Sun Safety Education and Safeguarding in Schools - Government Guidelines.

Government guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) requires schools to teach pupils about the benefits and risks of sun exposure as part of the statutory Health Education curriculum. This includes helping children understand how to protect their skin and reduce the risk of sun damage and skin cancer. Schools are also expected to take practical steps to safeguard pupils when UV levels are high, such as encouraging the use of hats, shade and SPF30+ sunscreen.

The NICE guidelines for skin cancer prevention make it clear that children should never be allowed to burn and recommend that schools develop a policy on how to protect children when they are outside for more than a brief period in strong sunlight.

Alongside teaching pupils about sun safety, schools also play an important role in protecting children from excessive sun exposure during the school day. By recognising UV exposure as a health and safety consideration and implementing a sun safety policy, schools can help safeguard pupils from sun damage that can increase the risk of skin cancer later in life.

The Sun Safe School Accreditation

n July 2026, we achieved the Sun Safe School Accreditation.

The Sun Safe Schools four-step accreditation framework supports curriculum-linked learning, policy development, staff engagement and community awareness—aligning sun safety prevention with education and safeguarding standards.

Built on best practice and over 14 years’ experience, the programme promotes a whole-school and wider-community approach to sun safety and skin cancer prevention, recognising schools’ commitment to three key pillars that support education and safeguarding standards:

1) PROTECTION: providing an environment that enables children and staff to stay safe in the sun.
2) EDUCATION: learning about sun safety to increase knowledge and influence behaviour.
3) COLLABORATION: working with parents, the management structure and the wider community to reinforce awareness about sun safety and skin cancer prevention.