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Guidance on Illness

To avoid outbreaks of infectious illnesses, please do not bring your child to school if they are unwell.

If your child becomes unwell during the school day, we will contact an individual registered as an emergency contact on Arbor to arrange for your child to be collected.

We will notify parents of any specific notifiable illness in our newsletter to enable parents to know what symptoms to be looking out for, i.e. chickenpox, sickness or diarrhoea.

School will follow guidance from the Health & Safety Executive and NHS.  

A well child is a child who is:

  • Not reliant on Calpol, Nurofen or similar medicine.
  • Not running a temperature of 37.5c or higher.
  • Has his/her normal appetite and retains food and liquids.
  • Well enough to participate in all areas of school life.

Following NHS guidance, please find below a table of the minimum periods required for a child to be away from school after an illness: 

Illness Minimal Period Before Returning to School
Antibiotics First 24 hours at home but must be well enough to return to school. Antibiotics can take 48 hours to improve an illness so please ensure the child is well enough to return.
Chickenpox Minimum 7 days from appearance of the rash and until all spots have scabbed over.
Conjunctivitis Keep child at home until eyes are no longer weeping and are totally cleared.  Conjunctivitis is highly contagious and can last 48 hours or more.
Diarrhoea Allow a full 48 hours after the last bout of diarrhoea before returning to school.
Gastroenteritis, food poisoning Until confirmed by Doctor that the child is well enough to return.
Hand, foot and mouth Until child has made a full recovery.
Headlice Until treatment has been given. Please note repeat treatments may be necessary.
Impetigo Until skin has healed.
Plantar warts Should be treated and covered at all times.
Scarlet fever Until appropriate medical treatment has been given and not less that 48 hours from the start of treatment.
Temperature Please do not bring a child to school with a temperature.
Vomiting Allow a full 48 hours after the last bout of sickness before returning to school.

If you are unsure, please contact the School Office.

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