It can be difficult to decide whether or not to keep your child off school or nursery when they're unwell. There are Government Guidelines for school and Nurseries about managing infectious diseases at Gov.uk
These guidelines detail when children should be kept off and when the shouldn't. If you do keep your child at home it is important to contact school before 9.20am giving a clear reason for the absence.
If your child is well enough to come to school but has a minor illness such as a cough or cold staff will always monitor their well being and will contact parents during the day if necessary.
Please follow this advice for other illnesses - guidance taken from the NHS.
NHS Website - Is my child too ill for school?
Illness | Time to be kept away from school | Comments |
Cough and Cold | Your child can come to school with a minor cough and cold | If they have a high temperature (above 38°) keep them home until this goes. |
High Temperatures | Keep at home until temperature goes | |
Chickenpox | Keep at home until all the spots have crusted over | Usually after 5 days first appear |
Cold Sores | No need to keep your child at home | Encourage children not to touch the blister or kiss anyone while they have the cold sore, or to share things like cups and towels. |
Conjunctivitis | You don't need to keep your child away from school if they have conjunctivitus unless they are feeling very unwell. | Encourage children to not rub their eyes and wash their hands regularly |
Covid -19 | If your child has mild symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, and feels well enough, they can go to school. | Your child is no longer required to do a COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test if they have symptoms. But if your child has tested positive for COVID-19, they should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day they took the test. |
Ear Infection | If your child has a severe earache, keep them off school until they're feeling better | Also, if they have a high temperature keep them off school until it goes away |
Hand, Foot and Mouth | If they are feeling well in themselves there's no need to keep them off school. | Encourage your child to throw away any used tissues straight away and to wash their hands regularly. |
Head Lice and Nits | No need to keep our child off school. | Treat the headlice. |
Impetigo | Speak to GP or pharmacist. 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. |
Ringworm | Your child can attend school once they have started treatment. | See GP or pharmacist for treatment. |
Scarlet Fever | Your child can attend school 24 hours after starting antibiotics. | They will need treatment with antibiotics from a GP. |
Slapped Cheek Syndrome | No need to keep your child off school | Once the rash appears, they are no longer infectious but advise school. |
Sore Throat | There is no need to keep your child off school unless they have a high temperature. | Please keep your child off school if they have a high temperature until it goes away. |
Threadworm | There is no need to keep your child off school. | Speak to a pharmacist who can recommend a treatment. |
Vomting and Diarrhoea | Your child should stay off school for 2 days (48 hours) from the last episode of sickness. |
Unfortunately not the ones with chocolate chips.
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