Medical Matters
Medical Information and Illness
The health, safety and wellbeing of our pupils is extremely important to us.
Administration of Medication
School staff are generally advised not to administer medication to children. However, where it is not practical for a parent or carer to do so, we may be able to administer prescribed medication during the school day, provided a completed medication consent form has been submitted to the school office.
Allergies and Medical Conditions
Please ensure that the school is kept informed of any allergies, medical conditions or health concerns your child may have, including allergies to medications, foods, plasters or other substances. Keeping this information up to date helps us provide the appropriate care and support for your child.
Sickness and Diarrhoea
If your child has experienced sickness or diarrhoea, they must remain at home for 48 hours following their last episode before returning to school. This helps to prevent the spread of illness within our school community.
Head Lice and Threadworms
If your child has been treated for head lice or threadworms, please inform the school office. This allows us to make other families aware, where appropriate, and helps us to minimise the spread of infection while maintaining confidentiality.
If you have any questions regarding your child's medical needs or medication requirements, please contact the school office for advice and support.
Head Lice
Unfortunately, most children are likely to experience head lice at some point during their primary school years. While head lice can be frustrating, they are very common and can be managed effectively with regular checking and prompt treatment.
Current advice recommends that parents and carers:
- Check their child's hair regularly using a fine-toothed detection comb.
- Inspect all members of the household if head lice are found and only treat those who have living lice present.
- Consider the wet-combing method first, using conditioner and a detection comb to remove lice.
- If further treatment is needed, use an appropriate medicated treatment as recommended by a pharmacist or healthcare professional.
- Repeat treatment as directed by the product instructions to ensure any newly hatched lice are removed.
- Seek advice from a pharmacist if infestations persist or if you are unsure which treatment is most suitable.
We ask parents and carers to check their children's hair regularly and begin treatment promptly if head lice are found. Working together helps to reduce the spread of head lice within our school community.
- Administering Medication.docx
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Is my child too ill for school?
Woolaston Primary School has adopted the NHS guidelines. Please follow the guidance in this document when deciding whether to send your child to school.
Is my child too ill for school?
It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school, nursery or playgroup when they're unwell.
But there are government guidelines for schools and nurseries that say when children should be kept off school and when they shouldn't.
If you do keep your child at home, it's important to phone the school or nursery on the first day. Let them know that they won't be in and give them the reason.
If your child is well enough to go to school but has an infection that could be passed on, such as a cold sore or head lice, let their teacher or office staff know.
Chickenpox
If your child has chickenpox, keep them off school until all the spots have crusted over.
This is usually about 5 days after the spots first appeared.
Cold sores
There's no need to keep your child off school if they have a cold sore.
Encourage them not to touch the blister or kiss anyone while they have the cold sore, or to share things like cups and towels.
Conjunctivitis
You don't need to keep your child away from school if they have conjunctivitis.
Do get advice from your pharmacist. Encourage your child not to rub their eyes and to wash their hands regularly.
Colds
It's fine to send your child to school with a cold, if they feel well enough.
Encourage your child to throw away any used tissues and to wash their hands regularly.
Ear infection
If your child has an ear infection and a fever or severe earache, keep them off school until they're feeling better or their fever goes away.
Hand, foot and mouth disease
If your child has hand, foot and mouth disease but seems well enough to go to school, there's no need to keep them off.
Encourage your child to throw away any used tissues straight away and to wash their hands regularly.
Head lice and nits
There's no need to keep your child off school if they have head lice.
Impetigo
If your child has impetigo, they'll need antibiotic treatment from the GP.
Keep them off school until all the sores have crusted over and healed, or for 48 hours after they start antibiotic treatment.
Encourage your child to wash their hands regularly and not to share towels, cups and so on with other children at school.
Ringworm
If your child has ringworm, see your pharmacist unless it's on their scalp, in which case you should see the GP.
It's fine for your child to go to school once they have started treatment.
Scarlet fever
If your child has scarlet fever, they'll need treatment with antibiotics from the GP. Otherwise they'll be infectious for 2 to 3 weeks.
Your child can go back to school 24 hours after starting antibiotics.
Slapped cheek syndrome (fifth disease)
You don't need to keep your child off school if they have slapped cheek syndrome because once the rash appears, they're no longer infectious.
If you suspect your child has slapped cheek syndrome, take them to the GP and let their school know if they're diagnosed with it.
Sore throat
You can still send your child to school if they have a sore throat. But if they also have a fever, they should stay at home until it goes away.
Threadworms
You don't need to keep your child off school if they have threadworms.
Speak to your pharmacist, who can recommend a treatment.
Vomiting and diarrhoea
Children with diarrhoea or vomiting should stay away from school for 2 days after their symptoms have gone.
UK Health Security Agency
- UKHSA-should-I-keep-my_child_off_school_guidance-A3-poster.pdf