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Charity partner launches CPR in Schools campaign
11th April, 2025
The NCEL's charity partner Resuscitation Council UK is launching a UK-wide campaign calling on governments, education inspectorates and local councils to ensure every student leaves school with the skills and confidence to save a life.
While commitments have been made to teach CPR in secondary schools across the UK, there is currently no formal monitoring system in place.
This is leading to significant inconsistencies in delivery with new data suggesting nearly four in ten students are missing out on CPR training.
The campaign will call for better collaboration across government and public bodies to understand current delivery, identify gaps, and ensure that schools and teachers are supported to equip every young person with this lifesaving skill.
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 four in ten 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.
RCUK are 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.
RCUK understands that teachers are under pressure so that is why they and their partners provide free, ready-to-go resources to help schools deliver life-saving training.
This is not about ticking boxes or adding red tape. It is about delivering on current commitments and giving every student the best chance to save a life.
Please support the campaign and help ensure that every student can become a lifesaver by clicking here to go to the RCUK website.
While commitments have been made to teach CPR in secondary schools across the UK, there is currently no formal monitoring system in place.
This is leading to significant inconsistencies in delivery with new data suggesting nearly four in ten students are missing out on CPR training.
The campaign will call for better collaboration across government and public bodies to understand current delivery, identify gaps, and ensure that schools and teachers are supported to equip every young person with this lifesaving skill.
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 four in ten 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.
RCUK are 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.
RCUK understands that teachers are under pressure so that is why they and their partners provide free, ready-to-go resources to help schools deliver life-saving training.
This is not about ticking boxes or adding red tape. It is about delivering on current commitments and giving every student the best chance to save a life.
Please support the campaign and help ensure that every student can become a lifesaver by clicking here to go to the RCUK website.
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