Illness & Infectious Diseases

Illness and Infectious Diseases

To help maintain a healthy school environment, we ask that parents keep their child at home if they exhibit any of the following symptoms:

• Cold-like symptoms

• Excessive coughing

• Runny nose

• Fever

• Vomiting

• Diarrhoea

Children should only return to school at least 24 hours after the last symptom has cleared without the aid of medication. If a child becomes unwell during the school day, they may not participate in after-school activities or sports that same day.

Reporting Illness

• Parents must inform the school before 08:15 on the first day of illness by emailing both the School Office and the class email group.

• If the child has a communicable disease, parents must also email the School Nurse and Primary Receptionist.

• Upon returning to school after illness, if additional precautions are needed, please notify both the classroom teachers and the School Nurse.

• For absences of more than three days, a doctor’s note is required upon return.

Fever Protocol

• Children with a temperature over 37.5°C should remain at home.

• If a child develops a fever during the school day, parents will be contacted and must collect their child immediately.

Visits to the Nurse

• Minor treatments during the day will be communicated to parents via automated message.

• If the child requires medication or shows contagious symptoms, parents will be contacted directly.

• If a child is unfit to remain at school due to illness or non-emergency injury, parents will be asked to collect them.
  
  

Head Lice

• If head lice are found, parents should notify the school immediately.

• If a case is detected at school, a notice will be sent home so all families can check and treat their children.

• Students may return to school after lice treatment, as long as ongoing checks for nits are conducted at home.

Illness Outbreaks: In the event of an illness outbreak (multiple cases of the same illness), the school may:

• Take student temperatures at arrival

• Disinfect classrooms more frequently

• Require infected children to stay home for a specified number of days

Parents should immediately inform the Primary School Office and School Nurse if a child is diagnosed with a contagious illness. The school will follow the Ministry of Public Health guidelines to manage such situations.

Serious Accidents: If a student experiences a serious accident:

• The school will provide immediate first aid

• The child will be taken to the nearest hospital for further treatment

Wellness Protocols

• All classroom teachers are trained in first aid and classrooms are equipped with first aid kits.

• Minor bumps, bruises, and scrapes are a normal part of childhood and may not always be reported to parents.

• If an injury is more serious, or if a child shows signs of illness, the child will be referred to the School Nurse, who will decide whether the child can remain at school or should go home.

If a child is sent home due to illness:

• They must be signed out at the Primary School Office.

• If the child is too ill to walk, parents may collect them directly from the Nurse’s Office. 

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