Compulsary First Aid - Waste of time?

[Patentzebra]

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

everychildalifesaver.org.uk/

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

The tories sank the bill .

Philip Davies talked it out

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.

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.

"The filibustering Philip Davies"

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.

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.