For peripatetic music tuition delivered in partner schools

 

Version:1.0 Effective date: 1 September 2026

Review date: 1 September 2027, or earlier following a serious incident, near miss or material change

 

Policy owner: Managing Director Applies to: All employees, tutors, agency workers, contractors and volunteers undertaking pupil-facing work.

 

IMPORTANT

 

This is The Rock & Pop Foundation’s provider policy. It supports, but does not replace, each host school’s own allergy safety policy, Individual Healthcare Plans, Allergy Action Plans, emergency procedures or statutory responsibilities.

 

1. PURPOSE AND POLICY STATUS

 

The Rock & Pop Foundation is committed to providing music tuition in which pupils with allergies can participate safely, confidently and without avoidable exclusion. This policy explains how the Foundation: trains and supports its pupil-facing workforce; works with partner schools to reduce allergen exposure; recognises allergic reactions and anaphylaxis; responds to emergencies; and records and learns from incidents and near misses. From 1 September 2026, section 100A of the Children and Families Act 2014, inserted by section 34 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, requires relevant schools in England to have, publish and keep under review an allergy safety policy. The Department for Education’s July 2026 statutory guidance expressly includes peripatetic staff within whole-school allergy-awareness training arrangements. The host school remains the statutory duty-holder for its pupils, premises, records, medication and school-wide emergency arrangements. The Foundation remains responsible for its own staff, training, conduct, risk controls and prompt escalation of concerns. Both parties must cooperate so that no gap arises between the school’s arrangements and the tutor’s working practice.

 

2. CORE COMMITMENTS

 

The Rock & Pop Foundation will ensure that: all pupil-facing Foundation staff receive allergy-awareness and anaphylaxis emergency-response training at least annually; no recognised or suspected anaphylaxis emergency is delayed while responsibility is debated or while a parent is contacted; tutors follow the pupil’s current Individual Healthcare Plan, Allergy Action Plan and the host school’s emergency procedure; reasonable adjustments are made so pupils with allergies can participate safely in lessons and activities; health information is limited to what is necessary for safety and shared only with people who need it for their role; and serious incidents and near misses are recorded, reported and reviewed.

 

3. SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

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This policy applies whenever Foundation personnel teach, supervise, assess, rehearse or otherwise work directly with pupils on a school site or during a school-arranged Foundation activity. It covers pupils with known allergies and pupils experiencing a first allergic reaction.

 

3.1  THE ROCK & POP FOUNDATION WILL -

 

Maintain a current record of required training; make evidence of training completion available to partner schools on request; brief tutors on this policy; require tutors to complete any site-specific induction provided by the school; allocate unsupervised pupil-facing work only to tutors who have completed the required training; provide a clear route for reporting missing information, unsafe arrangements, incidents and near misses; support tutors following an emergency; review whether policies, training or working arrangements need to change; and cooperate with the school’s allergy safety lead, safeguarding lead, first-aid team and relevant healthcare professionals where appropriate.

 

3.2 PARTNER SCHOOLS ARE ASKED TO

 

Before Foundation tuition begins, the school should: provide the tutor with its current allergy safety policy and site emergency procedure; identify the school’s allergy safety lead and the person to contact during each tuition session; identify, on a need-to-know basis, any pupil attending Foundation tuition who has a known allergy; provide essential information about the pupil’s triggers, symptoms, Individual Healthcare Plan, Allergy Action Plan and required adjustments; show the tutor where the pupil’s prescribed adrenaline devices and the school’s spare devices are kept; explain how the devices are accessed and which types of device may be encountered; ensure emergency medication remains rapidly accessible during music tuition, including where the teaching room is remote from the school office; explain how to raise the alarm, call 999 and summon the school’s first-aid or medical support; provide the school’s full address and ambulance access point; confirm who will meet the ambulance and contact the pupil’s parents or carers; and notify the Foundation promptly about any change to a pupil’s plan, medication, diagnosis, risk or school arrangements.

 

3.3 FOUNDATION TUTORS MUST -

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Read and follow this policy, the school’s allergy safety policy and relevant pupil-specific plans ;know how to summon help and where emergency medication is located before teaching a pupil known to be at risk of anaphylaxis; raise concerns immediately if information or emergency arrangements are unclear; take reasonable steps to minimise exposure to known allergens; recognise possible allergic reactions and act without delay; and complete the Foundation’s incident or near-miss report as soon as practicable following an event. Where the Foundation knows that a pupil is at risk of anaphylaxis, unsupervised tuition must not proceed until the tutor has received the essential pupil-specific information and knows how to obtain immediate help and medication.

 

4. TRAINING AND COMPETENCE

 

Every pupil-facing tutor and relevant manager must complete recognised Allergy & Anaphylaxis Training for Schools before undertaking unsupervised pupil-facing work and at least annually thereafter .

 

The Foundation will retain training records and certificates.

 

Training will cover: the nature of allergies and how allergic reactions can occur; distinction between food allergy, food intolerance and coeliac disease; common allergens and how exposure may occur, including during musical activities; mild to moderate allergic reactions; the Airway, Breathing and Circulation signs of anaphylaxis; how to follow an Individual Healthcare Plan, Allergy Action Plan or Asthma Action Plan; how to call 999 and monitor and position a casualty safely; how to use the adrenaline devices likely to be encountered in schools; the importance of giving adrenaline immediately where anaphylaxis is suspected ;incident and near-miss reporting ;information sharing and pupil wellbeing; and the tutor’s responsibility to understand each host school’s site-specific procedure.

 

Training will also be refreshed following: a serious incident or significant near miss; a material change in legislation or national guidance;  identified concern about a tutor’s knowledge or competence. Online training does not replace site-specific induction, practical familiarisation with the devices used by the school, or any separate clinical competency arrangements required for an individual pupil.

 

5. MINIMISING RISK DURING MUSIC TUITION

 

The following controls will apply:

 

Food will not normally be eaten, distributed or used as a reward during Foundation lessons.

 

Any exception must be approved by the school and checked against pupil-specific allergy information.

 

Tutors will not describe a teaching space as “allergen-free”, because this may create a false sense of security. Risk controls will be based on each pupil’s documented allergens and the school’s assessment. Tutors will follow the school’s requirements for handwashing, room cleaning, waste disposal and the use of shared equipment. Instruments, microphones, keyboards, drumsticks and other shared items will be kept reasonably clean and must not be contaminated with food. Lesson resources, cleaning products, craft materials, rosin, latex-containing items, animal products and other contact or airborne triggers will be substituted or controlled where a known risk has been identified.

 

Pupils must not share food, medication or personally prescribed adrenaline devices. A school’s designated spare device may be used only in accordance with the school’s emergency arrangements and applicable law. Pupils will not be singled out, embarrassed or excluded by default. The tutor and school will identify safe adjustments or alternative activities wherever reasonably practicable.

 

6. RECOGNISING AN ALLERGIC REACTION

 

6.1 MILD TO MODERATE ALLERGIC REACTION

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Possible signs include: swollen lips, face or eyes; an itchy or tingling mouth; mild throat tightness; hives or an itchy rash; abdominal pain or vomiting; or a sudden change in behaviour. A mild reaction can worsen and develop into anaphylaxis. The tutor must: not leave the pupil alone; not send the pupil to the school office unaccompanied; summon the school’s designated first-aid or medical support; follow the pupil’s plan; not independently select or administer antihistamine unless this is expressly authorised by the pupil’s plan and school arrangements; and ensure the pupil is handed over for the required observation and parent notification. The Department for Education’s statutory guidance recommends observation for at least 60 minutes because a mild reaction can progress.

 

6.2 ANAPHYLAXIS—ABC SIGNS

 

Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction requiring immediate action.

A—AIRWAY swelling of the throat, tongue or upper airway; throat tightness; hoarse voice; or difficulty swallowing.

B—BREATHING sudden wheezing; difficulty breathing; persistent coughing; or noisy breathing.

C—CIRCULATION dizziness or faintness; sudden sleepiness or extreme tiredness; confusion; pale or clammy skin; or loss of consciousness.

 

Anaphylaxis can occur without a rash. If any ABC signs are present—or if there is doubt whether the reaction is anaphylaxis—treat with adrenaline and call 999.An asthma reliever inhaler must never be used instead of adrenaline to treat anaphylaxis.

 

7. EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO SUSPECTED ANAPHYLAXIS

 

Stay with the pupil. Send another responsible person to raise the school alarm and bring the pupil’s prescribed adrenaline devices and the school’s emergency kit. Help and medication must come to the pupil. Do not make the pupil walk to the school office. Follow the current Allergy Action Plan. Give adrenaline immediately where anaphylaxis is suspected—as soon as possible and within five minutes. Use the pupil’s prescribed device first if it is available. If the prescribed device is unavailable, fails or cannot be reached without delay, use the correct school spare device in accordance with the school’s procedure. In a life-threatening emergency, take reasonable action to save life. Do not delay while checking prior consent. Call 999 immediately after giving adrenaline, or direct another person to call. Say “anaphylaxis”, provide the school’s full address and access point, and follow the call handler’s instructions. Position the pupil safely. Lie them flat and raise their legs. If breathing is difficult, allow them to sit up gently. Do not let the pupil stand or walk and do not change their position suddenly. If the pupil is unconscious but breathing, place them in the recovery position. Begin CPR if they are not breathing normally. Record the time the adrenaline was given. If there is no improvement after five minutes, give a second dose using a second device and inform the 999 operator. Stay with and continuously observe the pupil. Keep them warm and reassured. Do not allow the pupil to stand, walk, eat or drink, even if they appear to improve. Arrange for a school representative to meet the ambulance and for the school to contact the pupil’s parent or carer. Parent contact must not delay adrenaline or the 999 call. The pupil must be assessed in hospital following anaphylaxis. Give used devices and all relevant information, including administration times, to the ambulance staff.

 

8. MEDICINES AND ADRENALINE DEVICES

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The school is responsible for obtaining, storing, checking, replacing and providing rapid access to school-held prescribed and spare medicines. Foundation tutors do not normally hold, transport or administer routine medicines. Any planned support beyond an emergency response must be expressly agreed, documented and supported by the required training and competency arrangements. Pupils prescribed adrenaline should have rapid access to their own devices. The July 2026 statutory guidance states that adrenaline should be capable of being brought to the pupil and administered within five minutes. School spare devices should be stored in pairs. A personally prescribed device belonging to another pupil must not be used. The affected pupil’s own prescribed device or the school’s designated spare device should be used. Used auto-injectors contain a needle and must be handled and disposed of under the school’s and manufacturer’s procedures. Used devices must not be dismantled or recapped.

 

9. RECORDING, REPORTING AND LEARNING

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The tutor must notify the school’s designated lead and the Foundation as soon as practicable following: an allergic reaction; the administration of adrenaline; a serious allergy-related incident; or a near miss. The school should make the required entry in its accident or incident records and notify parents and any relevant healthcare professional. The Foundation will retain its own factual record. The record should include: who was affected; the date, time and location; what was observed; what may have triggered the event; the plan or procedure followed; medication given, including the device, dose and time; the pupil’s response; when 999, the school team and parents were contacted; the outcome; any immediate safeguarding or wellbeing support; and lessons, corrective actions, responsible persons and completion dates. Reviews will be conducted in a no-blame, learning-focused manner while still addressing any serious or wilful failure to follow required procedures. A serious incident or significant near miss will prompt consideration of whether this policy, a tutor’s training, the school’s handover or the pupil’s arrangements need to be revised.

 

10. INFORMATION SHARING AND CONFIDENTIALITY

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Information about a pupil’s health is special category personal data. The Foundation will: process only the minimum information reasonably required for safe tuition; restrict access to personnel who need the information; store the information securely; and handle it in accordance with the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Foundation’s privacy arrangements. Safety-critical information must remain available to tutors and emergency responders when needed. Information will be shared discreetly and respectfully, taking account of the pupil’s age, understanding, dignity and views.

 

11. INCLUSION, EQUALITY AND WELLBEING

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Pupils with allergies will be treated with dignity and encouraged to participate fully in music education. The Foundation will work with the school and family to make reasonable adjustments where an allergy has a substantial and long-term adverse effect amounting to a disability under the Equality Act 2010.Tutors will challenge teasing, stigma, bullying, pressure to touch or eat an allergen, and any attempt to hide or misuse a pupil’s medication. Any such concern will be reported under the school’s safeguarding and behaviour procedures. Pupils will be listened to and their knowledge of their symptoms, triggers and devices will not be dismissed. Adult emergency arrangements will remain in place even where a pupil is becoming increasingly able to manage their own allergy.

 

12. MONITORING AND REVIEW

 

The Managing Director is responsible for implementing this policy, maintaining the training requirement and reviewing incident themes. This policy will be reviewed: at least annually; following a serious incident or significant near miss; following a material change in legislation or guidance; or where there is evidence that existing arrangements are not effective. The Foundation will periodically check that tutors can explain: the ABC signs of anaphylaxis; the required immediate response; the location and escalation arrangements for their schools; and the Foundation’s reporting procedure.

 

13. LEGAL AND GUIDANCE FRAMEWORK

 

BINDING LEGISLATION

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The following legislation creates relevant duties or permissions.

 

The school’s specific statutory allergy-policy duty rests with the school’s governing body, proprietor or management committee. This provider policy supports compliance but does not replace the school’s policy. Children and Families Act 2014, sections 100 and 100A:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/6/section/100AChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, section 34:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/21/section/34Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 (Commencement No. 2) (England) Regulations 2026, SI 2026/933, regulation 2:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/933/madeHuman Medicines Regulations 2012, regulation 238 and Schedule 17:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1916/contentsHealth and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, sections 2 and 3:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/37/contentsEquality Act 2010, including sections 6, 20 and 85:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contentsData Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR Article 9:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/12/contents

 

 STATUTORY GUIDANCE Department for Education—Allergy safety in schools, published 6 July 2026:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/allergy-safety-in-schoolsDepartment for Education—Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3

OFFICIAL SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE

 

MHRA—Adrenaline auto-injectors: guidance and resources for safe use:https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/adrenaline-auto-injectors-aais-new-guidance-and-resources-for-safe-use

 

MHRA—Clarification of adrenaline auto-injector guidance for schools and regulation 238:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clarification-of-adrenaline-autoinjector-guidance-for-schoolsDepartment of Health and Social Care—Using emergency adrenaline auto-injectors in schools:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/using-emergency-adrenaline-auto-injectors-in-schools

 

Sources checked: 1 September 2026.This policy applies to Foundation provision in England. Partner schools elsewhere in the United Kingdom should provide the Foundation with their jurisdiction-specific requirements.