Medical Matters
Medication
If your child needs to take medicine during the school day for chronic or life-threatening conditions e.g. asthma or diabetes, we will make arrangements for this. You will be asked to give clear, written instructions for the administration of such medicines and your written consent.
If your child needs other medicines such as antibiotics, cough medicines etc they will often be unfit to attend school. However, if they are fit enough to attend school and need medicines at regular intervals, we must ask you arrange to visit school to give such medicines yourself.
COVID-19 Guidance
As COVID-19 becomes an illness that we learn to live with, it is now imperative to reduce any disruption to education. Government guidance reaffirm that school attendance is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age and it is a priority to ensure that as many children as possible regularly attend school. This means that parents and carers have a legal duty to ensure that their children attend school.
At Stocksbridge Junior School, we are working hard to ensure that our children are at school as much as possible in order that they can achieve of their best. As such, it is important that we are clear about the current guidance for COVID-19 absence in order that we minimise any time off school for our children if they are suffering from COVID related symptoms or have a positive test result.
The NHS gives clear guidance for adults and children at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19#Children
Children and young people aged 18 years and under who have a positive test result.
It is not recommended that children and young people are tested for COVID-19 unless directed to by a health professional. If a child or young person has a positive COVID-19 test result they should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day they took the test, if they can. After 3 days, if they feel well and do not have a high temperature, the risk of passing the infection on to others is much lower. This is because children and young people tend to be infectious to other people for less time than adults. Children and young people who usually go to school, college or childcare and who live with someone who has a positive COVID-19 test result should continue to attend as normal.
When children and young people with symptoms (with no positive test) should stay at home and when they can return to education
Children and young people with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, can continue to attend their education setting. Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people, where they can. They can go back to school, college or childcare, and resume normal activities when they no longer have a high temperature and they are well enough to attend.
Useful information regarding how the spread COVID-19 may be reduced can be found on the NHS website: Living_Safely_with_Respiratory_Illnesses
If you have any questions at all, please consult the NHS website for advice or call our school office.