Learning lifesaving: Ark Oval teams with British Red Cross for first aid event

Students from Ark Oval Primary Academy in Croydon took part in a first aid event sponsored by the British Red Cross. The students are taking part in a pilot programme, taking first aid lessons which will become a compulsory part of the school curriculum next year. They were invited to show what they have learned in Victoria Tower Park, across from the Houses of Parliament. The event attracted national press attention, including mentions in the Metro, Daily Mail and a segment on the BBC’s The One Show.

Research by the British Red Cross shows that almost a quarter of children polled (23 per cent) have experienced a situation where someone needed first aid but the majority (62 per cent) said they would feel helpless to act if they witnessed an accident and someone was injured. Nine out of ten children agreed that knowing first aid skills would make them feel more confident to help in a first aid emergency.

Ark Oval Principal Toby Martlew said: “We’ve recently had an inspiring pupil who used their first aid knowledge to help an adult by providing first aid and calling the emergency services. This really highlights how important it is for even younger children to learn basic first skills such as the importance of getting help or calling 999.​​​​ We want to make sure our pupils have a well-rounded education that equips them for life outside of school as well as in it, and part of this is giving them the skills and confidence to act if they are faced with an emergency. This way we can help to build a generation of lifesavers.”