Health Needs and Medication
At St Mary's, the needs of the child are absolutely paramount. We want to ensure that children with medical conditions are supported so that they can play a full & active role in school, remain healthy & achieve their academic potential.
Minor Ailments
Coughs, colds and minor ailments are of course a common in primary aged children. These can be kept at bay by helping your child understand from an early age how important it is to wash hands regularly & carefully. Staff may be able to advise you if you are unsure about sending your child to school in these circumstances.
Infectious & Contagious Diseases
When children contract an infectious or contagious disease it is necessary sometimes that they do not attend school for a period of time. Please note that parents / carers should always inform school immediately if a child has any infectious disease in order that the necessary precautions can be made to safeguard the health of others.
Infectious Disease: Recovery time needed at home (school should be informed of absence & of the type of disease):
- Chicken Pox - 5 days from onset of rash.
- German Measles - 5 days from onset of rash.
- Measles - 5 days from onset of rash.
- Mumps - 5 days from onset of swollen glands.
- Whooping Cough - 5 days after starting on antibiotics.
- Tonsillitis - Until clinical recovery is made.
Contagious Disease: Recovery time needed at home (school should be informed of absence):
- Diarrhoea - Until 48 hours after diarrhoea has stopped
- Vomiting - Until 48 hours after vomiting has stopped
- Conjunctivitis - Until infection treated and cleared
- Impetigo - Until skin lesions have healed or 48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment
- Head Lice - Until treatment is received (usually overnight)
- Verrucae - Exclusion unnecessary
- Scabies - Until the day after treatment has begun
- Threadworm - Exclusion unnecessary (but treatment advisable)
- Ringworm of feet - Exclusion unnecessary (but treatment advisable)
- Athlete’s foot - Exclusion unnecessary (but treatment advisable)
Broken Limbs
Should your child have an accident which results in them requiring a cast/splint/support boot, then please see the Miss Miller in order that a Health Care Plan can be written. This may include your child not being able to take part in P.E. sessions as well as staying in at break times and lunchtimes.
Administering Medication at School
If your child is recovering from illness, but is well enough for school, it may be necessary for medication to be administered at school. Wherever possible however, medication should be administered at home. For example, if three doses are required, then medication could be administered by parents to the child in the morning, after school & before going to bed.
If medication is required at school, then parents & carers are asked to complete a Administering Medicines in school form to allow first aid trained staff to administer medication. Please note that medication can only be administered at school if we have written permission from you, if it has been prescribed by a GP, has been provided in the original container as dispensed by a pharmacist & includes the prescriber’s instructions for administration.
The appropriate staff members will keep written records of each time a medicine is administered.
Long Term Medical Needs
We want all children with any type of medical condition to be properly supported so that they have full access to education, including school trips and physical education. We will always endeavour to consult pupils and parents plus health and social care professionals to ensure that the needs of children with medical conditions are effectively supported.
In order to do this, the school will need to be informed of more long term Medical Needs either when a child first starts school or as & when a medical issue arises. Parents will need to fill in a Health Care Plan Form which can be found below.
We will carry out an annual update of healthcare plans held in school for all children with medical needs in the first week of the autumn term, but if there are any changes to your child’s current health care plan in school, then we would be very grateful if you could complete the above form & return to school as soon as possible with an update of your child’s medical needs.