Medical Information

Attendance

We believe that children should have the opportunity to come to school if they are well enough to do so even if they may need medication during the day as regular attendance is important for children in order for them to progress in their education and not fall behind.

Should my child go to school/nursery today? Please see this link when considering if your child is well enough to attend school. It contains a range of information about illnesses in children and when a child should return to school after being ill.

Medicines in School

Any parents requiring the school to administer medicines to their child should complete the Medicine Permission form at the school office. Medicines should be handed to office staff by the child’s parent and if needed after school hours collected by the parent. On completion of the course all unused medicines should be collected.

Medicines are kept in the School Office under the control of the office staff.

Forms

Policies

School Health

The School Nursing Service works together with children and young people their parents/carers and school staff, to provide a comprehensive efficient and accessible service which:

Helps children keep healthy during their school days and for the rest of their lives
Prevents ill health in children and the local community
Supports children with medical needs and those needing medication
Ensures that educational potential is not hampered by unmet health needs
Monitors and supports families in relation to Hertfordshire Safeguarding Policies

When your child commences school at the age of five, care is transferred from the Health Visiting Service to the School Nursing Service. The service has four distinct areas that it offers to children attending a Hertfordshire mainstream school.

Hertfordshire Family Centre Service When your child starts school at 5 years old, the school nursing service takes over from the health visiting service. The service works with children, young people, parents, carers and school staff at mainstream, state-funded schools. School nurses promote physical and mental health and wellbeing for children and young people.

School Health The School Nursing Service is part of the Hertfordshire Family Centre Service. The Service brings children’s centres, health visiting and school nursing together to provide a more joined up service for children, young people and their families from pregnancy through to when a child reaches 19. There is a range of different support groups, activities and services on offer for children and their families to help them be healthy, grow and develop. Families can access available services from any Hertfordshire Family Centre, allowing them to fit sessions and services around busy family lives.

Covid-19 Update

As of the 1st April 2022, the government changed its response to COVID-19 to managing it as endemic, rather than pandemic. Their new guidance, “Learning to live safely with COVID-19” focuses very much on treating COVID-19 the same as any other respiratory virus, with emphasis on doing what we can as individuals to prevent the spread of infection, and protecting those who are at high risk of developing severe disease, including those who have a weakened immune system.

We will continue to follow government guidance and continue to implement infection control measures aimed at preventing the spread of respiratory infections and managing any outbreaks, should they occur.

Although there is no longer any legal requirement to self-isolate, for children who are experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness, parents are advised to follow the current government guidance:

Children with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend school
Children who are unwell and have a high temperature should not attend school. They can return to school when they no longer have a high temperature and they feel well enough to attend.

Asymptomatic lateral flow testing and symptomatic PCR testing is no longer recommended. However, there may be occasions when a test is recommended by a Health Care Professional or to comply with travel regulations. If a child does receive a positive COVID-19 test result, parents are advised to follow the current government guidance:

Children should not return to school for a minimum of 3 days after the day they took the test
They should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day they took the test
After 3 days, if they feel well and no longer have a high temperature they may return to school.

Children will continue to be encouraged to cover their mouth and nose with a disposable tissue when coughing and/or sneezing and to wash their hands after using or disposing of tissues.