It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school when they are unwell. There are government guidelines for schools and nurseries about managing specific infectious diseases at GOV.UK. These say when children should be kept off school and when they shouldn’t. If you do keep your child at home, it’s important to phone the school on the first day to let us know that your child will not be in school and to provide the reason.
If your child is well enough to go to school but has an infection that could be passed on, such as a cold sore or head lice, please let the school know.
Is my child too ill for school?
How To help Your Unwell Child
This leaflet will help you to make decisions about the next steps is your child is unwell.
How To Help Your Unwell Child
Keep Warm Keep Well
During the current cold winter months we need to try to stay warm and check on neighbours and relatives who may be vulnerable during cold weather. This leaflet provides helpful advice for keeping warm and well with regard to COVID-19.
School Nurse
The school works closely with the Westminster Nursing Team. If there is a health need we can support you with please speak to Miss Coleman. The school nurse helps us with aspects of our curriculum including delivering handwashing sessions to Foundation Stage & Year 1 and teaching the puberty aspect of Relationship Education to Years 5 & 6.
National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP)
Children in England in Reception and Year 6 have their height and weight measured as part of the annual National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). This helps the health service to have a good understanding of how children are growing so they can provide the best possible advice and support services to those who need it. The survey results help the NHS and Westminster council to plan services to help families to stay healthy.
Annual School Flu Vaccination
An annual flu vaccination is offered to children in Reception to Year 6. This vaccination is recommended to help protect children against flu. Flu can be an unpleasant illness and sometimes causes serious complications. Vaccinating your child will also help protect more vulnerable family and friends by preventing the spread of flu. The vaccination is free and is a quick and simple spray up the nose. Since the programme was introduced, most parents have given consent so that children offered the vaccine in schools have had the immunisation.
Oral Health
As result of the pandemic, the Oral health Promotion team has currently postponed any direct contact activities with children and their families. However, they would like to continue support especially as dental services are limited at this time. The CLCH oral health team are providing online advice sessions for parents/carers on children’s oral health via MS Teams or telephone. Parent’s support service is offered daily, 15 minutes slot available via advance email booking. Please book an appointment via clcht.ohp@nhs.net
Medical Needs
St. Vincent’s is an inclusive school with a strong Christian ethos which values the unique worth of every individual. We believe every child has a right to education, irrespective of any medical condition or health need they may have. The school will do everything reasonably and practically possible to ensure that pupils with medical conditions have full access to the curriculum and all school activities including school trips and Physical Education. Through co-operation with health professionals, parents and the delivery of appropriate training the school will develop an understanding of how a particular medical condition impacts on a child’s ability to learn, including the social and emotional aspects of having a medical condition. At the same time every effort will be made to increase the confidence and independence of children with medical conditions and promote self-care.
Healthy Schools Gold
We are very pleased and proud to announce that we have achieved the Healthy Schools Gold Award in recognition of our achievements in supporting the health and wellbeing of our pupils. There are three levels of award and we previously achieved Bronze and Silver level. To achieve Gold we focussed on health and fitness. We needed to show the impact of the changes we have made and that these are sustainable. We also needed to show how we have engaged the wider community, and supported others to help children maintain a healthy weight , healthy lifestyle and wellbeing.
For more ideas visit our Keeping Healthy News Post
Try Before You Bike
Cycling is great way of keeping fit and healthy but may it be for everyone. Peddle My Wheels have a ‘Try Before You Bike Scheme’ that could help make bikes accessible for those that could not access schemes such as the Cycle to Work Scheme. The scheme is now available for schools (staff/parents/pupils). Please visit www.westminster.gov.uk/try-you-bike-schools or refer to the poster below if you want to take
advantage of the scheme or wish to gain more information.
