When your child is unwell, it can be hard deciding whether to keep them off school.  

A few simple guidelines can help

Would you take a day off work if you had this condition? If so, keep your child at home.

Click here NHS Guidelines for School

Not every illness needs to keep your child from school. If you keep your child away from school, be sure to inform the school on the first day of their absence.

Use common sense when deciding whether or not your child is too ill to attend school. Ask yourself the following questions.

• Is your child well enough to do the activities of the school day? If not, keep your child at home.
• Does your child have a condition that could be passed on to other children or school staff? If so, keep your child at home

Common Conditions

If your child is ill, it’s likely to be due to one of a few minor health conditions.

Whether you send your child to school will depend on how severe you think the illness is. This guidance can help you make that judgement.

Remember: if you’re concerned about your child’s health, consult a health professional.

• Cough and cold. A child with a minor cough or cold may attend school. However, if the cough is new persistent they should take a PCR test first and receive a negative result before attending school. 
• Raised temperature. If your child has a raised temperature, they shouldn’t attend school. If they have a raised temperature they should take a PCR test. If negative they can return 24 hours after they start to feel better. 
• Rash. Rashes can be the first sign of many infectious illnesses, such as chickenpox and measles. Children with these conditions shouldn’t attend school. If your child has a rash, check with your GP or practice nurse before sending them to school.
• Headache. A child with a minor headache doesn’t usually need to be kept off school. If the headache is more severe or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as raised temperature or drowsiness, then keep the child off school and consult your GP.
• Vomiting and diarrhoea. Children with these conditions should be kept off school. They can return 48 hours after their symptoms disappear. We ask parents to keep children off for two whole days after a bout of sicknesses and diarrhoea. Most cases of vomiting or diarrhoea get better without treatment, but if symptoms persist, consult your GP. 
• Sore throat. A child who complains of a slight sore throat and has no other symptoms is fit to go to school. A sore throat with a high temperature is an indication that the child should stay at home
• Conjunctivitis.  Guidance from Public Health England (PHE) (the Health Protection Agency) states that it is not necessary to exclude a child from school or from childcare if they have infective conjunctivitis unless there is an outbreak of several cases. 
• Tonsillitis.  Guidance from Public Health England (PHE) (the Health Protection Agency) states that it is not necessary to exclude a child from school or from childcare.  There are many causes, but most cases are due to viruses and do not need an antibiotic.
• Head Lice. Guidance from Public Health England (PHE) (the Health Protection Agency) states that it is not necessary to exclude a child from school however treatment is recommended where live lice have been seen to prevent an outbreak in school.
• Impetigo.  Your child cannot attend school until lesions are crusted and healed, or 48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment.  Antibiotic treatment speeds healing and reduce the infectious period 

  It’s important to inform the school if your child is going to be absent. On the first day of your child’s illness, telephone the school to tell them that your child will be staying at home. The school may ask about the nature of the illness and how long you expect the absence to last.

If it becomes clear that your child will be away for longer than expected, phone the school as soon as possible to explain this.