Sports Injuries at School: What Every Victorian Educator Should Know

School sport is good for students. It builds fitness, teamwork, and resilience — but it also carries a risk of injury. Sprains, fractures, head injuries, and heat-related illness can all happen on the oval, in the gym, or during an inter-school event. When they do, the staff present need to know what to do.

This guide covers the most common sports injuries in Victorian schools, how to respond to each one, and what return-to-play decisions school staff need to understand — particularly around concussion. It also outlines your obligations under Department of Education Victoria policy.

The Most Common Sports Injuries in Schools

Across Victorian primary and secondary schools, the most frequently encountered sports injuries include sprains and strains (particularly to ankles, knees, and wrists), head injuries including concussion, fractures and suspected fractures, lacerations and abrasions, heat exhaustion and dehydration, and dental injuries common in contact sports.

Most of these are not life-threatening, but all require a considered response — and some, particularly head injuries, require careful follow-up that extends well beyond the initial incident.

RICER: The Soft Tissue Injury Response

For sprains, strains, and other soft tissue injuries, the standard first aid approach is RICER:

Rest — stop the activity and keep the student still. Ice — apply an ice pack wrapped in a cloth to reduce swelling (never apply ice directly to skin). Compression — wrap a bandage firmly but not tightly around the injury. Elevation — raise the injured limb above the level of the heart where possible. Referral — refer the student for medical assessment if there is significant swelling, instability, or ongoing pain.

The Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) supports RICER as the standard first aid approach for soft tissue injuries. If you are uncertain about the severity — for example, if you suspect a fracture rather than a sprain — immobilise the limb and call for medical assistance rather than trying to assess it yourself.

Managing Suspected Fractures

A suspected fracture should be treated as a fracture until proven otherwise. Signs include significant pain, swelling, deformity, and an inability to bear weight or use the limb normally.

For open fractures (where bone is visible or the skin is broken), call 000 immediately and control any bleeding by applying gentle pressure around — not on — the wound. For closed fractures, immobilise the limb in the position found, apply ice, and arrange for the student to be transported to a medical facility. Call 000 if the injury is to the spine, pelvis, or femur, or if the student is in severe pain.

Head Injuries and Concussion: Know the Rules

Head injuries are among the most serious sports injuries in schools, and concussion requires a structured approach. A concussion is a brain injury — it does not need to involve loss of consciousness to be significant.

Signs of concussion include headache, confusion, dizziness, nausea, sensitivity to light or noise, slurred speech, or unusual behaviour after a head impact. If any of these signs are present, the student must be removed from play immediately.

The principle in Australian sport is “If in doubt, sit them out.” A student who has been concussed should not return to sport on the same day — regardless of how quickly they appear to recover.

The Australian Institute of Sport has developed a tiered Return to Learn and Return to Sport protocol specifically for student athletes. This involves a graduated return over multiple days, beginning with rest, then light cognitive activity, then school-based tasks, and eventually physical activity — with each step only progressed when the student is symptom-free.

Schools should notify parents and carers following any suspected concussion, document the incident, and ensure the student is assessed by a doctor before returning to sport.

Heat-Related Illness in School Sport

Victoria’s climate means heat is a genuine risk during school sport, particularly in the warmer months. Heat exhaustion occurs when the body overheats and cannot cool itself effectively. Signs include heavy sweating, cool or pale skin, a rapid pulse, nausea, weakness, and dizziness.

The response: move the student to a cool area, remove excess clothing, apply cool wet cloths to the skin, and offer cool water if they are conscious and able to swallow. If symptoms do not improve within 15 minutes, or if the student shows signs of heat stroke — hot, red or dry skin, confusion, or loss of consciousness — call 000 immediately.

Safe Work Australia and the Department of Education Victoria both provide guidance on outdoor activity in high temperatures. Schools should have a clear policy for modifying or cancelling sport on extreme heat days, and all staff supervising outdoor activities should be familiar with it.

Your Obligations as a Victorian School

Under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 and Department of Education Victoria policy, schools have a duty of care to students during sporting and physical education activities — including excursions, carnivals, and inter-school competitions.

Key obligations include ensuring that first aid-trained staff are present at school sporting events, maintaining a first aid kit that is appropriately stocked for the activity, documenting any first aid incidents through the school’s incident reporting system, notifying parents or carers following any injury (particularly head injuries), and following correct return-to-play protocols for concussion.

Schools hosting large sporting events — athletics carnivals, swimming carnivals, inter-school competitions — should conduct a risk assessment in advance and ensure appropriate first aid resources are on site.

First Aid Confidence Starts with Training

Knowing the theory is useful — but first aid training builds the practical confidence to act quickly and correctly under pressure. For teachers, coaches, and education support staff, completing or refreshing a workplace first aid certificate (HLTAID011) or the education-specific equivalent (HLTAID012) is the most effective way to prepare for sports injuries in a school setting.

Regular refreshers are also important. First aid guidelines are updated periodically based on new clinical evidence, and knowledge can fade quickly without practice. The ARC updates its resuscitation and first aid guidance on an ongoing basis — what you learned a few years ago may have changed.

Book Training for Your School

AB First Aid provides practical, engaging first aid training for school staff across Melbourne, from our training centre in Tullamarine. Our courses cover workplace first aid, CPR, and education-specific first aid, and we can tailor group sessions for your staff team.

Whether you want to get your team qualified before the next school sports season or simply want to ensure your staff can respond confidently to any situation, we are here to help. View our public course schedule or contact us to enquire about group training for your school.

References

• Australian Resuscitation Council, First Aid Guidelines: https://resus.org.au/guidelines/
• Department of Education Victoria, Supporting Students with Medical Conditions: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/supporting-students-health-needs/policy
• Australian Institute of Sport, Concussion in Sport — Return to Learn and Return to Sport: https://www.ais.gov.au/health_performance/concussion
• Safe Work Australia, Heat — Work Health and Safety: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-work-health-and-safety/heat
• Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic): https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/education-and-training-reform-act-2006