Absences from School

• All parents/carers should ring school by 9:15a.m., if their child is going to be absent from school, to explain the reason.
• If your child is away from school longer than three days, parents are required to provide medical evidence .Please be aware that this can be requested by the school at any time and in cases of poor attendance the school will only authorise the absence if medical evidence is provided. It is parent’s responsibility to ensure that this is provided to the school, failure to do so may result in the absence being made unauthorised.

• If we fail to hear from parents/carers we will contact you on the 1st day of absence. Please see attendance policy for further information.
• If we have been unable to gather adequate reason or contact from parents/carers school staff may make a home visit or in some cases request for a safe and well check to be carried out. This will be carried out by West Midlands Police.

Illness:

We expect children to attend school everyday, when the school is open as long as they are fit and healthy. If you feel your child is too ill to attend please notify the school.

We appreciate that children get poorly with temperatures/ colds and coughs etc. However these are very common illnesses that don’t always justify losing time from school. Please encourage your child to attend school; we will always contact you if we feel they are too poorly to be in school. We also are aware that when we feel poorly, it is always worse of a morning and night so would rather a child miss part of a school day i.e. use the morning to have medicine and rest then come in for afternoon etc.

Can we remind parents if your child is feeling unwell, we advise they are seen by your family GP.
We have attached some useful information about sickness and cold bugs.

Signs and Symptoms of vomiting:

Vomiting can be caused by many things. Most of the time, vomiting in children is caused by gastroenteritis, usually due to a virus infecting the gastrointestinal tract. Gastroenteritis, often called the "stomach flu," also can cause nausea and diarrhoea.

What to do:

It's important to stay calm — vomiting is frightening to young children (and parents, too) and exhausting for children of all ages. Reassuring your child and preventing dehydration are key for a quick recovery.

Over-the-counter medications to treat nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are not recommended for infants and children. Doctors might recommend medication for nausea or vomiting in certain situations, but these are available only by prescription.

Oral rehydration is something parents can do at home to help prevent dehydration or treat mild cases. Talk to your doctor, especially if you think your child is dehydrated, as you might be given alternate instructions on how to orally rehydrate your child.

Remember that good hygiene is key to a speedy recovery. Ensure that hands are washed regularly. If your child has been vomiting, we request they stay off school for a period of 24hr clear of vomiting.

Signs and Symptoms of common cold:
 

The first symptoms of a cold are often a tickle in the throat, a runny or stuffy nose and sneezing. Children with colds may also have a sore throat, cough, headache, mild fever, fatigue, muscle aches and loss of appetite. Nasal discharge may change from watery to thick yellow or green.

Prevention for common cold

Because so many viruses cause them, there isn't a vaccine that can protect against catching colds. But to help prevent them, children should:
 

• wash their hands thoroughly and frequently, especially after blowing their noses
• cover their noses and mouths when coughing or sneezing (have them sneeze or cough into a tissue, though, not their hands — this helps prevent the spread of germs)
• not use the same towels or eating utensils as someone who has a cold. They also shouldn't drink from the same glass, can, or bottle as anyone else — you never know who might be about to come down with a cold and is already spreading the virus.
• not pick up other people's used tissues

Fever (High Temperature) in Children

Most fevers (high temperatures) in children are not serious and are due to the common infections of childhood such as coughs, colds and other viral infections. However, sometimes a fever is a symptom of an infection. If your child has a fever, give them lots to drink. It is not always necessary to give them paracetamol or ibuprofen, unless they are distressed or very unwell. Also, check for signs of dehydration (low body fluid) and serious illness. Seek medical help if you are concerned or fever lasts for several days.

What can I do if my child has a fever?
 

• Make your child comfortable
• Check for signs of dehydration
• Check for signs of infection
• Seek medical help if you are concerned or fever lasts for several days.

We are aware that the cold weather brings more illnesses, which will mean that colds/sore throats and high temperatures etc will be more common. However this does not always justify losing time from school. Please encourage your child to attend: if they are unwell or not coping we will always contact you!!!
If you require any further advice or support please do not hesitate to ask.

Medical appointments/evidence:

We understand that on occasions medical appointments have to be attended during school time and will always support parents as much as possible. Most medical appointments take no more than two hours, therefore we only expect children to be absent from school for part of the day. We do ask that where possible appointments are made at times that limit the disruption to your child’s education. We also ask that a copy of the appointment letter/card is given to the school. (This is for all medical appointments)

We also have blue slips that can be collected from the school office that you can take with you to appointments to get stamped if the appointment letter/card is not available. These are mostly used for dentist or doctors appointments. Please be aware that it is parent’s responsibility to provide the medical evidence to the school.

What can be used for medical evidence:
 

• Blue slips
• Prescribed medication (must have label displaying pupil’s name and date)
• Copy of prescription
• Appointment card- date /pupil’s name/ surgery stamp and signed by doctor or receptionist
• Appointment letters (hospital etc)
• Print screen of medical notes
• Doctors medical certificate
• Doctors letter