Absence & Medical Issues

ATTENDANCE ISSUES                 

If your child is unable to attend school please telephone 01543 227450 before 9.00 a.m.  No explanation or an unsatisfactory explanation may result in it being recorded as "unauthorised" i.e. truancy.  If you wish your child to leave the school for any reason during the school day, you must come to the school office to collect your child.

Children should arrive at school no earlier than 8.35am.  Members of staff are on duty at the gate from that time to ensure supervision of the children and to collect any messages from parents/carers. Children enter the school to their classrooms until registration begins.

The register is taken at 8.50am.

If a child arrives after the register is closed, they will be given a late mark. If a child arrives after 9.15am an unauthorised absence will be recorded.

For further information please read our Attendance Policy.

Medical appointments during the school will need to be recorded and proof of appointment must be seen by a member of the Office Staff. Where possible we ask that you make appointments such as the dentist or opticians outside of school hours.  

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MY CHILD IS ILL?                     

It is quite normal for children to have coughs and colds but there may be times where they are not well enough to attend school. In these instances, school must be informed by 9.00am on each day of absence.

The NHS have produced a webpage with useful guidance: Is my child to ill for school? 

If your child is taken ill during the day we will contact you to make arrangements for them to go home. Please ensure that we have an up-to-date emergency contact telephone number, with an alternative contact to go to if we are unable to contact you. 

For further information on illness and how long your child should remain off school please telephone the school office, or alternatively, download the poster Guidance on Infection Control in Schools and other Childcare Settings, produced by Public Health England. 

Medication in School

There are times that children will need medication in school. We are happy to administer prescribed medication such as antibiotics and pain relief.  For any other medications please check with school.  As we do not as a rule administer ear drops or eye drops.  As you can imagine, with so many children and activities in school we will always try to reduce the amount of medication we administer during the school day.

For antibiotics prescribed 3 times daily – We would ask that you give at home (morning, after, school and bedtime).

Antibiotics prescribed 4 times daily – We will administer ONE DOSE during school hours.

Larks - If your child attends Larks, we would expect the morning dose to be given before they arrive. For children attending after school who require antibiotics/medication please come to discuss the dosage.

An Administration of Medication Form must be completed.  The school will not give your child medication unless you sign this form.  School has an agreed policy that staff can administer medication. Medicine must be supplied in original packaging with the dispensary label.

Asthma & Inhalers

It is the parents’ duty to ensure that all pupils who have asthma have a spare, named, up-to-date inhaler and spacer kept in school. This also applies to auto injectors too.

An individual Health Care Plan will be needed for ongoing or more serious health related problems that your child has. This will require a meeting between Staff and Parent(s)/Carer(s).

Supporting Children with Asthma at St. Luke's