Health and safety for teachers and TAs
You have a statutory duty to give staff the health and safety training needed for their role. This course gives teachers and teaching assistants essential training on the most common risks in their role, including on trips and in the classroom.
Who it's for?
Teachers and teaching assistants
This course covers:
- Why health and safety is important
- Your school’s health and safety requirements
- How to spot hazards and manage health and safety in the classroom
- How to consider health and safety in your curriculum
- How to manage health and safety risks on school trips
- Health and safety considerations for specific pupils (e.g., those with SEN or disabilities, or pupils with challenging behaviour)
This course is designed with teachers and TAs in mind, but may also be useful for other staff in teaching and learning roles (such as learning mentors).
Depending on your school’s own risk assessments, your staff may need additional training or information to help you fulfil your health and safety training requirements. For example, you may want to:
- Provide additional training on risk assessment
- Share your school's health and safety policies and procedures (find our model in the 'more resources' section below)
We want our training to be a positive experience for all learners. If you have any access needs (for example, a visual impairment or dyslexia), please let us know to see how we can help by contacting [email protected].
We'd love to hear your feedback
If you've completed this course, we'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Our feedback form takes about 3 to 5 minutes to complete.
Sources
- Health and safety: responsibilities and duties for schools, GOV.UK - DfE
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
- Health and safety checklists for classrooms, HSE
- Good estate management for schools, GOV.UK - DfE
- Health and safety on educational visits, GOV.UK - DfE
We also worked with sector experts on the information in this course:
Trevor Bailey was a secondary school headteacher for 14 years, and has extensive experience of school leadership and management.
Jeremy Bird has extensive experience of primary headship. He has also worked with local authorities and published guidance for new and aspiring headteachers and senior leaders.
Justin Smith is managing director and senior consultant at In House Safety. In House Safety supports safety excellence in schools through audits and specialist advice to help schools control safety risks. It also administers a certification scheme to help schools manage and support safety standards, and recognises those schools that have gone the extra mile.
More health and safety resources for your school
Health and safety templates, checklists and guidance
School trip health and safety: planning checklist and guidance
Ahead of a school trip, use our checklist and find guidance to help you feel confident you’ve considered everything from a health, safety and safeguarding perspective.
Health and safety audit: template and guidance
Use our template to help you conduct a health and safety audit in your school.
Health and safety checklists for classrooms
Use these classroom checklists to make sure pupils and staff are working in a safe environment. You’ll find our specialist classroom checklists to use alongside a general classroom one from the Health and Safety Executive.
Health and safety policy: model and examples
All schools must have a health and safety policy. Use our model policy for your school or trust, which includes an accident report form, to stay compliant.