Case Study
First Aid Training in Schools: Real Skills, Real Confidence, Real Impact
What happens when first aid training becomes more than another lesson on the school timetable?
At First Aid Schools, we believe the most effective first aid training is practical, engaging and memorable. It should give pupils and staff the confidence to know what to do when something goes wrong, whether that happens in the classroom, on the sports field, at home or somewhere in the wider community.
Our 2025-26 programme with schools across Wickersley Partnership Trust (WPT) has shown just how powerful that approach can be.
Wickersley Partnership Trust at a glance
In 2025-26 (as of May 2026) First Aid Schools has trained:
85 Staff in Emergency First Aid at Work
44 Staff in Peadiatric First Aid
33 Staff in First Aid at Work
Feedback from staff, teachers and students was overwhelmingly positive, with pupils showing high levels of engagement, enthusiasm and retention of knowledge. The practical, scenario-based sessions helped students develop confidence and transferable life skills, while learning how to respond calmly and effectively in an emergency.
And in some cases, those skills have gone far beyond the classroom.
When first aid training saves lives
Perhaps the most powerful feedback we received came from real situations where pupils have used what they learned.
One pupil performed CPR on his mum and, according to the feedback provided to the school, saved her life. He attributed his knowledge to the first aid training he had received at school.
Elsewhere across Wickersley, the Trust reported a sixth form student giving CPR to his dad, a Year 8 pupil giving CPR to their mum, a Year 7 pupil putting a grandparent into the recovery position and calling 999, and another Year 7 pupil using their knowledge to help a sibling experiencing a seizure.
These are exactly the situations we want our training to prepare young people for.
They may never need to use those skills. But if the day comes when they do, knowing what to do can make an enormous difference.
Primary Student Feedback
Year 2
I can call 999.
I helped my friend and rang for an ambulance.
Year 3
It was great fun!
I can help if someone burns their arm.
Year 4
I know what to do if my mum faints again.
I liked it best when we were putting slings on.
Year 5
The EPI Pens were great. I really enjoyed having a go.
My favourite bit was doing the choking.
Year 6
I wish we could do that again.
I learnt what DRABC means and how to use it when someone needs help.
First aid that pupils actually enjoy
First aid can be a serious subject without being a boring one.
The feedback from WPT schools repeatedly highlighted how engaged pupils were during the sessions. Staff reported that students remained focused and enthusiastic, with the practical approach particularly effective for pupils who can sometimes find traditional classroom environments challenging.
The sessions are adapted to suit different age groups, meaning pupils build their knowledge as they progress through school.
From learning how to help someone who is choking to practising CPR, using a defibrillator and putting someone into the recovery position, the emphasis is always on doing rather than simply listening.
Staff Feedback
Mr Rushton, Head of The Brunswick Centre
The sessions have been extremely valuable for our students, particularly those with SEMH needs and students who can be harder to engage in more traditional settings.
The real-life scenarios made the learning relevant and accessible, helping students develop practical life skills linked to situations vulnerable young people may realistically face. The hands-on approach kept students engaged and interested throughout, including students who would not usually participate confidently in lessons.
The bleed control training had a particularly strong impact. Students took it seriously and responded very well to the practical elements. It gave them valuable, transferable skills and helped reinforce the importance of staying calm and acting safely in an emergency.
Staff feedback has been very positive. The delivery was engaging, approachable, and well-suited to our students, helping to build trust and encourage participation. A useful development could be incorporating even more practical or refresher activities to reinforce learning over time.
Whilst we are not aware of any incidents where students have had to use the skills directly, students have referred back to the training in conversations, and some have shared what they learned with family and peers, showing the sessions have had a lasting impact.
Mrs Reed, Head of PE, Clifton Community School
Pupils receive an informative, engaging, age appropriate, range of basic First Aid essentials. The lessons are well taught, engagement is high and pupils value learning these essential life skills. One pupil performed CPR on his mum and saved her life… he attributed his knowledge to the first aid training that he had received in school.
The EDIP (Explanation, Demonstration, Imitation, Practice) structure builds confidence in the pupils that they could apply the techniques if they needed to.
Y11 Pupils were totally engaged in the bleed training. They asked mature questions and applied the skills to real life scenarios, giving the training context and clear purpose.
Staff training is informative and engaging. Scenario based learning promotes confidence to deal with a range of first aid eventualities in the school setting. (First Aid Schools having) lots of previous educators mean that delivery is well structured with clear learning objectives.
One pupil performed CPR on his mum and saved her life… he attributed his knowledge to the first aid training that he had received in school. Other pupils have joined the St Johns Ambulance cadets.
Building confidence, one skill at a time
One of the clearest themes in the WPT feedback was confidence.
By breaking potentially frightening emergencies down into simple, manageable steps, pupils become more comfortable with the idea of helping someone who is unwell or injured.
The EDIP approach we use – Explanation, Demonstration, Imitation and Practice – allows pupils to see a technique, understand it, try it themselves and practise it. This helps turn theoretical knowledge into something they feel capable of actually doing.
Staff also reported seeing pupils become more willing to step forward and help others, while parents have commented that children have proudly demonstrated techniques such as the recovery position at home.
That’s the real value of school first aid training. It doesn’t just teach a skill. It can change how a young person reacts when somebody needs help.
Key Stage 3 Student Feedback
Year 7
now know what to do to help my friend who sometimes has seizures.
I liked how we could practise with our friends. I think I could put an adult in the recovery position if I had to.
Year 8
Doing CPR on the dummies was great!
I learnt how to do chest compressions. I enjoyed everything.
Year 9
I feel more confident if I saw someone choking about knowing how to help them.
I loved how it wasn’t boring.
Year 11 bleed control training
For 2025-26, we also introduced specialist bleed control training for Year 11 students.
The response was particularly strong.
Students approached the subject with maturity and seriousness, engaging with realistic scenarios and developing a greater awareness of how to respond safely in an emergency involving severe bleeding.
For young people approaching the end of secondary school, these are practical skills they can take with them into adult life.
It’s not just pupils who benefit
Our school first aid training also supports teachers and other school staff.
During 2025-26, First Aid Schools trained 85 members of staff in Emergency First Aid at Work, 44 in Paediatric First Aid and 33 in First Aid at Work. All 85 participants on the Emergency First Aid at Work course rated it excellent, while 100% said they felt more confident about acting in an emergency situation.
Staff particularly valued the practical nature of the courses, including using defibrillators, practising first aid techniques and working through realistic examples relevant to their school environment.
One participant summed up the experience as:
“Practical, a chance to use a defib. real life examples. Great course.”
Another said the training had “made me a lot more confident”.
Preparing young people for life beyond school
We don’t believe first aid should stop at the school gates.
A child who knows how to recognise an emergency, call 999, perform CPR, use a defibrillator, help someone who is choking or put someone into the recovery position has gained a skill that could potentially help a friend, family member or complete stranger.
The WPT feedback demonstrates that these lessons can stay with pupils long after the training session has finished. Students have talked about what they learned with friends and family, recalled information from previous years and, in some cases, used those skills when someone they love needed help.
That’s why we do what we do.
We want first aid training to be practical. We want it to be memorable. And most importantly, we want young people to leave the classroom feeling that they can actually help.
Key Stage 4 Feedback
Year 10
One thing that stuck with me is to try and be calm in all situations. Doing CPR was good fun as was using the defibs.
I honestly didn’t really know what a defibrillator was or how easy they are to use. There are loads around where I live.
Year 11
The bleed training was a great, hugely beneficial, unforgettable experience. Thank you very much. Instructor is skilful
Very informative and I felt I have learned something. Feel a little more confident after this session.
A 10/10 experience. Really interesting and practical although I did feel a little queasy with the fake blood.
School first aid training that makes a difference
Whether you’re looking for first aid training for primary pupils, secondary students, sixth formers or school staff, our sessions are designed around practical learning, realistic scenarios and age-appropriate delivery.
From basic first aid and CPR through to defibrillator training, choking, recovery position and specialist Year 11 bleed control training, we can create a programme that develops first aid knowledge throughout a pupil’s school journey.
If you’d like to discuss first aid training for your school, get in touch with First Aid Schools.
We’re here to help schools create confident, capable first aiders – and give young people skills that could stay with them for life.