Benedict’s Law: Building Safer, More Allergy-Aware Schools

Allergies have been part of school life for many years, but the way they have been managed has varied considerably from one school to another.

Some schools have developed excellent policies, staff training and emergency arrangements. Others have had much less support or clarity about what good allergy management should look like.

Benedict’s Law aims to change that by creating clearer and more consistent expectations for allergy safety in schools.

It is not about blaming schools or the people working within them. It is about learning, improving and making sure that children with allergies can take part in school life safely, confidently and inclusively.

Who was Benedict Blythe?

Benedict Blythe was a much-loved five-year-old boy who collapsed at school on 1 December 2021 and died from anaphylaxis shortly afterwards.

Following his death, his parents, Helen and Peter Blythe, established the Benedict Blythe Foundation and began campaigning for stronger and more consistent allergy protections in schools.

Their campaign highlighted that allergy management should not depend upon which school a child happens to attend. Every school should have clear policies, appropriate training and access to emergency medication.

Benedict’s Law is part of his lasting legacy: an opportunity to improve allergy safety for children throughout the education system.

What is Benedict’s Law?

“Benedict’s Law” is the commonly used name for new legal and statutory requirements intended to strengthen allergy safety in schools in England.

The current statutory guidance applies to local-authority-maintained schools, academies, free schools and pupil referral units. The Government intends to introduce equivalent requirements for independent and non-maintained special schools through their relevant regulatory standards.

Early years settings are not currently covered by the same statutory duty, although the guidance may assist them as good practice alongside their existing EYFS responsibilities.

It is about prevention as well as emergency treatment

When people hear the words “allergy training”, they often immediately think about anaphylaxis and adrenaline auto-injectors.

Recognising anaphylaxis and giving adrenaline promptly are essential skills, but they are only one part of allergy safety.

A school’s responsibilities begin long before an emergency occurs.

Schools must consider how they will:

• identify pupils with known allergies

• develop and use Individual Healthcare Plans where needed

• understand and follow Allergy and Asthma Action Plans

• minimise exposure to known allergens

• manage food preparation, handling and serving safely

• prevent cross-contact

• communicate with parents, pupils, staff and caterers

• plan school trips, visits, sports events and residential activities

• store and access prescribed and spare emergency medication

• respond to allergic reactions and anaphylaxis

• record incidents and near misses

• review what happened and learn from it

• support the emotional wellbeing and inclusion of pupils with allergies.

That is why allergy safety cannot sit solely with the first aider, the catering manager or the child’s class teacher. It must be understood and supported throughout the school.

A whole-school responsibility

An allergic reaction does not only happen in a classroom.

It may happen in the dining hall, playground, school office, breakfast club, after-school club, PE lesson, science activity, cookery session, school trip or residential visit.

The guidance therefore expects allergy-awareness training to reach all staff present while pupils are scheduled to be on site.

This includes permanent and temporary staff, supply teachers, peripatetic staff, agency workers, regular volunteers, catering staff and those supervising breakfast or after-school clubs.

It is not limited to teachers and teaching assistants.

The expectation does not normally extend to contractors who have no pupil-facing role, such as a builder or electrician carrying out occasional maintenance work. However, every school still needs clear arrangements for visitors, contractors and outside organisations where their activities could affect pupil safety.

What should staff understand?

Whole-school awareness does not mean that every member of staff must become an allergy specialist.

It does mean they should understand enough to play their part safely.

Depending on their role, staff should know:

• what allergies are and how allergic reactions can occur

• the difference between allergy, coeliac disease and food intolerance

• the range of possible symptoms

• how to recognise anaphylaxis

• how to summon emergency help

• where emergency medication is kept

• how an adrenaline device is used

• how to find and follow a child’s care or action plan

• their role in reducing allergen exposure

• how to report an incident or near miss

• how allergies may affect a child’s confidence, inclusion and wellbeing.

Staff who prepare, handle or serve food will naturally need more detailed role-specific knowledge about food labelling, allergen information, cleaning and preventing cross-contact. Staff leading trips will need to understand risk assessments, medication arrangements, emergency access and the individual child’s needs.

Why ordinary first-aid training is not enough

The new guidance is very clear that first-aid training alone is not sufficient.

An Emergency First Aid at Work course may include recognition of anaphylaxis and the use of an adrenaline auto-injector. That is valuable, but it does not necessarily cover the wider responsibilities now expected of schools.

A short addition to a general first-aid course may explain how to recognise and respond to anaphylaxis, but meaningful allergy awareness must also address prevention, policies, care plans, food safety, inclusion, school activities, trips, communication and incident reporting.

This is not about placing a particular number of minutes on training. It is about whether the training properly covers the required knowledge and gives staff a genuine understanding of their responsibilities.

A tick in a training box will not protect a child by itself.

A knowledgeable, prepared and allergy-aware school community can.

Food safety throughout the school

Food allergy management is not restricted to the school kitchen.

Allergens may also be present in packed lunches, birthday treats, cookery activities, science experiments, play dough, craft materials, animal feed and food packaging used for classroom projects.

Schools therefore need sensible arrangements for reading labels, preventing food sharing, cleaning equipment and surfaces, managing cross-contact and finding safe alternatives where necessary.

The guidance recommends an allergy-aware approach rather than relying on broad claims such as “nut-free”, which can create a false sense of security and overlook the many other foods capable of causing serious reactions.

School trips and activities

Children with allergies should not be unnecessarily excluded from trips, sports, clubs or other activities.

Instead, schools should plan ahead.

That may include:

• an individual risk assessment

• making sure prescribed AAIs travel with the child

• considering whether spare AAIs should also be taken

• ensuring staff know the child’s plan

• checking food and accommodation arrangements

• identifying how emergency medical help will be accessed

• ensuring the child can participate safely alongside their peers.

Allergy safety should make inclusion possible, not become a reason to leave a child behind.

A positive step forward

Benedict’s Law should not be viewed as simply another policy or administrative burden.

It is an opportunity to create greater consistency, understanding and confidence across schools.

When everyone understands their role, children with allergies are safer. Parents have greater reassurance. Staff are better prepared. Children are less likely to feel different, anxious or excluded.

The aim is not perfection or fear.

It is preparation, communication and a whole-school culture in which allergy safety becomes part of everyday school life.

That is a positive and important legacy for Benedic