Medical Information

If your child is unwell

We would expect a parent/carer to telephone the school on the first day of absence preferably by 9.30am by calling 01449 613541 and selecting Option 1 or by emailing attendance@stowhigh.com.  If you do not contact us we will contact you for a reason for your child's absence.  If we do not receive an explanation, or if the explanation is unsatisfactory or vague the absence will not be authorised.

If your child becomes unwell or is injured whilst at school

Your child would need to let a member of staff know.  The procedure would be for the member of staff to then call patrol if they felt the student needed first aid or medical attention.  Patrol may be able to assist the student or may then escort them to first aid/medical for further treatment or assessment.  The first aider would either treat or advise the student and if necessary call parents/carers to inform or collect.

If your child has a medical condition

All medical information should be shared with school to enable us to support your child.  If needed a Health Care Plan can be written detailing any special requirements or actions.  If you wish to discuss any medical needs further, please get in touch with the Medical Administrator Sue Ward on 01449 613541 or alternatively via email at s.ward@stowhigh.com.

If your child requires medication in school, there are two options:

Parents/carers can give their permission for their child to carry and administer their own medication whilst in school, for example painkillers.  Also, it is advised that emergency medication and equipment is carried on the student for example inhalers, diabetic equipment and supplies, Adrenaline Auto-injectors.

Considerations before consenting to your child carrying their own medication:

• Ensure your child is aware that they must not give any other students any medication in school under any circumstances and that they are mature and responsible enough to undertake the responsibility of carrying their own medication
• It is the parents/carers responsibility to send only the appropriate amount of medication in to school with  your child to prevent students carrying around whole boxes of medication, which, if dropped would cause a safeguarding issue and to inform the medical administrator and sign the correct paperwork to consent

Alternatively, medication can be handed in at reception for staff to administer as required once parents/carers have completed a form to give permission for medication such as antibiotics and painkillers.  Both forms can be found below, please complete them in and return to main reception for the attention of the Medical Administrator.

Please click the links below to access the relevant medication permission forms:

Parental agreement for school to stock medicine (Form 3A)

Parental agreement for child to carry medicine on them whilst on the school grounds (Form 7)

We have a number of students in our school who suffer from severe nut allergies and require emergency medication.  For those who have severe nut allergies, coming into contact with a nut product can cause life-threatening consequences.  The product can be easily transferred from a simple handshake or touching of a student's desk.  For this reason, it has been agreed that as of 2 September 2019, students and parent/carers must not bring any products that contain nuts as a main ingredient into school.  We are also aiming to raise awareness within school regarding allergies and the severity it poses to some students.  We would appreciate parents and carers supporting us with the awareness and impacts of allergy, by sharing information with your child/children at home.

We do not claim to be a 'nut-free' school.  As The Anaphylaxis Campaign advises that this is not a pragmatic approach, for the following reasons:

• It would be impossible to provide an absolute guarantee that the school is nut-free
• Students regularly bring in food from home and food bought on the way to school
• There would be a risk that students with allergies might be led into a false sense of security

There is a strong case to be argued that children with food allergies will develop a better awareness and understanding of how to manage their allergies if they grow up in an environment where allergens may be present.  However, despite being unable to guarantee a nut free school environment, we would like to promote a restriction on these products, as much as is reasonably possible.

We ask that you or your child do not ring any products containing nuts into school.  Some examples are:

• Fruit and cereal bars containing nuts
• Chocolate bars or sweets containing nuts
• Nutella
• Peanut butter
• Cakes containing nuts
• Museli bars
• Baklava
• Any loose nuts 

Our school caterers provide us with nut-free products, however, they cannot guarantee freedom from nut traces.  For more information please see caterers website https://edwardsandblake.co.uk/.

Spare Emergency Medication

From 1 October 2017, the Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017 has allowed schools in the UK to buy adrenaline auto-injector devices (known as AAIs) without a prescription to use in an emergency on children who are at risk of severe allergic reaction (known as anaphylaxis), but whose own device is not available or not working.

Also from 1 October 2014 the Human Medicines (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2014 allowed schools to buy salbutamol inhalers, without a prescription, for use in emergencies.  The emergency salbutamol inhaler should only be used by children, for whom written parental consent for use of the emergency inhaler has been given, who have either been diagnosed with asthma and prescribed an inhaler, or who have been prescribed an inhaler as reliever medication.

Stowmarket High School now holds a spare Asthma inhaler and Adrenaline Auto-Injector for use in school and on trips in accordance with the above regulations.

In addition to this; the devices could be used in an emergency on students displaying life-threatening symptoms, but with no previous history or diagnoses of an allergy or asthma.  As stated in guidance from the Department of Health published 15 September 2017 - Guidance on the Use of Adrenaline Autor-Injectors in Schools.

Many thanks for your support in this matter.