At Bishop’s Waltham Junior School the health, safety and well-being of every child is our top priority.

School Nursing

Statement of intent:

Bishop’s Waltham Junior School wishes to ensure that pupils with medical conditions receive appropriate care and support at school. This policy has been developed in line with the Department for Education’s guidance released in April 2014 – “Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions.” 

Ofsted places a clear emphasis on meeting the needs of pupils with SEN and Disabilities and this includes children with medical conditions.

If your child needs to take medicine at school, please fill in a copy of this form and hand it in at the school office.

 

Medicines:  

  • Where possible, it is preferable for medicines to be prescribed in frequencies that allow the pupil to take them outside of school hours.

  • If this is not possible, prior to staff members administering any medication, the parents/carers of the child must complete and sign a parental agreement for a school to administer medicine form.

  • No child will be given any prescription or non-prescription medicines without written parental consent except in exceptional circumstances.

  • Where a pupil is prescribed medication without their parents’/carers’ knowledge, every effort will be made to encourage the pupil to involve their parents while respecting their right to confidentiality.

  • No child under 16 years of age will be given medication containing aspirin or ibuprofen without a doctor’s prescription.

  • Medicines MUST be in date, labelled, and provided in the original container (except in the case of insulin which may come in a pen or pump) with dosage instructions. Medicines which do not meet these criteria will not be administered.

  • A maximum of four weeks supply of the medication may be provided to the school at one time.

  • Controlled drugs may only be taken on school premises by the individual to whom they have been prescribed. Passing such drugs to others is an offence which will be dealt with under our Drug and Alcohol Policy.

  • Medications will be stored in the Medical Room (School Office).

  • Any medications left over at the end of the course will be returned to the child’s parents.

  • Written records will be kept of any medication administered to children.

  • Pupils will never be prevented from accessing their medication.

  • Bishop’s Waltham Junior School cannot be held responsible for side effects that occur when medication is taken correctly.

 

 

What should I do if my child is unwell?  When should they be kept off school?

 

As a school, we are supported by the Southern Health School Nursing Service.

The Southern Health website has a lot of helpful information about child health, and can be accessed here.

When your child is unwell, it can be hard deciding whether to keep them off school. A few simple guidelines can help.

Not every illness needs to keep your child from school. If you keep your child away from school, be sure to inform the school on the first day of their absence.

Use common sense when deciding whether or not your child is too ill to attend school.

 

 

Ask yourself the following questions.

  • Is your child well enough to do the activities of the school day? If not, keep your child at home.

  • Does your child have a condition that could be passed on to other children or school staff? If so, keep your child at home.

  • Would you take a day off work if you had this condition? If so, keep your child at home.

 

Common conditions  

If your child is ill, it's likely to be due to one of a few minor health conditions.

Whether you send your child to school will depend on how severe you think the illness is. This guidance can help you make that judgement.

Remember: if you're concerned about your child’s health, consult a health professional.

  • Cough and cold. A child with a minor cough or cold may attend school. If the cold is accompanied by a raised temperature, shivers or drowsiness, the child should stay off school, visit the GP and return to school 24 hours after they start to feel better. If your child has a more severe and long-lasting cough, consult your GP. They can give guidance on whether the child should stay off school. Get more information in Common cold. 

  • Raised temperature. If your child has a raised temperature, they shouldn't attend school. They can return 24 hours after they start to feel better. Learn more in Feverish illness in children.

  • Rash. Rashes can be the first sign of many infectious illnesses, such as chickenpox and measles. Children with these conditions shouldn't attend school. If your child has a rash, check with your GP or practice nurse before sending them to school.

  • Headache. A child with a minor headache doesn't usually need to be kept off school. If the headache is more severe or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as raised temperature or drowsiness, then keep the child off school and consult your GP.

  • Vomiting and diarrhoea. Children with these conditions should be kept off school. They can return 48 hours after their symptoms disappear. Most cases of vomiting or diarrhoea get better without treatment, but if symptoms persist, consult your GP. Learn more in Rotavirus gastroenteritis.

  • Sore throat. A sore throat alone doesn't have to keep a child from school. If it's accompanied by a raised temperature, the child should stay at home.

You can read more about medicines for children's common health problems in Medicines for children.

You can get help identifying common childhood illnesses by using the Childhood illness slideshow.

 

Tell the school

It’s important to inform the school if your child is going to be absent. On the first day of your child's illness, telephone the school to tell them that your child will be staying at home. The school may ask about the nature of the illness and how long you expect the absence to last.

If it becomes clear that your child will be away for longer than expected, phone the school as soon as possible to explain this.