department for Education, Allergy safety in schools, statutory guidance and policy template, July 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/allergy-safety-in-schools

Children and Families Act 2014, sections 100 and 100A, as amended; Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, section 34; Equality Act 2010.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/21/section/34

NHS, Anaphylaxis; Resuscitation Council UK, First Aid Guidelines 2025.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/anaphylaxis/
https://www.resus.org.uk/professional-library/2025-resuscitation-guidelines/first-aid-guidelines

Read alongside the Academy's Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Policy, Health and Safety Policy, safeguarding, behaviour, educational visits and complaints procedures. Sources checked 27 October 2026.