Children are sometimes involved in accidents at school. Most of the time, this is dealt with in school, by a member of the support staff.
Simple cuts and grazes are washed. We don’t apply plasters unless it is essential to keep a large wound clean. We do not use antiseptic creams or wipes, just clean water and a sterile dressing to clean wounds. We often will give a child a small sterile ice pack to hold over a wound to ease the discomfort. For most injuries this is sufficient.
If we feel the accident has been traumatic for the child or that the injury sustained needs more specialised treatment, we telephone for a parent or contact to come to school to assess the situation and to take the child home for more attention.
An accident form is completed and sent home for all significant injuries and, in particular, in the event of a head injury.
If the injury is more serious and needs urgent hospital attention, we telephone either parent or contact to come to the school immediately, if they are unavailable, we make arrangements for the child to be taken to hospital by ambulance and will meet the parent there. A senior member of staff or first aider will always accompany the child if the parent hasn’t arrived at the school. If necessary the member of staff will act in ‘loco parentis’ to ensure a child is treated appropriately at the hospital until a parent arrives.
Several members of staff have Paediatric First Aid qualifications, they are called upon to advise in the event of more serious injuries.
If a child falls ill whilst at school, we telephone the parent or contact [if the parents are unavailable] for the child to be taken home.
Children who have stomach upsets involving sickness and/or diarrhoea should have two sleeps following the last symptom, before returning to school.
Please see current government guidance in respect of Covid-19 or contact the school for further information.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/threadworms/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/head-lice-and-nits/
If your child is absent from school due to illness, please notify the school by email admin@bengeo.herts.sch.uk or telephone the office on 01992 582765.