Health And Wellbeing

Being Active

We recognise that a healthy body is essential for the development of a healthy mind.  The children have access to an outdoor area, which provides a range of physical activities; including climbing equipment, large balls, bats and balls, rockers and digging equipment.  The children take part in at least one PE session each week, often with our School Sports Specialist.

Food and Drink

We provide a daily snack.  A range of healthy snacks are available, supplied by “The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme”.  Fresh drinking water is available at all times and in hot weather.

Activities to promote a healthy eating and oral hygiene are planned throughout the year in taught sessions, continuous provision and as a part of the wider school community such as the 28-day fruit and walk to school challenges.

Information about the children’s dietary needs is sought when they enter the setting.  A list of the children’s dietary needs is available in the classroom and all practitioners have regard to this when putting out food and drink in the snack area or when leading a cooking or food tasting activity.

The school dinner menus are displayed in the cloakroom area so that parents and carers can support their children to choose their food.

Parents are signposted to additional support (regarding health, diet or oral care) by EYFS staff including Health Visitors and Children's Public Health 0-19 Nursing Service.

Illnesses and Injuries

Parents and carers are asked not to send their child to school if they are unwell and to inform the school office of their absence.  Parents and carers are asked to inform staff if their child is suffering from a minor ailment so that appropriate care can be given. 

Children must not return to school within 48 hours of a bout of sickness or diarrhea.

If a child becomes unwell whilst at school, a member of staff will:

• phone the parents/carer, explain that their child is unwell, explain the symptoms noted and ask them to collect their child.
• sit with the child in a quiet place away from other children, if possible, until the parents arrive.
• if the child has had sickness or diarrhoea, explain the policy of at least a 48-hour clearance of either symptom before the child may return.

Advice relating to notifiable diseases is displayed in the school office. 

In the case of an injury, appropriate first aid will be administered by a qualified first aider.  A first aid kit is kept in the classrooms and its contents are in accordance with advice from the Health and Safety Executive and the Community Health Physician.  First aid cover is provided at lunchtimes.  Accidents are recorded in one of the school’s accident books and signed by the member of staff who dealt with the incident.  The staff member dealing with the incident is responsible for completing an accident slip in the case of a head injury and this is sent home with the child at the end of the day.  Parents/carers will be contacted by telephone to inform them of an injury if deemed necessary, for example for a head injury with a bump or if a child has received an injury to an intimate area that staff are unable to examine.  Parents will be informed verbally of any incident that required first aid.  Staff members follow a questioning procedure designed to ensure that adequate first aid has taken place.  This is especially relevant when one, more obvious injury may overshadow another on the same child or when an injury does not present as severe, but actually is.

In the case of a more serious accident to a child, the practitioner/school will contact the parent/guardian to agree a course of action if time permits.  If the parent/carer cannot be contacted the practitioner/school will seek appropriate medical attention or treatment for the child.  The child should not be given anything to eat or drink.  If a child or adult needs to be transported to hospital, every effort should be made to use a car with fully comprehensive insurance including business use.  Two adults must accompany the child, and one adult must accompany a member of staff.  Should an ambulance be required, one adult must accompany the child or adult.  The child’s registration form must be taken to the hospital with the child.

Medicines

Only children who have individual care plans or prescription medicine will have medicine administered by staff.  Records of these are kept each time medicine is administered.

Children may be allowed to self-administer medication with staff supervision, for example when using an inhaler.

Training for prescribed medication that is invasive (e.g. an EPIPEN) is available via the Community Training Team.  If an individual child requires a care plan, this will be drawn up by the Inclusion Leader in partnership with parents/ carers and medical professionals.

For further details, see the ‘Supporting Children with Medical Conditions’ Policy for further information.