If your child gets sick or injured at school, the school will contact you. If your child is ill, they will go to an area where they can lie down and be monitored. You will be called to come and collect your child if they are too sick to go back to the classroom. For this reason, it is important to keep your contact details up to date with the school, including an alternative contact – such as a relative or neighbour – the school can call should you be unavailable.
From time to time your child may get sick.
If they display any of the following symptoms, they should stay at home and see a doctor:
a fever of 38ºC or above
vomiting or diarrhoea
cough or respiratory symptoms
cold or flu symptoms
rashes of an unknown origin.
Head lice spread when children are in close contact. They are easily treated and are not harmful to your child. Having head lice is not a reflection or the level of your child's personal hygiene.
Check your child’s hair regularly.
Keep long hair tied back, plaited or braided.
Keep a fine-toothed comb in the bathroom and encourage your family to use it when they wash their hair.
Daily combing with a white hair conditioner using a fine-toothed comb will help get rid of head lice and their eggs (nits). If your child has head lice, let the school know so they can ask other families to check their children’s hair. Your child does not have to be identified.
Schools promote sun-smart behaviour by encouraging students and staff to Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide.
Sun-safe uniform items – including hats that protect the head, neck and ears – are included in school uniforms. School staff encourage students to play in the natural and built shade environments around the school. Most schools have a no hat, no play policy so your child will need their hat to play with their friends at recess and lunch.
You can protect your child from the damaging effects of UV radiation by applying sunscreen each morning before they leave for school and ensuring they are wearing a sun-safe hat. Children can also wear sunglasses at school to protect their eyes from sun damage.
It is important for you to inform the principal and the school if your child has asthma or allergies – not just those diagnosed as severe or food allergies.
Anaphylaxis is a severe and sudden allergic reaction to allergens such as nuts or shellfish, or insect bites. If your child is diagnosed with asthma or at risk of an anaphylactic reaction, you must provide the school with information from your child’s doctor, including an Action Plan for Anaphylaxis in accordance with the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA).
The school will develop an individual health care plan to describe your child’s needs and how the school plans to meet these needs during the school day, on excursions and in other school activities such as sport.
Schools and parents work together to put arrangements in place for health care support. Information from the child’s doctor that you provide will inform the planning process.
All of the information on this page can be found at this website.
© State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2021