London Lifesavers
Schools Programme
London Ambulance Service is aiming to train thousands of schoolchildren how to save a life as part of an ambitious campaign to create a generation of lifesavers.
We want to improve cardiac arrest survival rates by equipping Londoners with the skills, knowledge and confidence to act in the vital few minutes before an ambulance arrives.
About the Schools Programme (for Year 8 pupils)
Our London Lifesavers Schools Programme aims to teach students the simple steps to follow when someone is in cardiac arrest and give them the confidence to act quickly to help save lives.
To help us achieve this, we are providing free CPR and defibrillator training to all Year 8 children across the capital. Educating and empowering these students to recognise cardiac arrests and know what to do will help save lives.
Our training
Our clinician-led training package is designed to fit your school day.
- Maximum 60 students per session
- Student-to-trainer ratio 6:1
- Session length approximately 35 minutes
What teachers are saying
“In just one short session, our students learned the skills needed to save a life. The trainers from London Ambulance Service were excellent and have created a fun, engaging and informative lesson which had our children captivated from start to finish. It’s very much a “hands on” experience which means our Year 8s got lots of practice in giving chest compressions and using a defibrillator. I’m very proud our school is part of the London Lifesavers programme, which aims to create a new generation of lifesavers.”
Bernie Boyle, Headteacher, Bishop Thomas Grant School, Streatham
How we prioritise the enrolment of schools
Using cardiac arrest and demographic data, we have identified the London boroughs where this training is likely to have the greatest impact.
To help us deliver the programme across the capital, schools are invited to enrol in phases. Schools in each wave will receive an email invitation from London Ambulance Service with information about training dates and how to enrol
There are limited spaces so please enrol early to avoid disappointment.
2025-2027 roll out plan:
Wave 1 – this wave is now complete
Wave 2 – currently training – no available spaces
Wave 3 – invitations sent out in January 2026, training delivered between May and July 2026 (approx. 20 spaces): Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Islington, Westminster
Wave 4 – invitations sent out in May 2026, training delivered between September and December 2026 (approx. 20 spaces): Barnet, Bexley, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Fulham, Merton, Sutton
Wave 5 – invitations sent out in October 2026, training delivered between January and April 2027 (approx. 20 spaces): Bromley, Camden, City of London, Richmond upon Thames, Kingston upon Thames, Wandsworth
Course content
- What is a cardiac arrest?
- Chain of survival
- How to recognise someone in cardiac arrest
- How to treat someone in cardiac arrest
- How to use a defibrillator
Example day
- Session 1: 09:15 – 09:50
- Session 2: 10:00 – 10:35
- BREAK: 10:35 – 10:55
- Session 3: 11:00 – 11:35
- Session 4: 11:45 – 12:25
- LUNCH: 12:35 – 13:20
- Session 5: 13:30 – 14:05
School staff can join in too!
Get in touch
Get in touch with our team if you have any questions about the London Lifesavers Schools Programme and how your school can get involved.
Samantha Palfreyman-Jones, Head of First Responders at LAS, says:
“We know that by teaching life-saving skills in schools and giving children the confidence to use a defibrillator, more lives will be saved in those crucial minutes before an ambulance arrives.
Our partnership with schools is game changing because it will not only help us train hundreds of people every day, but also engage with new communities.
Most cardiac arrests happen in the home, so we are telling children that by learning these simple skills, they could save someone they love”
