As you know, excellent attendance for all children is vital, and to ensure that all children are able to attend the maximum sessions, we have changed our policy on safe administration of medication to children during the school day. The change is in line with most other schools and is to protect our staff when children are given medicines at school. Unfortunately times have changed, and you will recognise that there are now so many legal implications in everything we do!

 

If your child must have prescribed medication of any type given during school hours, you have the following choices:

 

1. You may come to school and give the medication to your child at the appropriate time(s)

2. You may obtain a copy of the authorisation form from the school office – giving permission for a member of staff to administer the medicine

3. You may discuss with your doctor an alternative schedule for administering medication (i.e. outside of school hours).

 

Prescription medicines must be brought to school in a pharmacy-labelled bottle, which contains instructions on how and when the medication is to be given. Children must not bring in medication. There may be occasions where we will agree to administer non-prescription medication (Paracetamol or Ibuprofen) but this will be decided on a case by case basis and after consultation with the parent. The parent will need to provide the medication in its original packaging and complete the administering medicines form at the school office.

 

We reserve the right to a conversation with the parent to decide whether or not the child is fit to be in school. If a child becomes ill during the school day, we would call the parents to collect them. We would not administer non-prescribed medication and we would not keep our own supply of Paracetamol or Ibuprofen on site. We will not administer non-prescribed antihistamines in any circumstances as these can be administered before and after school hours. There will be exceptions for residential school trips.

 

School staff will not administer any medication to students unless they have received an authorisation form properly completed, signed by the parent/carer, and the medication has been received in the original labelled container. The member of staff administering the medication will also complete an individual child administration record, which will record the time and dose given.

 

It is a teacher that gives the medicine, and also checked by another teacher. Therefore medicines are only able to be given at morning break (around 10.20am) and at lunchtime (noon – 1pm). You may need to adjust the timings for other doses.

 

The Trust's Medical policy can be found in the policies section (link below) and also applies to school trips and residential school journeys. To protect the safety of your child and our staff, there will be no exceptions to this policy.

 

If you have questions about the policy, or other issues related to the administration of medication in the schools, please call the school and speak with the school nurse or have the school office give you the information on how the nurse may be reached. In addition we would like to take this opportunity to remind all parents/carers that all staff are required to take the necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection. In light of this we may ask you to collect your child or keep your child at home if there is a risk of infecting other children.