A Sample of New Additions to the Handsam Library

New and Updated Quick Guides and Policies

Handsam would like to make you aware of the new or updated Quick Guides you can now access through our Quick Guide Library. We respond to the needs of our customers, through safety issues we encounter on audits or direct requests for content on particular subjects when expanding our resources. This allows us to continue to grow our library around the direct compliance needs of our clients.

PLEASE NOTE THAT POLICIES ARE NOT A PART OF THE "QUICK GUIDES" PACKAGE AND UNLESS THEY ARE COVERED IN YOUR SUBSCRIPTION, THEY MUST BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY.

For more information, contact us on 03332 070737 or email info@handsam.co.uk to find out more.

NEW: POL-AM03 Example Allergy Policy Covering Benedict’s Law and Natasha’s Law

Benedict’s Law is a landmark piece of UK legislation making comprehensive allergy safety a mandatory, statutory requirement for all schools in England. Named after five-year-old Benedict Blythe, who tragically died from a school-based allergic reaction, the law transitions allergy management from optional guidance to a strict legal obligation.

To fully comply with this mandate, schools should enforce rigorous safeguards. The school maintains a published, annually reviewed allergy policy and provides comprehensive anaphylaxis training to all staff, volunteers, and contractors. Spare emergency adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) are stocked on-site, and formal Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs) are documented for every child with a diagnosed allergy. Furthermore, external caterers must comply directly with the school's protocols, utilizing kitchen "zoning" and real-time IHP access to prevent cross-contact.

This process-driven safety framework operates alongside Natasha’s Law, which legally mandates full ingredient labelling and clear allergen highlighting on all food pre-packaged for direct sale on the school premises. Together, these laws establish a robust, dual-layered defence combining strict physical allergen labelling with structured emergency preparation to eliminate preventable gaps in student safety

Find out more about our Quick Guides and Policies

The Handsam Quick Guides Library contains over 900 documents with all the relevant information, exemplars, checklists and guidance notes you need to ensure you're up to date, including all the DfE, HSE and other formal resources all in one place. It's unique!

Handsam also offers various different policies packages, including providing you with easy-to-use templates for you to tailor yourselves, reviewing your existing policies, or working with you to deliver fully bespoke policies for your school, college or MAT.

If you're not a Handsam client, or you don't buy our Quick Guides or one of our Policies packages, please contact us to discuss how we can help to keep your organisation compliant.

NEW: RAS111 Risk Assessment Template: Trips to Beaches and Coastal Areas

This document outlines the risk management strategy for a school visit to a beach or coastal area on. The primary objective is to facilitate a safe, engaging, and educational outdoor learning experience while minimising the inherent risks associated with coastal environments. This assessment covers all planned activities, including beach exploration, coastal geography studies, and supervised paddling.

Pupils and staff who are unwell and displaying symptoms of an infectious disease, or who have received a positive diagnostic result, should remain away from the education or childcare setting for the minimum period recommended. If a parent or carer insists on a child with symptoms attending the setting, where there is a confirmed or suspected infectious illness, the setting will, as part of its reasonable adjustment and infection prevention responsibilities, refuse admission until the stated isolation period has ended, in order to protect the health of other pupils and staff.

NEW: RAS112 Risk Assessment Template, Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases