From time to time, your child may need to miss school due to illness. At Gilbert Colvin, we ask that parents report all absences to the school office, clearly stating their child’s first name, surname, and class. Please also provide the specific reason for absence, including details of any illness. If your child is absent due to illness for more than two consecutive days, we will request medical evidence from the third day onwards. This can be in the form of a doctor’s note or medical certificate. These procedures help us to safeguard children’s wellbeing, maintain accurate records, and ensure that learning is disrupted as little as possible.

Deciding whether your child is well enough to attend school can be difficult. The NHS provides helpful guidance for parents and carers on common childhood illnesses and when children should stay home:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

As part of our Health & Safety responsibilities, we work closely with parents and carers to ensure we are fully informed about any medical conditions - both short-term and long-term - that may affect your child’s wellbeing at school.

Key documents we refer to include:

• Health and Safety Policy

• Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Policy

• Record for Administering Medicines Log

• UKHSA Guidance on Infection Control in Schools and Childcare Settings

In line with our Health & Safety Policy, we follow the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance on infection control. If a child shows symptoms of an infectious illness, we may contact parents and advise a visit to the GP or pharmacy - especially if similar symptoms have been observed in other pupils.

To prevent the spread of illness, we may ask parents to collect children with unidentified symptoms and seek medical advice before returning to school.

• These exclusion periods help reduce the spread of infection while minimising disruption to learning.

• During outbreaks, schools will follow advice from the local health protection team.

• Full guidance is available via the UKHSA: UKHSA – Health protection in schools.