Medicine in School

There are a number of qualified first aiders in school. Any incidents are recorded using near miss or accident forms. Teachers will contact parents if they feel that it is necessary.

North Yorkshire County Council’s view on the administering of medicine is that wherever practicable parents should accept such matters are their responsibility and not something they should seek to refer to the school.  However, it may be necessary for your child to take four doses of PRESCRIBED medicine in the course of the school day, if  treatment is to be effective.  Parents wishing to transfer this responsibility to school must send written and signed authorisation to accompany the medicine brought by the pupils.  The medicine should be brought to school in a properly labelled container, which states: the name and home address of the pupil; the name of the medicine; the dosage and the time of administration.

If your child has asthma and requires access to an inhaler it is necessary for the class teacher to hold a spare inhaler as well as your child carrying their own (where appropriate).  The inhaler should be clearly named (on the box and also the inhaler) and given to the class teacher for safe keeping.

Severe Allergic Reactions (Anaphylaxis)

You are required on our admissions form to inform us if your child is known to suffer from an acute allergic reaction, e.g. peanuts, bee or wasp stings etc.  We will require full medical details from your family doctor or specialist regarding your child’s allergy and the specific symptoms. A care plan will be written by the school in conjunction with parents and the school nurse. This will also be signed by the child’s doctor.

All teachers are in loco parentis and have a legal duty to take appropriate action in an emergency.  The expectation is that a teacher would act as a reasonable parent would in the circumstances, for example by contacting the emergency services and, in extreme cases, taking resuscitation measures. If school staff have agreed to administer medication to a child who suffers severe allergic reaction they will be properly trained by a doctor or qualified nurse.  The appropriate staff will be instructed in the management of acute anaphylaxis including the giving of subcutaneous adrenaline. Training is renewed annually.

Infectious Diseases

The school will seek help from the Senior Clinical Medical Officer if there has been an outbreak of any infectious disease affecting a significant number of pupils in school. Children should be kept at home if they have an infectious disease. Doctors usually state the period of exclusion when they examine the child.  The usual diseases are likely to be Chickenpox, German Measles, Mumps, Measles, Scarlet Fever and Whooping Cough. Certain types of skin infection also require home confinement, e.g. Impetigo, Ringworm. Following an incident of sickness and diarrhoea, the child is expected to be symptom free for 48 hours before returning to school.