My name is Nurse Becki and I am the school nurse at Bennett Memorial Diocesan School. I work together with other members of the Welfare Team to ensure that the health and wellbeing needs of all the students here at school are met.

I am available from 8:30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, to provide assistance to any student, who sustains an injury or becomes unwell during the school day. If I am ever unavailable a trained First Aider will attend.

The following is a list of treatments that would normally be offered to alleviate the symptoms that a student may be suffering from, in order to keep them in school.

• Heat Pads – Period pain/stomach ache/aching joints & muscles
• Cold Pads – Headaches/joint or limb injuries
• Oral paracetamol/Calpol – Headache/period pain/earache/toothache/back ache
• Strepsils – Sore throat
• Cetirizine – Allergic reactions
• Acriflex Cream – Burns
• Savlon– Sore skin
• Antihistamine Cream – Insect bites/nettle stings
• Calamine Lotion – Insect bites/stings/ allergic itchy rashes
• Medicated dressings – Burns/grazes

Over the counter medication will only be administered by me if a parent consent form has been signed (normally completed at the start of a child’s education at Bennett) and only if the child has used the medication in the past with no adverse reaction. No other members of staff are permitted to give medication unless it is by prescription and accompanied by a parent permission form signed to do so (form available on the school website). All medications administered during the school day will be recorded in the student planner.

It is important that students with asthma and severe allergies carry their inhalers and EpiPens with them at all times. We also strongly advise that spares are provided for safe keeping in the nurse’s office.

Please contact the school nurses if you require your child to keep emergency medications in school e.g. EpiPen, Inhaler with spacer, antihistamine medication, migraine medication etc. Please use the school nurse email: [email protected]

For further information regarding medicines in school please see the Managing Medicines in School policy on the school website. For other questions regarding your child’s health in school, please see the “School Nurse- Frequently Asked Questions” document on the school website prior to contacting the school nurse.

In all cases, if an injury or illness appears to be serious or debilitating, a parent/guardian will be contacted immediately in order that their child can be taken home or to hospital. Please inform the school of any change of contact details.

The parents/guardians of all students with a medical condition, whether it be a long-term illness or a short term one that impacts on their daily life will be asked to complete a care plan, you will find this on the school website. For example, students with asthma, allergies, hayfever, epilepsy, diabetes, anaphylaxis or any illness that can affect their daily living.

A care plan is an agreement between you and the school to help us manage your child’s health while in school. It helps to assess what care and support is needed and how it will be provided. Once completed, the information will be shared with the relevant staff, so that they can ensure that your child’s needs are met while in school. If you are unsure if your child requires a care plan please contact us so that we can discuss it.

The care plan is reviewed annually but it is important that you inform us of any changes to your child’s health so that this can be implemented earlier. It is important to keep the school informed should your child develop a medical illness, require surgery or the treatment/medication is changed for an existing illness.

It is vital in certain situations where a child’s health is at risk that we liaise with other school staff, for example students with severe allergies, diabetes, epilepsy or asthma. If you do not consent to information regarding your child’s health and wellbeing being discussed with other members of staff, please inform us in writing.

Please do not send your child to school if they are too unwell to attend lessons, or with injuries that have occurred out of school. The Medical Room has 2 beds for emergencies and sudden illness and should not be used as an alternative to being at home. Please contact your child’s year manager if you feel your child might benefit from attending the Achievement and Re-integration Centre (ARC).

Covid-19 We are asking parents to be very vigilant for any signs of Covid-19 infection in their children, and should they occur, not to send the child to school. The symptoms to look out for are:

• a new continuous cough
• a temperature above 37.7
• a loss of sense of taste or smell

Should any of these occur, you must keep your child at home and inform the school that they have these symptoms on [email protected], just as you would for any normal absence.

If a student becomes unwell during the school day the school nurse will attend to your child, assess and provide treatment/care. You will be contacted if your child needs to be sent home. Students may not arrange to be collected themselves.

You are very welcome to contact me at any time via my email address: [email protected] with any concerns regarding the health and wellbeing of your child. Alternatively, you can call the main school office number 01892 521595 and I will get back to you.

Kind Regards

Nurse Becki

Please note: Care Plans and medication consent forms, for both over the counter and prescription medicines, can be downloaded from the school website. You will also find information on various subjects, including advice on infectious diseases, school nurse frequently asked questions, relevant fact sheets and childhood immunisations.