First Aid Training in Victorian Schools

First Aid Training in Victorian Schools: Understanding the Technical Requirements and Compliance Obligations

Why First Aid Compliance Is Critical in Victorian Schools

Victorian schools are legally and ethically responsible for maintaining a safe environment for students and staff. Under both the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic) and the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic), schools must take reasonable steps to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of those in their care.

Ensuring that appropriately trained staff are available to respond to medical emergencies — both on-site and during excursions, camps, and sporting events — forms a cornerstone of this duty of care.

The Department of Education’s First Aid for Students and Staff Guidance outlines the minimum requirements for staff training, available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/first-aid-students-and-staff/guidance/staff-first-aid-training

However, first aid obligations for schools extend beyond this one policy. Separate Departmental policies also exist for Anaphylaxis and Asthma, each of which defines specific training requirements that must be satisfied through nationally recognised or approved training.

Core First Aid Requirements for Victorian Schools

According to the Department of Education, all Victorian schools must ensure there are sufficient trained staff to provide first aid to students and staff members who are injured or become ill.
Staff responsible for administering first aid must hold:

• HLTAID011 – Provide First Aid, which includes HLTAID009 – Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• 22556VIC – Course in the Management of Asthma Risks and Emergencies in the Workplace
• 22578VIC – Course in First Aid Management of Anaphylaxis

This combination of training ensures compliance with the Department’s First Aid, Asthma, and Anaphylaxis policies, as well as meeting WorkSafe Victoria’s first aid in the workplace obligations.

APTS delivers these as an integrated, Department-compliant course set specifically for schools:
APTS Schools First Aid Skill Set

Anaphylaxis Training: Policy Requirements and Compliance Standards

The Department’s Anaphylaxis Policy outlines clear requirements for both the type and renewal frequency of training.
Full policy: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/node/868

Under this policy:

• All school staff must complete an Anaphylaxis Management Training program that meets the requirements of the Department and Ministerial Order 706.
• Schools must maintain an Anaphylaxis Supervisor — a trained staff member responsible for verifying staff competency and conducting regular briefings.
• Training must be refreshed regularly (typically every three years for accredited courses, and six-monthly briefings provided in between).

Approved training options include:

1. 22578VIC – Course in First Aid Management of Anaphylaxis, or
2. ASCIA e-training for Victorian Schools, verified by the school’s anaphylaxis supervisor as per Ministerial Order 706.

It is critical to note that a standard first aid certificate alone does not meet the anaphylaxis training requirements.
Only a nationally recognised anaphylaxis course (such as 22578VIC) or ASCIA-approved e-training verified at the school level satisfies Department compliance.

Asthma Training: Policy Requirements and Wellbeing Obligations

The Department’s Asthma Policy can be found here:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/asthma/policy

This policy requires that all schools provide an environment that supports students with asthma and ensures that trained staff are available to assist in the event of an asthma emergency.

Importantly, the policy specifies that:

• First aid officers who are responsible for student health and wellbeing must complete nationally recognised asthma management training.
• A general first aid qualification alone is not sufficient to meet the policy requirement.
• The training must enable staff to identify asthma symptoms, follow the school’s Asthma Action Plan, and use prescribed and reliever medication correctly.

The only nationally recognised course approved for this purpose is:
22556VIC – Course in the Management of Asthma Risks and Emergencies in the Workplace.

This course is required for all school first aid officers and strongly recommended for all staff who have direct responsibility for student wellbeing, including teachers, aides, and sports coordinators.

Maintaining Adequate Numbers of First Aid Trained Staff

The Department of Education and WorkSafe Victoria do not prescribe a specific ideal ratio of first aiders to staff or students, although it does specify an absolute minimum number of first aid trained staff to students. Instead, each school must conduct a First Aid Risk Assessment to determine appropriate coverage.

This risk assessment should consider:

• School size, enrolment, and physical layout
• Number of staff and students onsite at any one time
• Proximity to emergency medical services
• High-risk activities (e.g. laboratories, workshops, sports)
• Students with known medical conditions
• The frequency of excursions, camps, and off-site programs

WorkSafe Victoria guidance (First aid in the workplace – Compliance Code) reinforces that first aid coverage must extend to all work locations and all operational times. This means schools must also plan for:

• Excursions and camps, ensuring first aid-trained staff are always present with student groups
• Sports days and offsite events, where quick response capability is essential
• Staff absences, such as sick leave, professional development, or long service leave, without compromising on-site coverage

In practice, many schools now choose to maintain a broad base of trained staff — ensuring that if multiple activities occur simultaneously, adequate first aid coverage is always maintained.

The Growing Practice of Training All Staff

Increasingly, Victorian schools are choosing to train all staff in first aid, asthma, and anaphylaxis management, not just designated first aid officers.

This broader approach has multiple advantages:

• Provides continuity of care during staff absences or offsite programs
• Strengthens emergency response across all areas of the school
• Promotes a culture of health, safety, and student wellbeing
• Reduces the administrative burden of managing limited first aid coverage

From a risk management perspective, this whole-of-school model offers strong defensibility during audits, WorkSafe inspections, or critical incident reviews.

Managing Training Records and Compliance Through the Training Desk Client Portal

Under both the Department and WorkSafe frameworks, schools must maintain accurate and up-to-date records of staff training, including:

• Type of qualification
• Issue and expiry dates
• Evidence of competency (certificate or statement of attainment)
• Refresher schedules for CPR, anaphylaxis, and asthma courses

Schools partnering with Australian Pacific Training Solutions (APTS) have access to the Training Desk Client Portal — a centralised online platform that simplifies this entire process.

Through Training Desk, schools can:

• View and download staff certificates and statements of attainment
• Access real-time reports showing training status and upcoming expiries
• Generate compliance summaries for audits and school council meetings
• Schedule renewal reminders to maintain ongoing compliance
• Manage group bookings and attendance records for all staff

This automated system ensures that all evidence of staff competence is securely stored, easily accessible, and always current — a major advantage during Department audits or WorkSafe investigations.

Frequency of Training Renewal

Schools should maintain the following renewal schedule to remain compliant:

Maintaining these intervals ensures staff skills remain current and that the school continues to meet its legislative and policy obligations.

APTS: Supporting Victorian Schools with Compliant First Aid Solutions

Australian Pacific Training Solutions (APTS) delivers a complete, Department-compliant training solution for Victorian schools, combining:

• HLTAID011 – Provide First Aid (including HLTAID009 CPR)
• 22556VIC – Course in the Management of Asthma Risks and Emergencies in the Workplace
• 22578VIC – Course in First Aid Management of Anaphylaxis

Delivered onsite at your school or through public enrolments across Melbourne, Geelong, and regional Victoria, this course set ensures schools meet all Department of Education and WorkSafe Victoria first aid training standards.

Find out more or arrange group training here:
APTS Schools First Aid Skill Set

Final Thoughts

First aid readiness in Victorian schools is not optional — it is a regulated obligation under multiple Departmental and workplace safety frameworks.
By ensuring all first aid officers (and ideally all staff) are trained in First Aid, CPR, Asthma, and Anaphylaxis Management, schools can meet every compliance requirement and, more importantly, protect the wellbeing of every student and staff member.

Partnering with APTS ensures a streamlined, fully compliant training solution supported by Training Desk, a system purpose-built for education sector reporting, audit readiness, and peace of mind.