What you should do if a pupil has an accident

If a pupil is involved in an accident and you are in charge at the time, you should report the incident immediately to your employer.

Depending on the seriousness of the accident you may also want to log it with ATL, if you are a member. A detailed account should include:

• the date, time and place of the accident
• the name of the person in charge of the group
• the name and age of the injured pupil/student
• whether the accident occurred during a school/college session
• the name of the pupil's/student's form or class
• the nature and sight of the injury
• who else was involved (if anyone)
• witness(es) to the accident
• whether first aid and subsequent medical care were given and, if so, by whom
• any other details which may be relevant.
• You should not make a written report on an accident to any other person(s) without having first submitted a draft to ATL

If pressed for the report, ATL members should say that they are seeking legal advice from their union.

It should contain no theories as to what may have been the cause of the accident, and in particular should contain no admission of negligence on the part of the member or of any other party. Any copy of an entry in an accident book or on any special form used for the purpose should be sent to ATL as soon as possible.

Help and support

For further advice on this issue, ATL members can speak to their school rep, their branch secretary or their regional official. They can also call the London (020 7930 6441), Cardiff (029 2046 5000), Belfast (028 9078 2020) or Edinburgh (0131 272 2748) offices or email info@atl.org.uk

For out of hours enquiries, call the out of office hours helpline on 020 7782 1612 (Monday-Friday, 5-8pm during term time).

If you are not a member, join now.

Further information

• Can teachers be held personally liable for accidents involving pupils?
• General school activities
• How do I know if an accident should be reported?