Parents' Information

At Ashwell School, we strive to do all we can to support excellent attendance and support children with medical conditions and illness. Having said this, we have strict protocol that we are required to follow and also need to balance this with what is expected of our staff.

Key Points:

• Under no circumstances, should a child have medication of any type with them in school with the exception of an asthma inhaler where an asthma card/plan is in place. This includes throat lozenges etc.  
• All children with a known medical condition that may require emergency administration of medication in school MUST complete a Health Care Plan with the Headteacher and review this annually or when there are changes required in circumstances.
• Occasionally, a child is well enough to return to school whilst completing a course of medication. We are only able to support administering of short term medication, such as antibiotics, when it has been prescribed that 4 doses per day is required. In these cases a parent must complete a medication administration form stating the type of medication, the details of dosage to be administered and any other relevant details. Medicines must be in their original packaging and clearly marked with the child’s name and dosage instructions and handed in at the office.
• Class teachers are not to be given or administer any medicines to children.
• The school are NOT responsible for routinely administering medication such as calpol or nurofen, this should be done at home before coming into school or parents should arrange to attend school to administer if necessary. We will on exceptional occasions be able to accommodate administering this.  

*Please note that where a medicine is to be taken three times a day there is no need for it to come into school. It is quite acceptable to give one dose at home before school, the second at home time and the third at bedtime.

For additional information, please refer to our Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions in School Policy.

Please mark the children’s clothing and equipment with their name. Jumpers, sweatshirts and coats are often mislaid during the school day. Lost property is kept until the end of each term in a plastic box in the long corridor. You are welcome to search through the lost property at the beginning and end of the school day.

We do not allow children to bring to school electronic devices such as mobile phones, iPods, tablets etc.

The school should be notified in person, by telephone or in writing of the reason for absences on the first day of absence. The school will do its best to contact on the first morning of absence the parent of any pupil absent without cause known.

In September 2013 there was a change in the law relating to holidays in term time. The Department for Education regulations state that “Headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Headteachers should determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if the leave is granted. This leave is unlikely, however, to be granted for the purposes of a family holiday. Parents can be fined for taking their child on holiday during term time without consent from the school.”

Please make every effort to avoid taking your child out of school unless he or she is ill, as it is only by regular attendance that children can make the fullest use of the educational opportunities available in school.