A quick recap: what Benedict's Law requires
Benedict's Law is the new statutory guidance for schools in England, named after Benedict Blythe, a five-year-old who died from anaphylaxis at school in 2021. From September 2026, schools need a named allergy lead, a standalone allergy safety policy, individual healthcare plans for pupils with known allergies, spare adrenaline auto-injectors on site, and annual allergy awareness training for all staff, not just designated first aiders. We covered the full detail in our earlier post on what schools need to know.
That last point, training for all staff, is where things get interesting, because "training" can mean very different things depending on how it's delivered.
Recognising a reaction isn't a knowledge test
Anaphylaxis doesn't always look the way people expect. Symptoms can escalate from mild to life-threatening in minutes, and the early signs (a rash, a bit of coughing, a child saying their mouth feels funny) are easy to miss or dismiss if you've only ever seen them described in a slide rather than talked through and practised with someone who can answer your actual questions. Watching a video once and clicking "I understand this content" is not the same as being able to spot a genuine emergency happening in front of you, under time pressure, with a room full of children watching.
What HSE guidance says about this, generally
This isn't a new problem, and the same principle already governs first aid at work training more broadly. HSE guidance is clear that practical elements of a first aid course, including CPR, choking response and casualty management, should be assessed by direct observation. Blended learning, where theory is covered online and the practical elements are then taught and assessed face-to-face, is accepted. Fully online training, with no in-person practical assessment, is not, because it's next to impossible to confirm someone can actually perform a physical skill correctly from an online module alone.
The same logic applies directly to allergy and anaphylaxis response. Recognising symptoms, working through the decision of when to act, and physically using an auto-injector are all things you learn by doing them under supervision, getting it wrong safely in a training room, and having someone correct you, not by reading about them.
What this means in practice for schools
Questions worth asking before you book allergy training
- Does the course include hands-on practice with a training auto-injector, not just a description of how one works?
- Is there a face-to-face element where staff can ask questions specific to your pupils and setting?
- Does it cover recognising early, ambiguous symptoms, not just the textbook worst case?
- Is it delivered or assessed by someone qualified to correct technique in the room, not just a pre-recorded presenter?
None of this means online learning has no place. Covering the theory, the policy background, and the "why" in your own time online is efficient and sensible. It just can't be the whole course. The practical, face-to-face element is what turns a staff member from someone who's watched a video about anaphylaxis into someone who'll actually act correctly and quickly when it happens for real.
This is exactly the same principle behind why our own courses are delivered practically, in person, rather than as an online-only certificate. Recognising and responding to a severe allergic reaction is covered as part of our Paediatric First Aid course, delivered face-to-face so staff leave having actually practised, not just watched.
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Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Does Benedict's Law allow online-only allergy training?
The statutory guidance expects staff to be able to recognise anaphylaxis and respond correctly, including using an adrenaline auto-injector. Recognising symptoms under pressure and operating a device are practical, hands-on skills, which is why sector guidance and training providers treat the face-to-face element as essential rather than optional.
Why can't CPR or allergy response be taught entirely online?
HSE guidance on first aid at work states that practical elements of a course should be assessed by direct observation, because it is next to impossible to confirm through an online module alone whether someone can actually perform CPR, use an auto-injector, or manage a casualty correctly.
What's the difference between blended learning and online-only training?
Blended learning covers the theory online in your own time, then assesses and practises every practical skill face-to-face with an instructor. Online-only training skips the face-to-face assessment entirely, so there's no way to confirm the practical skill was actually learned.