A child who is unwell and unfit to attend school would normally be kept at home by the parent/carer until fully recovered. In some circumstances, headteachers feel that children are not well enough to be in school and will arrange for their return home, having first made contact with the child’s parent/carer.

It is each parent/carers responsibility to ensure that their child is fit to attend school, and any medication required whilst the child is at school should ideally be administered by the parent/carer.

Very few medicines need to be taken four times a day. In most cases, final doses of medicines e.g. antibiotics can be given before the child leaves home for school and immediately on their return from school, so that a consistently high level of the medication is maintained in the bloodstream throughout the day. The same principle can also be applied to medications such as creams for conjunctivitis etc.

A problem may arise where either the parent cannot administer the dosage, if it must be taken in school time or the child has a chronic need of medication. This raises the question of who should be expected to administer the medicine.

There is no legal or contractual duty on school staff to administer medicine or supervise a pupil taking it. This is a voluntary role. Some support staff may have specific duties to provide medical assistance as part of their contract. No member of staff should administer any medications unless they have received proper training. First aiders are not trained to administer medication.

If a child requires medicines to keep down the effects of an illness it is hoped that headteachers will deal with each case sympathetically and on its merits. Senior Management should decide:

  • Whether or not to administer medication
  • If it decides to administer medicines, what sort it will, and will not, administer
  • Who will administer the medication
  • Where any medicines will be kept

Arrangements to this affect should be drawn up and included in the school Health and Safety Policy.

Guidance to help schools formulate arrangements in managing medications, and to draw up health care plans to support pupils with medical needs, is provided in the DfES publication :

Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs : A Good Practice Guide.

Download available here (in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format).

Alternatively, please call the DfES Publications Helpline on 084560 22260.

Asthma Inhalers

Asthma sufferers should be allowed to retain their inhalers where possible, or they should be readily available. Inhalers must not be kept in first aid boxes or any place at a distance from the patient.