Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs in School

A Guide for Parents

This guide aims to give parents some general information about the way in which Ongar Place School tries to meet pupils’ medical needs and suggests some of the ways in which parents can help us to do so.

Ongar Place has a detailed Pupils’ Health and Administration of Medicine Policy, which is available for parents in the reception area.

How you can help us:

• Ensure your child is fit and well enough to attend school. A useful website to help make the decision is – Is my child too ill for School?
• Provide full details of any health problems he/she may have and keep the school informed of any changes.
• If medicines are prescribed for your child, ask your doctor if they can be taken outside of school hours.
• If appropriate, offer to attend the school to administer his/her medication.
• The only non prescribed medication that can be administered by the school is paracetamol.  Ibroprofen based medicines cannot be administered unless prescribed.
• Provide full details of any medication requirements and ensure medicines supplied to the school do not exceed their expiry date.
• Ensure that prescribed medicines are brought to school by a parent or another responsible adult and handed to a responsible member of school office staff in containers in which they were supplied. Containers should be clearly labelled with the child’s name, the type of medicine, dosage, storage instructions and expiry date. The adult will be asked to complete a Pupil Medication Request form.  (A copy can be found at the bottom of this page.)
• Obtain guidance, from the school office, regarding common childhood ailments and the minimum time that children should be kept at home.

For pupils with more complex medical conditions Ongar Place may draw up a Treatment Plan together with parents and any relevant medical staff, with everyone agreeing what action they will take to support the pupil. It is the parent’s responsibility to inform school of any changes to the condition or treatment.

Ongar Place School reserves the right to refuse to administer medication in certain circumstances.