Illness
We take our duty of care very seriously. The school has a medical room and at least one member of the Main Office/Student Student Services Team, is a qualified First Aider.
Parents are asked to let both the Main Office/Student Services Team and the Tutor know if their daughter or son has any special medical conditions, although such information is always treated with appropriate confidentiality. We will also ask for an emergency telephone number for contacting parents in the case of an accident or sudden illness.
Whilst regular attendance at school is absolutely essential for educational progress, parents should take care not to send sick children to school who then have to be sent home during the first part of the day. Likewise, any injuries or ailments occurring at home cannot be dealt with at school. Such cases should go directly to your doctor.
In cases of emergency students will be sent to hospital or taken to the local A&E (Marcham Road) and parents notified.
However, it is regretted that we cannot take sick children home. If your child becomes unwell, you will be contacted and asked to collect him/her. No student will be sent home unless we have been able to contact you. With this in mind, it is essential that you give us an emergency contact number where we can reach you throughout the school day.
Due to regulations, we are not able to give out any non-prescription medicines to students. If your child requires prescription medicine to be given during the school day, please obtain a ‘Permission to Administer Medication Form’ from Main Office/Student Services, complete and return it, so we can dispense their medication safely.
Covid-19 symptoms
Any student or staff member displaying symptoms of Covid 19 must not attend school. It is key to our strategy for avoiding transmission and infection that anyone displaying symptoms should seek medical advice and not attend school until it is confirmed that they are not infectious.
In the event that a student or staff member develops symptoms of Covid 19 during the school day, we will take the necessary precautions for cleaning and utilising PPE to avoid transmission, isolate the individual and contact parents/carers to arrange collection from school as soon as possible.
Where a student suggests that they have a temperature, we will seek to confirm this utilising a distanced use thermometer.
We do not have unlimited space at school to isolate students, and as such it is essential that students are collected as quickly as possible in order to reduce the risk to all members of the school community. We shall be utilising our meeting room at the front of the school premises for those students needing to be isolated in order that our medical room can remain in use to support non Covid related illness.
Where a student or staff member leaves school due to Covid 19 symptoms it is anticipated that they should undertake a test at the earliest opportunity in order that they can confirm the outcome as soon as possible. In order to reduce the potential for a spread of the virus it is essential that we are able to use the test and trace mechanisms in place.
At all times we shall follow the guidance related to isolation and quarantine periods which are provided by Public Health England and would urge all parents and carers to regularly review this guidance to ensure that they are familiar with symptoms, testing and self-isolation requirements.