Illness
The school has excellent First Aid facilities, and the services of a Welfare Assistant during school hours.
If a student feels ill in school, they are given a permission slip by a teacher and they then go to the Medical Room where first aid can be given. If a student is too ill to stay in school, parents are then contacted by the school to arrange for the student to be taken home.
When a student is accidentally hurt, first aid only, is given and an assessment made. We inform parents if it is not clear how serious the injury may be and further investigation by a doctor is deemed necessary. We also inform parents if students suffer a head injury or a non-accidental injury, even if the student feels well enough to stay in school. On rare occasions, an accident or illness may require the attendance of emergency services; in this event, we make every effort to contact parents after the emergency call is made. In the event that a parent or relative cannot be contacted, it is usual for a member of our staff to accompany or follow the student to hospital to await the arrival of parents.
Students who are prescribed medication to be taken during the school day, on a regular basis, must have it clearly labelled with name, date and dosage. It should be handed in to the First Aid room for dispensing as indicated. Some students are prescribed occasional treatment such as an antibiotic, which has to be taken during the day. This must be clearly marked and parents must be confident that the student is mature and sensible enough to take it at the appropriate time, if it is not handed in. Asthma inhalers, epi-pens and, infrequently, other medication, which have to remain in the care of the student, must be clearly marked. They are the student's responsibility and must never be lent to another student. It may be appropriate for emergency spares to be kept in school in which case they must be clearly labelled and collected on expiry.
Students who carry pain relief such as paracetamol should carry only two single doses in unbroken packaging. They should not give these out to friends. If a student suffers from migraines or another condition requiring occasional pain relief, additional, labelled supplies can be sent in to the First Aid room to be dispensed as the need arises. As part of the First Aid treatment, our staff may administer a single dose of paracetamol to any student over twelve years of age, if they judge it necessary and to under twelve year olds if a written request has been made by parents.
Any supplementary questions a parent may have about medication may
be addressed to Mrs Jackson, the School's First Aid Coordinator, or the
School Nurses at The Hub, 41 West Way Littlehampton West Sussex BN17
7NA.
Parents should contact the school to tell us of any contagious or infectious disease or case of head lice so that we may inform relevant authorities or take other precautionary measures as necessary.