LIFE-saving skills being taught to teachers at a Shropshire school will soon become part of the curriculum.

A drive to ensure that staff and pupils at Ellesmere Primary School – along with seven other North West Academies Trust (NWAT) schools – is equipped with vital life-saving skills, is under way.

The trust has committed to training teachers, support workers and children to administer first aid and CPR over the coming months.

Teachers from each of the eight schools have already completed a course to make them potential life-savers, and qualified to pass on the knowledge to others.

Those teachers will now train fellow members of staff – with first aid and CPR education soon becoming part of pupils' curriculum.

Stuart Roberts, headteacher at Ellesmere Primary School, was happy that staff would have the confidence and skills needed in an emergency.

He said: "This will make our schools even safer places.

"The training will give all staff the confidence and knowledge they need in an emergency, and, by bringing first aid training in-house, it will save a great deal of money as we can mentor other staff and also pass the knowledge on to children."

NWAT CEO Steve Docking said how important it is for children at the schools to be safe.

"It is very important to us that children are safe and well looked after at our schools and this first aid training programme is a vital part of this," said Steve.