Management of Allergens

Allergies can present a serious problem for some people. It is important that we know what allergies pupils have, so we can help them understand the labelling in the Dining Hall and how to make appropriate choices.

We ask parents to complete a Food Allergy Form if their child has a food allergy or food intolerance and once we get this information, we share it with our catering partner Sodexo Ltd, so they can make sure they gets meals that are safe for them.  

Further details about our Food Allergy Management Processes,  and some frequently asked questions about managing allergies in Food Preparation and Nutrition lessons can be found below as well as on the Policies Portal.

All students with food allergies or any kind of allergy are flagged on iSAMS - pupils with severe allergies are highlighted in red and any medical report produced will display these student's details first.

All pupils with a severe food allergy which requires medical treatment such as an auto injector - are issued with an Individual Health Care Plan which is written by First Aid in conjunction with the parents and where applicable the Health Care professionals. This IHCP will also accompany any student on a school trip and a hard copy will be kept to send out on trips with the students spare emergency medication.

All pupils who have been diagnosed with Anaphylaxis carry antihistamines and/or an auto-injector.  Antihistamine medication/autoinjectors are also stored in the First Aid Room.  The First Aid team keep records of all auto-injectors held in School and ensure all medication is kept up to date; advising parents when they are going out of date. Parents are also offered the choice to give consent for the use of the school generic auto injector in an emergency.

• Please refer to the Administering Medication Protocols 

Trip risk assessments should be completed to ensure that pupils with special dietary needs continue to be managed on trips.  Staff leading trips will be advised by the First Aid team of any pupils who have food or other allergies. 

Sodexo checks their Allergen Information Folder to ensure they have the information for every recipe before it is prepared.  Chefs follow an Allergen Contamination Process to ensure food does not come into contact with unintended items during preparation or during serving and if a food or drink have no ingredients list or the exact ingredients are not known, then they will not be used to prepare a meal for high risk pupils.

The Sodexo Catering Services supports pupils with special dietary needs by providing an introductory tour of the Dining Hall, and escorting high risk pupils through the menu choices to build trust and confidence in their choices.  Dishes and allergens are displayed on presentation screens for pupils to make educated choices.  

• Please also see the "Catering Services - Questions About Managing Allergies".

Cheadle Hulme School is a member of The Anaphylaxis Campaign which allows staff to keep updated and also access resources to use in school.  First Aid staff undergo training sessions at Manchester Royal Children’s hospital to update themselves with regard to allergies and anaphylaxis.  Staff receive annual training on how to identify a reaction and what action to take and students have a session on First Aid which covers anaphylaxis and how auto-injectors work.  Groups of students are offered auto injector training if deemed necessary for trips or activities.

Staff are also offered training on administering an adrenaline auto-injector and can refer to the "Protocol for aiding those with Anaphylaxis" but can contact First Aid directly for more one-to-one training or support.

Sodexo Catering Staff receive training and annual refreshers which incorporates their Allergen Management Policy and providing information on 14 allergens and handling allergens in the kitchen.  More information and frequently asked questions about how Catering Services manage allergies is available on the School website.