My Child is Unwell

If your child is unwell phone the school on 023 8073 3415

Select Option 1

This is a 24 hour service

Should my child come into school if they are unwell?

We appreciate it can be difficult to judge whether your child is well enough to attend school.

How do I know if my child should be in school?

The school uses the NHS Wessex Healthier Together resource as guidance.

Alternatively, you can download the App through your device.

The table below summarises the key information from the website. As you can see, in almost all circumstances, children should be in school.

What if I am still not sure?

Send your child into school. We will always contact you if your child is not well and needs to return home. In most circumstances your child will be fine.

What if a child is in school but is unwell or has returned too early?

If we are aware your child is not well enough to be in school they may need to be removed from the classroom and away from their peers. You will then be contacted and will need to collect them. This is for the wellbeing of all our children and staff.

What do I need to tell the school if my child is unwell?

It is vital that if your child is unwell that you make contact with the school and explain exactly what is wrong. We have children in the school with a range of medical needs and this piece of information could be vital to keeping them safe. If your child is absent for longer than three days we require medical evidence.

Can medication be administered in school?

Children can come to school if they are taking prescribed medicines, as staff are able to give them their medicine in school. The school office can support you with this and the relevant paperwork. You can also request to see our school nurse, Angela Holloway. Please ask reception for her contact details. If medication is not prescribed we are unable to administer this, though you are free to come into school to do this yourself. Further advice is available from NHS 111 or your local pharmacist.

If you have any questions at all do not hesitate to get in touch.

What’s wrong?	What to do?
High temperature	Give paracetamol and plenty to drink. After paracetamol, if your child feels better, bring them into school. If the child's high temperature continues for three days or more, seek advice.
Headache, earache and stomach ache	Children with headache, earache or stomach ache can go to school - just let the staff know they have felt unwell. Give paracetamol and plenty of fluids to drink. If headache, earache or stomach ache persist seek advice.
Coughs and colds	Children should be given paracetamol, plenty of fluids to drink and can be sent to school. If your child is asthmatic, remember they may need their blue inhaler more often.
Flu	Children should go back to school when recovered - this is usually about five days.
Sore throats, tonsillitis and glandular fever	Children should be given paracetamol, plenty of fluids to drink and be sent to school.
Diarrhoea and vomiting	Children can only return to school 48 hours after the last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting.
Head lice	Children can go to school with head lice but they must be treated for the condition to prevent further spreading. Parents should treat their children and other family members by wet combing with a nit comb and conditioner.
Scabies	Children can go back to school after the first treatment. Others at home should be treated.
Threadworm	Children can go to school when they have started their treatment. Everyone at home should be treated.
Hand, foot and mouth, warts and verrucae, athletes foot and molluscum contagiosum	Children can go to school. Verrucae should be covered in swimming pools and changing rooms.
Conjunctivitis	Children can go to school. They should be encouraged to wash their hands to prevent further spread of infection.
Impetigo	Children can go back to school when their lesions are crusted or healed, or two days after starting antibiotics.
Measles, Chicken Pox and German Measles	Measles - children should go back to school four days after the rash has started. Chicken Pox - children should go back to school as soon as all their spots have all crusted over. German Measles - children should go back to school four days after the rash has started. Please let the school know, as pregnant members of staff may be affected.
Scarlet fever or strep throat	Children should go back to school 24 hours after starting appropriate antibiotic treatment.
Mumps	Children should go back to school five days from the start of swollen glands.
Whooping cough	Children should go back to school five days after starting antibiotics. Non-infectious coughing may continue for many weeks.