Skip to main content

National Curriculum: First Aid Training

Volume 506: debated on Tuesday 23 February 2010

22. To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on the introduction of first aid training as part of the national curriculum. (317492)

We have had no recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.

The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families announced on 28 April 2009 that personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education will form part of the statutory curriculum from 2011.

Under the current non-statutory provisions, at key stages 1 and 2 children learn about some basic aspects of first aid; the programme of study for PSHE at key stage 3 includes ways of recognising and reducing risk, minimising harm and getting help in emergency and risky situations; at key stage 4 it includes how to use basic and emergency first aid. It is for schools to retain flexibility over how topics included within PSHE should be delivered to meet the needs of their pupils.