Our updated and amended ALLERGY policy documentation is readily available on the St. Bernard's school website (policy section) - school's have to make sure they adhere to recent legislation in light of 'Benedict's Law' - ALL SCHOOLS are now expected to take clear, demonstrable action to improve allergy awareness, prevention, and emergency response. This represents a major step toward consistent, life-saving protections in every school, not optional best practice but expected compliance for all schools in England!

St. Bernard's already works exceptionally hard managing 'specific pupil medical needs'. As part of our safeguarding medical duty of care, St. Bernard's already has:

1. Emergency Eipens in place on the school site

2. Emergency Inhalers on the school site

3. An emergency AED defibrilator on the school site

3. Annual training for all staff on using an Epipen & an Inhaler - allergy training

4. Has key members of staff 'First Aid at Work' trained and importantly inline with recent EYFS legislation, 'Paediatric trained'

5. Maintains and shares with all staff members, a list of pupils who have Epipens or Inhalers on the school site

6. Shares information of specific allergies 'for our high-risk Epipen children' - all staff receive regular updates 'regarding these children, and what children are allergic to'

7. Compliant school policy documentation securely in place - Allergy Policy, Health & Medical Needs Policy, Administering Medicines Policy, First Aid management Policy 

8. Has a Medical Needs & First Aid Lead Manager securely in place - Mrs. L Curran

9. Has an 'Administration of Medication' system in place, for pupils who receive medication on the school site - 'parents sign the administration of consent agreement'

We always look to improve...because every little helps!

REMINDER, REMINDER, REMINDER...

We ask that NO NUT PRODUCTS are sent into school at all. 

Please note this is also very important when sending in healthy morning snack for your child or preparing a daily packed lunch. NO NUT PRODUCTS please.

Potential allergens could also include the following:

• Spreads, e.g. chocolate spread
• Cereal bars (check for nuts contents)
• Some types of biscuit containing nuts
• Condiments, e.g. satay sauce
• Cakes containing nuts
• Some snack pots containing nuts
• Seeds (sesame)

PLEASE BE VERY MINDFUL OF THIS

It is important that you check the labelling of food products before sending your child in to school with them – it is not always apparent that products contain nuts or traces of nuts.

Thank you parents.

Again, we remind you that we do have a number of children on the school site with allergies severe enough, that even the slightest contact with nuts/a nut product, could cause a severe and potentially life-threatening reaction.