Parent/Carer Advice on illness and school attendance
Is my child too ill for school?
- It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school, nursery or playgroup when they're unwell.
But there are government guidelines for schools and nurseries that say when children should be kept off school and when they shouldn't. - If you do keep your child at home, it's important to phone the school or nursery on the first day. Let them know that they won't be in and give them the reason.
- If your child is well enough to go to school but has an infection that could be passed on, such as a cold sore or head lice, let their teacher know.
Chickenpox
If your child has chickenpox, keep them off school until all the spots have crusted over.
This is usually about 5 days after the spots first appeared.
Cold sores
There's no need to keep your child off school if they have a cold sore.
Encourage them not to touch the blister or kiss anyone while they have the cold sore, or to share things like cups and towels.