Welcome to the Suffolk Schools’ Safety, Health and Wellbeing pages.
On these pages you will find information for schools’ health and safety, and also, very importantly, on wellbeing. All the links in the menu go to a specific topic page and you will hopefully find relevant information for your needs. If you have any ideas or thoughts about these webpages, please contact:
Antonina (Nina) Bickerton – CYP and Suffolk (maintained) Schools’ Safety, Health and Wellbeing Advisor, Suffolk County Council: Email: [email protected].
Please see our Safety, Health and Wellbeing Privacy Notice.
Latest News
PRODUCT RECALL – TOYS AND CRAFT PACKAGES CONTAINING PLAY SAND (14 May 2026)
There has been contact this week from schools and CYP settings, concerning articles from the BBC and the NAHT regarding products containing suspected asbestos.
SHaW colleagues in the East of England have advised the articles’ approaches are very precautionary for what is still a low risk and goes beyond the scope of acting on specific product recalls. Currently (14 May 2026) there is no clear, published national guidance from DfE, UKHSA, or OPSS that explicitly says all play sand must be treated as potentially contaminated regardless of supplier. What has been published is a precautionary interpretation, not a directly attributable instruction.
Some specific products have been recalled (coloured craft sands, sand filled toys etc) and they span a number of suppliers / products. We believe it’s reasonable to act on confirmed product recalls and formal advice which are evidence based rather than apply blanket restrictions on all play sand.
Please read the attached article as a matter of priority, and contact Nina Bickerton, SHaW Advisor for Schools and CYP as required.
DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION – NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR ALLERGY AWARENESS IN SCHOOLS:
From September 2026 schools in England must provide allergy awareness training for all staff for the first time, under new statutory guidance announced by the Department for Education. CLEAPSS resources will help you manage allergies across your science and D&T departments. Links cannot be provided here, but if your school has CLEAPSS membership, search for the reference number or name of the document and you will be able to download it. A list of those documents can be found on the CLEAPSS and CoSHH page and also the Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions page.
MENINGITIS OUTBREAK IN KENT:
As I am sure you will be aware already, there has been a meningitis outbreak in Kent this week which has sadly resulted in two students passing away. The situation is being very closely monitored. Public Health Suffolk have reacted to the outbreak by updating a page on their website, which provides:
- information about meningitis
- symptoms to look out for
- vaccines that can help to protect against the disease
- details on where to find additional information
- links to toolkits for partners
As part of Public Health’s response, they have also shared a social media post which features a young girl who survived meningitis after coming into contact with the disease whilst at university. This is already live on their Facebook and Instagram pages, which they would appreciate you sharing as appropriate.
Additional appointments are being made available for vaccinations for anyone who is eligible and has missed their scheduled vaccinations. Parents are able to look in the ‘immunisation’ section in their child’s red book (Personal Child Health Record) to see which vaccinations they have received. If parents or carers are unsure, they can check records with their GP or email the vaccination clinic [email protected].
Further information regarding the action Public Health Suffolk has taken during this time can be found in this Public Health Suffolk document.
NEW GUIDANCE – LOCK DOWNS, INVACUTATION AND EVACUATION:
The SCC LA Maintained Schools’ ‘Critical Incident – policy and procedure guidance’ document has now been completed. Schools will be able to use this document to form their own procedures, processes and policy. The document is entirely sourced from Government, HSE, and National Counter-Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) guidance. The Martyn’s Law documents on the Critical Incident page will also help. Further advice can be sought from your SHaW Advisor.
HOBBYCRAFT PRODUCT RECALL – URGENT:
Hobbycraft’s product called ‘Giant Box of Craft’ has been recalled. Stop using the product IMMEDIATELY, please. The vials of sand within the craft box may be contaminated with asbestos – testing to date has revealed there is ‘Trace Asbestos Detected’ in some of the samples. Clear instructions on how to dispose of the vials are in the article, which has a customer services phone number if more details are needed.
NEW GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOLS PREMISES MANAGEMENT: Please go to the Premises Management page for two new documents which clearly explain the processes of ‘who does what and when’ with regards to the maintenance of school premises. Premises Responsible Persons (PRPs) at every school will find these clearly laid out documents very useful.
ADVICE FOR SCHOOLS ON COPING WITH SEVERE WEATHER – an updated process for schools who are reporting closures – please read the letter from Schools’ Infrastructure. There is more information on this topic on the page called ‘Weather – staying safe in the heat and the cold’ (see the menu at the right).
SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL’S PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH TEAM have published a newsletter regarding suicide prevention. Whilst this has been written for Christmas time, which can be a challenging period of the year for many, there are some excellent resources for use throughout the year. Within this newsletter is a range of FREE training resources designed to equip you with the confidence to recognise the signs that someone is struggling, and to have a conversation that really matters. PLEASE take some time to read it, and to share it with your colleagues. Thank you.
NEW RISK ASSESSMENT DOCUMENTS – NEW AND EXPECTANT MOTHERS: Please navigate to the ‘Risk Assessment’ page (see the menu – right) for a new guidance document and new blank template – November 2025.
PREMISES RESPONSIBLE PERSON TRAINING: All new Headteachers should book this training as soon as possible. It is free for LA Maintained Schools. Please go to the Vertas training web page for more details. If you have resident caretakers (i.e., employed directly by the school) it’s excellent training for them too alongside those Heads whose training was more than three years ago..
DRIVING FOR WORK: Important information for all schools regarding driving for work, specifically carrying pupils / students in personal staff cars for work purposes. Please read the updated guidance on the Minibus Safety and Driving for Work page. Any queries, contact [email protected]
