Governments and local authorities across the UK have committed to teaching CPR training in secondary schools. But right now too many students are missing out on this lifesaving education.
Every year, more than 40,000 people in the UK experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest – and tragically less than one in ten survive. In countries where CPR is routinely taught in schools, survival rates are up to three times higher.
New research from Resuscitation Council UK reveals:
- nearly 4 in 10 students say they haven’t received CPR training in school
- 91% of parents believe governments should do more to support schools
- over 70% of students who did receive training said they'd feel confident acting in an emergency.
We’re calling on UK governments, local authorities, education providers, and inspectorates to:
- embed CPR training into existing school inspection frameworks
- provide clear guidance for schools and signpost free teaching resources
- identify where additional support is needed for teachers.
Teachers are under pressure — we get it. That’s why RCUK and our partners provide free, ready-to-go resources to help schools deliver life-saving training.
This isn’t about ticking boxes or adding red tape. It’s about delivering on current commitments and giving every student the best chance to save a life.
- How to do CPR
If you see someone has collapsed, their heart may have suddenly stopped beating, and their breathing may be abnormal or has stopped. You need to act fast so they can have the best chance of survival. Without quick action, the person will die.
To learn how to perform CPR, you can watch our short animation video, which is available in a range of languages on our website. We also have a step-by-step guide to doing CPR.
- Teacher training resources
Resuscitation Council UK is the kitemark organisation for resuscitation in the UK. We have created resources that will help teachers to deliver CPR education confidently to their students wherever they live in the UK at any time during the school year.
Skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) are skills for life - and educating and empowering young people is one of the most important actions when it comes to improving survival of out of hospital cardiac arrests.
A range of resources is available on our website - including lesson plans, an interactive game-in-a-film, personal stories, letter templates, and animated videos.
https://www.resus.org.uk/public-resource/cpr-schools
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