Whole school approach to asthma in schools

Use opportunities such as Science and Personal Social Health & Economic (PSHE) education to raise children's and young people's (CYP) awareness about asthma. Teachers should talk about the steps CYP can take to protect and support their own and others' health and wellbeing, including simple self-care techniques, prevention of health and wellbeing problems and basic first aid.

Primary school

By the end of primary school, students should know:

• Health education:
  • How and when to seek support including which adults to speak to in school if they are worried about their health
  • How to make a clear and efficient call to emergency services if necessary

High quality resources - Primary

• KS2 Emergencies & Calling For Help Lesson Plan {St John Ambulance)
• KS2 Asthma Lesson Plan (St John Ambulance)
• This video from Newham London - My Hero travel pack - provides easy to understand information about inhalers, spacers and peak flow measurements for CYP, staff and families. It also highlights the importance of storing asthma medication properly in a 'kitbag'.

Secondary school

By the end of secondary school, students should know:

• Science curriculum:
  • The impact of exercise, asthma and smoking on the human gas exchange system

High quality resources - Secondary

• KS3 Asthma Lesson Plan (St John Ambulance)
• KS4 - A film about asthma called 'Preventable', created by teenagers for teenagers
• This video from Newham London - My Hero travel pack - provides easy to understand information about inhalers, spacers and peak flow measurements for CYP, staff and families. It also highlights the importance of storing asthma medication properly in a 'kitbag'.

Air pollution

More than a quarter of all British schools and colleges are located in areas which have dangerously high levels of air pollution. See below resources for teachers including lesson plans:

• What is air pollution - Year 2
• What is air pollution - Years 3 & 4
• What is air pollution - Years 5 & 6
• Air Pollution - Teacher's Pack (eco-schools.org.uk)
• Tackling air pollution at school (TAPAS) have produced videos explaining how ventilation works and how maths and science can be used to help us understand ventilation and air quality
• A collection of action-focused teaching resources covering a broad range of clean air campaigns to help your CYP bring clean air to your school