Illnesses and Infections
A common question we recieve in the School Office when a child is ill is - "Am I okay to send my child to school?"
We all get ill from time to time and more so it seems in the winter months and it can be tricky as a parent/carer to judge whether they should or should not be at school. This has to be a judgement call you as a parent/carer makes, but we do always encourage parents.carers to only keep their child at home when they feel it is absolutely necessary (see our attendance information page here).
Please be assured if we believe your child is too ill to be in school we will call you! Remember, we are able to give prescribed medication to your child if signed in by a parent/carer at the School Office (anbitbiotics if needed at least 4 times a day).
There are only a handful of illnesses where a period of time off school is required and we thought it would be helpful to share them with you here (taken from the gov.uk website December 2022):
Some of these illnesses and infections are very rare and unlikely and this list is in no way exhaustive, but is a good starting point. For more information click here.
|
Illness or Infection |
Information on period of time to remain off school. |
|
Chickenpox |
If your child has chickenpox, keep them off school until all the spots have crusted over. This is usually about 5 days after the spots first appeared. |
|
Diptheria |
Do not attend school, contact the School Office on 01282 776855 for more advice on when your child can return. |
|
Diarrhoea and vomiting |
Children with diarrhoea or vomiting should stay away from school for 48 hours after their symptoms have finished. |
|
Hepititis A |
Can return 7 days after onset of jaundice (or 7 days after symptom onset if no jaundice). |
|
Impetigo |
If your child has impetigo, they'll need treatment from a GP, often with antibiotics. Keep them off school until all the sores have crusted over and healed, or for 48 hours after they start antibiotic treatment. Encourage your child to wash their hands regularly and not to share things like towels and cups with other children at school. |
|
Measles |
Can return after 4 days from onset of rash and well enough. |
|
Meningococcal meningitis or septicaemia |
Until recovered |
|
Meningitis due to other bacteria |
Until recovered |
|
Mumps |
Can return 5 days after onset of swelling |
|
Rubella (German measles) |
Can return 5 days from onset of rash |
|
Scabies |
Can return after first treatment. |
|
Scarlet fever Please see the video in our dedicated page. |
If your child has scarlet fever, they'll need treatment with antibiotics from a GP. Otherwise they'll be infectious for 2 to 3 weeks. Your child can go back to school 24 hours after starting antibiotics. |
|
Tuberculosis (TB) |
Do not attend school, contact the School Office on 01282 776855 for more advice on when your child can return. |
|
Whooping cough (pertussis) |
Can return 2 days from starting antibiotic treatment, or 21 days from onset of symptoms if no antibiotics |