Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Compulsary First Aid - Waste of time?

44 replies

Patentzebra · 18/10/2015 18:59

Surely our kids are under enough pressure without adding yet another subject to the curriculum?

everychildalifesaver.org.uk/

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
GinandJag · 21/11/2015 20:50

My DD, Y9, did a first aid course at school along with everyone else in her year. Schools can choose to do this if they want.

Anotherusername1 · 21/11/2015 17:40

I don't really know OP. I had a first aider at work qualification for 15 years but don't anymore because I work from home so my employer wouldn't pay. I did do a short sports injury refresher last year.

I think it is a very useful skill. BUT only if you use it. I think if you learn something at 10/12/16 whenever, you'll have forgotten it by the time you have to use it. So it would require regular refreshers (and more often than every 3 years which is what you have to do for the First Aid at Work qualification. In Germany you had to do it to pass your driving test but again I don't know if there are any refreshers.

So yes I think it's useful but only if refreshed regularly.

PigletJohn · 20/11/2015 22:01

"The filibustering Philip Davies"

pestilence13610 · 20/11/2015 21:07

Exactly the same as Alma, so that would be two dead kids if we had not learnt first aid at school.
Philip Davies is an arrogant twunt. Filibustering should be banned, but wont be until it is an MP who has a dead kid.

OddlyLogical · 20/11/2015 21:07

Disgraceful. Of course it should be taught in school. There is no pressure associated with it because they are learning the skills, not sitting an exam.
Everyone need to learn the basics and school must be the best place to do that.

megletthesecond · 20/11/2015 20:59

The tories sank the bill Angry.

Philip Davies talked it out

HSMMaCM · 26/10/2015 21:49

I paid for my DD to go on a 12 hour course. I think first aid is an essential life skill. Not everyone can afford to pay for it, so there should be a way for all teens to access it.

heavenlypink · 26/10/2015 21:45

Disagree completely

On the bus with my teenage son last week and he had a seizure Several passengers on the bus and complete ignorance from all of them I Felt like I was invisible as not one person asked if he/I was okay and needed any help At least 3 of the passengers were older teens who would clearly benefit from this kind of education

IguanaTail · 26/10/2015 21:26

OP - if your child needed first aid, you would prefer to know that his friend was a first aider than his friend had a GCSE in geography, or a secure knowledge of the perfect tense in French or a clear understanding of Buddhism.

rosesarered9 · 26/10/2015 21:22

When I say "nobody" I mean "nobody nearby".

rosesarered9 · 26/10/2015 21:21

winterland and cressetmama - Last year a boy in Oslo drowned at a beach Flowers because out of all the people there, nobody had first aid training.

minimalistaspirati0ns · 21/10/2015 18:29

Only 10% of the children at my DS's school attend the youth group. So that would be 90% failing to do a first aid course

roamer2 · 21/10/2015 17:05

youth groups can't always afford a dummy to practice on whereas school probably can

minimalistaspirati0ns · 21/10/2015 16:41

Ummmm.... It's a life skill. It could save someone's life. It could save a friends life infact and means friends can look out for each other. Secondary aged children often don't have responsible adults hanging out with them! Of course by doing the course in school, most children will have the basics. And it will only be a basic quick course. It's not too brain draining!

megletthesecond · 21/10/2015 16:28

I can't think of anything more essential tbh. And first aid courses are always fun, my dc's (8 & 7) attended one in the summer hols.

madwomanbackintheattic · 21/10/2015 16:24

What a weird viewpoint, op. I can't even begin to work out why you think this would be a bad thing?
I imagine in the longer term it would also enable the next generation to better identify what constitutes an emergency, what doesn't, and reduce pressure on doctor's surgeries and a&e. Everyone should know basic first aid, for the sake of themselves, their families, their children, and passers by.

BertrandRussell · 21/10/2015 16:19

They do compulsory RE til year 11. In my ds's school that's 3 lessons a fortnight. Drop that and replace it with First Aid and more sex and relationship education and life skills.

NeedAScarfForMyGiraffe · 21/10/2015 16:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Brioche201 · 19/10/2015 19:50

What? I cannot think of a subject that is more important!

MrsWembley · 19/10/2015 19:17

I can remember doing a short course in primary school, back in the 70s. It's really not that new an idea.

And I've taught/been trained in schools where it's part of the PSHE curriculum. Again, not new!

It's not taking any time away from other subjects. Stop stressing and embrace the idea that you might have your life saved by a hooded yoof!

Sirzy · 19/10/2015 16:02

I think it should also be done in primary school.

cressetmama · 19/10/2015 15:57

Was going to mention Norway, but see a PP has beaten me to it. I agree that it should be taught from Y7 and refreshed or added to each year until DC leave school.

Witchend · 19/10/2015 12:20

We did it at school. It's not a new thing to do it.

But definitely it would be better if more people knew how to do basic first aid. I'm not that experienced in it, but I'm always being amazed how little basic stuff people actually know.

Chippednailvarnish · 19/10/2015 04:43

We did compulsory first aid every two years from 14 to 18 years old at school. I have no idea how anyone could disagree with it.

winterland · 19/10/2015 04:12

How could it ever be a bad thing. Imagine it was your child etc that needed saved? In Norway they teach as part if the curriculum and their survival rate of cardiac arrest is far higher than ours.