Head praises benefits of first aid training
LEARNING FIRST aid skills even at primary age can prepare pupils to be resilient and responsible, a headteacher has said, ahead of the roll-out of a national scheme to be implemented across England.
Education Secretary Damian Hinds, in an announcement in January, revealed that all children are to be taught basic first aid skills from CPR to treatments for common injuries.
Now, as Year 5 and 6 students at two primaries in Barnsley complete a course to become junior lifesavers, school leaders say this skills can be critical in many ways.
“Even when children are at primary school, it is beneficial to society that they learn about lifesaving, said Nicola Thorpe, executive headteacher at Worsbrough Bank End.
“We want our pupils to be confident in any situation and the thought that what they learnt today might one day save a life is uplifting.
“This is what education with character is all about; teaching our pupils to be resilient, responsible and empathetic individuals, fully prepared for life beyond school.”
Pupils at Worsbrough Bank End, along with those at Hunningley Primary, have taken part in the Heart Start training, with 50 children joining training over recent days.
During the course, they have learned how to recognise a heart attack, help an unconscious person, how to intervene if someone is choking and perform CPR.
The courses are part of an initiative between the two United Learning primaries and the Central Family Centres, with further plans in place to offer the training to parents.
It comes after a Government announcement last month over plans for similar schemes to be rolled out to every school in England.
Described by the British Heart Foundation as a “decisive moment”, it is hoped the scheme can help improve response rates.
The DfE programme will be rolled out in 2020.