What To Do
What To Do If Someone Has a Seizure in School
Key Takeaway: If someone has a seizure in school, stay calm, protect them from injury, keep other students back, and check breathing as soon as the seizure stops. Do not hold them down and do not put anything in the mouth. If the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, repeats, or it is the first known seizure, call 000.
At school, the extra issues are crowd control, hard classroom furniture, and making sure the right staff member takes charge quickly.
🚨 Quick Action Guide
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Student or staff member starts having a seizure | Keep calm, move nearby desks or hazards, protect the head, keep others back, time the seizure |
| Seizure continues | Do not restrain them and do not put anything in the mouth |
| Seizure stops and they are breathing | Recovery position if safe, keep airway clear, monitor closely, notify the right school staff |
| Not breathing normally after the seizure | Call 000 and start CPR if needed |
| Seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, repeats, first seizure, injury, pregnancy, diabetes, or you are unsure | Call 000 immediately |
Table of Contents
🏫 What To Do Immediately
1. Keep calm and take charge of the space
At school, one of the first jobs is stopping the scene from becoming chaotic. Keep other students back, ask another staff member to supervise the class, and make sure one person takes lead first aid responsibility.
2. Protect the head and clear nearby hazards
Move chairs, bags, pencil cases, desks, and any hard objects away if you can do it safely. Place something soft under the head, such as a folded jumper.
3. Do not restrain them
Healthdirect’s seizure advice is clear: protect the person from injury, but do not hold them down and do not put anything in the mouth.
4. Time the seizure and send for help
Have another staff member notify the school office, first aid officer, or nurse straight away. If the student has a known seizure management plan, this is the time to bring it in without losing sight of the breathing-first basics.
5. When the seizure stops, check breathing immediately
If they are breathing, place them in the recovery position if safe to do so. If they are not breathing normally, follow DRSABCD, call 000, and start CPR if needed.
📞 When to Call 000
Call 000 immediately if:
- The seizure lasts more than 5 minutes
- Another seizure starts before they recover
- It is the first known seizure
- They are not breathing normally afterwards
- They are injured
- They are pregnant or have diabetes
- You are unsure what is happening
That same red-flag thinking applies in what to do if someone has a seizure in public, but a school setting adds duty-of-care pressure, crowd management, and the need to notify the right staff fast.
🧠 Why a Seizure in School Can Be Different
A seizure in school can draw a crowd quickly. That means staff are managing two things at once: the person having the seizure, and everyone else in the room.
Epilepsy Action Australia’s school guidance explains that schools need planning, support, and informed staff when students have epilepsy. In the moment, that means staying calm, following the student’s management plan if one exists, and keeping the response practical.
Better Health Channel’s epilepsy first aid guidance reinforces the basics: protect from injury, do not restrain, and check recovery carefully after the seizure.
If the person is a child or teenager, you may also find it helpful to read our article on understanding and managing seizures in children, especially for school-aged warning signs and follow-up context.
🧑🏫 After the Seizure Stops
Recovery position and breathing checks come first
If the person is breathing, roll them onto their side if safe. Stay with them and keep monitoring breathing and awareness.
Let them recover with privacy and supervision
People are often confused, tired, or embarrassed after a seizure. Keep other students back and give them space while one staff member stays present.
Follow school reporting and parent-notification steps
Once the emergency is under control, notify parents or carers, record what happened, and follow the school’s medical response process.
❌ What Not To Do
Do not hold them down.
Do not put anything in the mouth.
Do not let other students crowd around or film the event.
Do not stand them up too quickly afterwards.
Do not forget to check breathing once the seizure stops.
🎓 Why First Aid Training Matters
School staff often have to respond quickly while also looking after a whole class. First Aid Training for Schools & Educators helps staff practise seizures, recovery-position care, CPR, and other school-based emergencies in a setting that makes sense for educators. That kind of school first aid training can make a huge difference when a medical episode happens in front of other students and calm leadership matters.
Need A First Aid Course?
FAQs
Should I move the student away from the class straight away?
What if the student has a seizure management plan?
Should I let other students watch?
Does every seizure at school need an ambulance?
Quick Summary
If someone has a seizure in school:
• Keep calm and take charge of the space
• Protect the head and clear hazards
• Keep other students back
• Do not restrain them
• Do not put anything in the mouth
• Time the seizure
• When it stops, check breathing immediately
• Call 000 if it lasts more than 5 minutes, repeats, or you are unsure
Clear leadership, calm classmates, and fast breathing checks matter most in a school seizure emergency.
