Primary School epilepsy awareness project

March 2006

An epilepsy awareness pilot scheme aimed at primary school staff is being launched by Epilepsy Action this month.

The scheme plans to deliver short training sessions for free to primary schools in 3 Local Education Authorities (LEAs) across the West Midlands. The training will provide all staff with guidance on seizure first aid; key epilepsy facts; managing learning in children with epilepsy and preventing stigma. Last year, Epilepsy Action targeted 10 different areas and received some excellent feedback:

'This exceeded my expectations: it clarified for me the facts from the fiction, and it reassured me as a teacher that it’s (epilepsy) okay and manageable when we encounter seizures.'

Lee Manor School, London.

'The session was tailored beautifully to suit our needs!'

Regina Coeli School, London.

'A very interesting video! Didn’t know that there were so many different types of epilepsy about, and how to deal with a child having a seizure – thank you'

Eccleshall Primary School, Sheffield.

The 3 LEAs taking part in the pilot scheme are:

• Birmingham.
• Wolverhampton.
• Warwickshire.

Epilepsy Action will be targeting schools in these areas with flyers promoting the vital need for staff to learn about epilepsy. Schools which request training will be contacted by one of Epilepsy Action’s accredited volunteers to arrange a suitable time to run a session, which can last between 30-45 minutes depending on the school’s requirements.

Parents of primary school children with epilepsy in the above LEAs are urged to ensure their child’s school has received one of Epilepsy Action’s flyers and has requested a training session at the earliest possibility.

• Download or print a flyer

For more information about the scheme, or to request a training session, contact Richard Edgar, volunteer co-ordinator, on 0113 210 8800 or e-mail redgar@epilepsy.org.uk.