From time to time, children become ill and are unable to come to school. Our primary aim is for children to attend school as much as possible.

It is really important that you keep the school informed and up to date with your correct contact details in case we need to contact you in an emergency. If you change your phone number or address please inform the office immediately.

Please see our 'Administration of medicines policy' for information about which medicines the school is able to administer and the procedures which must be put in place and agreed with the Headteacher. You must complete a medicine consent form to say the child can take it and the packaging must be clearly labelled with the chemists name, child's name , dose and instructions for use. Forms are available from the office.

If your child is off sick please ring the office in the morning to let us know your child will not be attending that day.

If your child has sickness or diarrhoea they must be off at least 48 hours after the last episode. It is very important you do not allow your child to come back before this time because even though they may appear to be better, they can still be carrying the virus which can cause other children to catch the sickness.

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Guidelines from the NHS

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.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

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

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.

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.