Dear Parents and Carers,


Keeping Our Children Safe: Allergy Awareness and Benedict's Law
You may have seen recent news coverage about Benedict's Law, new guidance being introduced to strengthen allergy safety in schools. The guidance follows the tragic death of five-year-old Benedict Blythe after an allergic reaction at school and aims to ensure that schools across the country have robust measures in place to protect children with allergies.  

At St Mary's, we are proud of our inclusive school community and are committed to ensuring that every child feels safe, supported and able to take part fully in school life. The new requirements place a greater emphasis on allergy awareness, staff training, emergency preparedness and reducing unnecessary risks for children with allergies. As part of our ongoing work in this area, we are making a small number of changes to further reduce the risk of accidental exposure to allergens.
 

What this means for our school
 

Emergency medication 

We hold a stock of spare Adrenaline Auto-Injectors (AAIs) on site (2 x adult and 2 x children) which are easily accessible from the main school office, providing an additional safeguard should a severe allergic reaction occur. 
 

Cake sales and food-based fundraising 

We know that cake sales have often been a popular way of raising money for school projects and charitable causes. However, in order to minimise risks associated with allergens in homemade or externally prepared foods, we will no longer hold cake sales as part of school fundraising events e.g. the Good Shepherd Appeal. We will be working with our PTFA and wider school community to explore alternative fundraising ideas that everyone can enjoy safely.
 

Junk modelling and donated packaging 

We will continue to encourage creativity through junk modelling and craft activities. However, when sending in recyclable materials from home, we kindly ask parents and carers to avoid packaging associated with common allergens, such as nut-containing products. For example, cereal boxes from products such as Crunchy Nut Cornflakes should not be donated. This simple measure will help us reduce unnecessary risks in the classroom.
 

Birthday celebrations 

Celebrating birthdays is always a special occasion for children. However, from this term, children should not bring sweets, cakes or other food treats into school to share with classmates. 

We appreciate that many families have enjoyed this tradition over the years, and some children may be disappointed by the change. However, as allergies become increasingly common, it is becoming more difficult to ensure that shared food is safe for everyone. 

Families who wish to mark their child's birthday are very welcome to donate a book to the class or school library instead as we have done over the last few years. We have an arrangement with the Chorley bookshop, Ebb and Flo. This creates a lasting gift that can be enjoyed by many children and is a lovely way to celebrate the occasion.
 

Packed lunches and school visits 

We would also like to remind families that nutty snacks, chocolate spreads and other nut-based sandwich fillings should not be included in packed lunches. This expectation also applies to packed lunches taken on educational visits and school trips.
 

Thank You 

We recognise that some of these changes may take a little getting used to and may not be everyone's first choice. However, we are sure you will agree that the safety of our children must always come first. For families living with severe allergies, these measures provide reassurance that school is a safe place for their child to learn, play and thrive. 

Thank you for your understanding, support and partnership as we continue to place the wellbeing of all children at the heart of everything we do.

Yours sincerely,

 

Patrick Smyth 
Headteacher