EYFS Paediatric First Aid Requirements: What Nurseries Must Have in Place

Under the EYFS, at least one person with a current, full paediatric first aid (PFA) certificate must be on the premises and available whenever children are present, and must go on every outing. A member of staff with a full PFA certificate should be in the room whenever children are eating. Staff with a level 2 or 3 early years qualification gained since 30 June 2016 must get a PFA qualification within three months of starting work to count in your ratios. A full course lasts at least 12 hours, its emergency elements must be taught face-to-face, and training must be renewed every three years. Ofsted discusses your paediatric first aid arrangements at the start of every inspection.

These rules come from the EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers that applies from September 2026. Paragraph numbers below refer to that framework.

The rules at a glance

Requirement	EYFS	What it means in practice
At least one full PFA holder on the premises whenever children are present	3.37	Cover every opening hour, including early and late shifts, allowing for breaks, holidays and sickness
A full PFA holder goes on every outing	3.37	If an outing leaves, someone else with PFA must still be on site
Renew PFA training every three years	3.37	Track expiry dates and book requalification in good time
Think about numbers, staff and layout so a first aider can respond quickly	3.38	Split sites, several floors or separate baby rooms usually need more than one
New level 2 and 3 staff need PFA within three months to count in ratios	3.39	Build PFA into induction, or new starters cannot count towards your ratios
Display certificates, or a list of certificate holders, or make them available to parents	3.40	Keep an up-to-date list on the parents' noticeboard or in your welcome pack
A full PFA holder in the room whenever children are eating	3.64	Every room where children eat needs one, at every meal and snack
A full course lasts at least 12 hours, with emergency elements face-to-face	Annex A	A short online-only course does not meet the standard
Consider annual refresher training within the three years	Annex A	A short yearly refresher keeps CPR and choking skills sharp

Full or emergency paediatric first aid?

Annex A of the framework describes two courses. Emergency PFA lasts at least 6 hours and covers the life-saving essentials, such as an unresponsive baby or child, CPR, choking, seizures, bleeding and shock. Full PFA lasts at least 12 hours and adds the wider range of injuries and illnesses, including anaphylaxis, burns and scalds, fractures, head injuries, poisoning, meningitis and febrile convulsions.

The rules for the person on the premises (3.37) and the person in the room at mealtimes (3.64) both specify a full course. The three-month rule for new staff (3.39) refers to "a PFA qualification", so check the current wording against your own ratio planning. Most settings choose full PFA for all room staff, because it is the certificate every other rule asks for.

Planning cover across your rota

The legal minimum is one person, but one person is rarely enough to meet all of the rules at once. Before deciding how many people to train, work through your day:

• Opening hours and shifts. Is a full PFA holder in the building from the first drop-off to the last pick-up?
• Mealtimes. How many rooms eat at the same time? Each needs its own full PFA holder, including at snack times.
• Outings. When a first aider leaves with an outing, who is still on site?
• Layout. Could a first aider reach every room, the garden and the baby room quickly (3.38)?
• Absence. Who covers holidays, training days and sickness?

Counting these up usually shows why settings train most or all of their practitioners, and why it pays to train a group together rather than one person at a time.

What Ofsted will look at

Ofsted's operating guide for early years inspections from September 2026 says inspectors' initial activities must include discussing your arrangements for recruitment and paediatric first aid. Be ready to show:

• A list of who holds full PFA, with expiry dates
• How you guarantee cover at all times, on outings and at mealtimes
• How new level 2 and 3 staff gain PFA within three months
• Where certificates are displayed or shared with parents (3.40)

Childminders

The childminder version of the framework sets the same standard for the course and adds a registration rule: childminders must have a PFA certificate to register and must keep holding one for as long as they are registered (3.42).

Choosing a course

The framework leaves the choice of training provider to you, but the course must meet Annex A. Look for:

• A full course of at least 12 hours, excluding breaks
• Emergency elements taught face-to-face, with practical work on baby and child manikins
• An Ofqual-regulated qualification, such as the Qualsafe Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid (RQF)
• A certificate valid for three years

Paediatric first aid at your setting

We deliver the full 12-hour Paediatric First Aid course over two days at your nursery, school or setting anywhere in London, for up to 12 staff. It costs £995 per session, with no VAT to add and nothing to pay to book. It is the Qualsafe Level 3 Award, Ofqual-regulated and delivered face-to-face. See how we work with nurseries and early years settings.

This article summarises the EYFS statutory framework and Ofsted's inspection guidance as published on GOV.UK. It is general guidance, not legal advice: always check the current framework for your type of setting. Request a free quote and we will confirm within 24 hours.