EIC Policy for Managing Student Illness and Absence
Updated on: Thu Oct 22, 2020
Rationale
The school recognises the value of an effective policy for the management of student and staff illness and will always ensure students’ wellbeing is our priority. Evidence indicates that a significant spread of contagious illnesses can be avoided when guidelines set by the health authority are followed consistently. While we understand that illness at home can impact schedules and routines (for both parents and children) we wish to urge all parents to support us by following our Illness Policy here at EIC. The aim of this policy is to minimise the spread of illness to our students and staff, reduce absences related to illness and thus promote continuity in the education of all students. We will do our part here at school to try to minimize the spread of illness by encouraging lots of hand washing and using hand sanitizers.
Policy
Absence Reporting Procedure
It is the legal responsibility of parents/guardians to ensure that your child attends school. Full attendance is clearly a great advantage in making the most of your child’s education, however, as a school it is also our responsibility to support children’s learning at home if they are too unwell to attend school for any given period of time. It is important to keep the school informed if your child is going to be absent. We ask parents to phone or email the school office before 9am if your child is going to be absent from school and to also state the nature of the absence and expected duration.
Illness or Injury at School
If a child becomes ill at school, he or she will be taken to the school nurse. A parent/guardian will be contacted and will be expected to pick up the child as soon as possible. If a child is injured at school, first aid will be administered if the injury is minor. An accident report will be filed for injuries which require medical attention, including first aid, and parents will be asked to sign this when they pick up their child. In the case of a more serious accident or if there are any questions concerning the severity of the injury, parents will be notified immediately. A high percentage of classroom teachers are CPR/First Aid certified. We are members of the private, local health emergency service, Helicopteros Sanitarios, and they will be called when necessary.
Illness or Injury on School Trips
We complete detailed, individual risk assessments for all trips, however, if your child should become ill or get injured on a trip, we will always notify the school who consequently will notify parents. Depending on the severity of the illness/injury, the nature and duration of the trip, a decision will be made as to whether the child can continue on the trip. If it was to be considered in the child’s best interest to be excluded from the trip, we would require a parent/guardian to pick up the child from the trip location.
Please read our Guidance Poster on Infection Control in Schools listed below. If you suspect your child could have any of the illnesses listed below, please inform the school. If your child needs to be excluded from school for any of the illnesses below and you deem your child able to return to school before the suggested time scale, we would require a doctor’s note to be handed to the school nurse, specifying that your child is well enough to return to school.
Exclusion table
Infection | Exclusion period | Comments |
---|---|---|
Athlete’s foot | None | Athlete’s foot is not a serious condition. Treatment is recommended. |
Chicken pox | Five days from onset of rash and all the lesions have crusted over | |
Cold sores (herpes simplex) | None | Avoid kissing and contact with the sores. Cold sores are generally mild and heal without treatment. |
Conjunctivitis | None | If an outbreak/cluster occurs, consult your local doctor. |
Diarrhoea and vomiting |
Whilst symptomatic and 48 hours after the last symptoms. | |
Diphtheria * | Exclusion is essential. Always consult with your local HPT | Preventable by vaccination. Family contacts must be excluded until cleared to return by your local doctor. |
Flu (influenza) | Until recovered | Report outbreaks to your local doctor. |
Glandular fever | None | |
Hand foot and mouth | None | Contact your local doctor if a large numbers of children are affected. Exclusion may be considered in some circumstances |
Head lice | None | Treatment recommended only when live lice seen. |
Hepatitis A* | Exclude until seven days after onset of jaundice (or 7 days after symptom onset if no jaundice) | In an outbreak of hepatitis A, your local doctor will advise on control measures. |
Hepatitis B*, C*, HIV | None | Hepatitis B and C and HIV are blood borne viruses that are not infectious through casual contact. Contact your local doctor for more advice. |
Impetigo | Until lesions are crusted /healed or 48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment | Antibiotic treatment speeds healing and reduces the infectious period. |
Measles* | Four days from onset of rash and recovered | Preventable by vaccination (2 doses of MMR). Promote MMR for all pupils and staff. Pregnant staff contacts should seek prompt advice from their GP or midwife. |
Meningococcal meningitis*/ septicaemia* | Until recovered | Meningitis ACWY and B are preventable by vaccination (see national schedule @ www.nhs.uk). Your local doctor will advise on any action needed. |
Infection | Exclusion Period | Comments |
Meningitis* due to other bacteria | Until recovered | Hib and pneumococcal meningitis are preventable by vaccination (see schedule @ www.nhs.uk) Your local doctor will advise on any action needed. |
Meningitis viral* | None | Milder illness than bacterial meningitis. Siblings and other close contacts of a case need not be excluded. |
MRSA | None | Good hygiene, in particular handwashing and environmental cleaning, are important to minimise spread. Contact your local doctor for more information. |
Mumps* | Five days after onset of swelling | Preventable by vaccination with 2 doses of MMR (see schedule @ www.nhs.uk). Promote MMR for all pupils and staff. |
Ringworm | Not usually required. | Treatment is needed. |
Rubella (German measles) | Four days from onset of rash | Preventable by vaccination with 2 doses of MMR (see national schedule @ www.nhs.uk). Promote MMR for all pupils and staff. Pregnant staff contacts should seek prompt advice from their doctor or midwife. |
Scarlet fever | Exclude until 24hrs of appropriate antibiotic treatment completed | A person is infectious for 2-3 weeks if antibiotics are not administered. In the event of two or more suspected cases, please contact local health protection. |
Scabies | Can return after first treatment | Hosuehold and close contacts require treatment at the same time. |
Slapped cheek /Fifth disease/Parvo virus B19 | None (once rash has developed) | Pregnant contacts of case should consult with their GP or midwife. |
Threadworms | None | Treatment recommended for child & household contacts. |
Tonsillitis | None | There are many causes, but most cases are due to viruses and do not need an antibiotic treatment |
Tuberculosis (TB) | Always consult your local HPT BEFORE disseminating information to staff/parents/carers | Only pulmonary (lung) TB is infectious to others. Needs close, prolonged contact to spread. |
Warts and verrucae | None | Verrucae should be covered in swimming pools, gyms and changing rooms. |
Whooping cough (pertussis)* | Two days from starting antibiotic treatment, or 21 days from onset of symptoms if no antibiotics | Preventable by vaccination. After treatment, non- infectious coughing may continue for many weeks. Your local doctor will organise any contact tracing necessary. |
*denotes a notifiable disease. It is a statutory requirement that doctors report a notifiable disease to the proper officer of the local authority (usually a consultant in communicable disease control).
We hope that this policy highlights the importance that we give to the welfare of all children and helps to strengthen our home-school relationship. Our aim is to ensure that we continue to work together in providing the optimum provision that underlies all our child care philosophies here at EIC.
Monitoring and Review
Our Child Illness Policy is reviewed regularly, taking into account any new initiatives, changes in legislation or developments in medicine.
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