School children across England will learn lifesaving skills as part of the school curriculum after ten years of campaigning by the British Red Cross and partners.

New research reveals a fifth of children in the South West have experienced a situation where someone needed first aid but more than half said they would feel helpless to act if they witnessed an accident and someone was injured.

The research is being released by the British Red Cross ahead of World First Aid Day and to coincide with the launch of the pilot of first aid in schools.

A separate study by the British Red Cross found that up to 59 per cent of deaths from injuries could be prevented if first aid had been given before the medical services arrived. The actions of the first person at the scene are vital – and can mean the difference between life and death.

The curriculum changes come under the introduction of Relationships, Sex and Health Education and mean that from September 2020 all pupils in state-funded schools in England will learn first aid.

Primary school children will be taught basic first aid for example, how to call emergency services or how to help someone with a head injury. Secondary school children will learn lifesaving skills such as how to help someone who is having a cardiac arrest.

Around 1,600 schools have signed up to start teaching Relationships, Sex and Health Education early from this September, according to the Department for Education.

Free British Red Cross first aid education resources are available to support teachers to start teaching first aid.