The Educator Magazine U.K. September - December 2025 issue. - Magazine - Page 66
NEW FREE SCHOOLS PROGRAMME
TO PROTECT CHILDREN WITH
FOOD ALLERGIES
Foundation, St John Ambulance, the
children’s charity Coram Life Education and
Tesco Stronger Starts.
As Royal Founding President of The King’s
Foundation and Royal Patron of St John
Ambulance, His Majesty King Charles has
sent a message of support saying: “I am
delighted to hear of the launch of ‘Allergy
School’, the new educational programme by
The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation.
Improving understanding of this issue is so
important for keeping children with food
allergies safe and ensuring they are able to
participate fully in activities at school or in
our wider communities.
• New Allergy School programme launched by
The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation,
the UK’s food allergy charity.
• Free resources to all nurseries, primary
schools and out-of-school clubs and groups
to encourage greater awareness and
understanding of food allergies.
• His Majesty King Charles sends launch
message for the national programme.
• Films, lesson plans and assembly packs
created by the charity in partnership with
The King’s Foundation, Coram Life Education,
St John Ambulance and Tesco Stronger
Starts.
• Education Minister welcomes the work of
the charity.
• Puppet Arlo the Armadillo teaches children
about food allergies.
HUNDREDS of thousands of teachers have had
no allergy awareness training despite around
two children in every classroom in the UK now
having a food allergy (1), new figures suggest.
New research by the NASUWT, the teachers’
union, in collaboration with The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation reveals that 95% of
teachers now have children with food allergies
in their school, yet 67% have had no allergy
awareness training.
One in five teachers has never been taught
how to administer an adrenaline autoinjector which could save a life in a food
allergy emergency, and almost two thirds
(60%) don’t know or are unsure if their school
even has an allergy policy.
The findings of the recent survey of almost
1,900 union members are published to
coincide with the launch of the charity’s new
£1million Allergy School programme.
This aims to transform understanding of
food allergies in schools so that children with
food allergies feel empowered, included and
protected.
The free, national programme has been
developed in partnership with The King’s
“I am particularly heartened that my King’s
Foundation has been closely involved with the
project, helping all of us to become more aware
of the many ways we can support one another,
especially the more vulnerable in our society.”
Allergy School launches with practical
resources for nurseries, primary schools and
out-of-school clubs and groups looking after
children aged 3 to 11 in the UK, to encourage
greater awareness and understanding of food
allergies.
They include 5 films for pupils and teachers
including a quiz and first aid advice, engaging lesson plans and assembly packs for Key
Stages 1 and 2, a self-assessment tool to allow
schools to determine how allergy-inclusive
they are and how they can improve the safety
and well-being of their allergic pupils, and
allergy training for teachers.
All are mapped into the National Curriculum
to make them easy to use for all age groups.
The resources – available at
www.AllergySchool.org.uk – feature schools,
teaching staff and children, sharing their own
stories and food allergy best practices. The
films aresponsored by Tesco Stronger Starts.
They also introduce Arlo, the friendly,
food-allergic armadillo – a puppet created and
brought to life by Sesame Street puppeteer
Warrick Brownlow-Pike (2). Arlo helps to
educate children about food allergies in a
positive and engaging way.
Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBE, founder of the
charity, whose daughter Natasha died aged 15
from a food allergic reaction, said the survey
findings were ‘shocking’ and exposed the
barriers faced by too many children with food
allergies in Britain’s schools, which can leave
them feeling excluded and isolated.
“It can be really hard to keep a child with
food allergies safe in school. Finding a
nursery where Natasha would be safe was
extremely difficult. Natasha at times was bullied
at school because of her food allergies and this
was incredibly stressful and isolating for both her
and our family,” she said.
“Government, schools, teachers, parents and
pupils need to come together to support
children with food allergies in this country.
“We are kickstarting that process. Our new
Allergy School will transform levels of
awareness and understanding of food
allergies to ensure all children are safe and able
toparticipate fully at school.”
Stephen Morgan, Minister for Early Years
Education, has welcomed the work of the
charity, saying: “The safety of our children is
the most important thing both in and outside
of school, and I welcome the important work
being carried out by the Natasha Allergy
Research Foundation.
“I encourage all settings to make use of
engaging programmes such as these,
alongside taking the necessary steps to
manage allergy risks as clearly set out in
the government’s allergy guidance.”
The findings of the NASUWT survey shine a
light on why more support and resources are
needed for schools and teachers around food
allergies
Two thirds of teachers surveyed - 67% - had
not received any allergy awareness training;
how to adapt their classroom to reduce the
risk of allergic reactions, ensure school
activities are safe yet inclusive, and
understand the impact of food allergies on
mental health and well-being. Almost two
thirds (62%) said they would find it useful
to have more training and resources for
supporting children with food allergies in
nursery and at school.
Patrick Roach, former General Secretary of the
NASUWT, said: “It is essential that children and
staff in schools with food allergies get the help
they need to keep them safe. This includes
ensuring that schools are given the support,
advice and resources they need to establish
effective allergy management policies and
that action can be taken to protect those in
schools with food allergies from harm.
