Medicine & First Aid

Medicine

Children should not bring pills, tablets or medicines to the academy with them, in any kind of unmarked bottles. Medicines and lozenges etc, purchased from a chemist and brought in by a pupil for their use, will not be administered.

Only medicine prescribed by a doctor will be administered to a child, who is otherwise fit to attend the academy and in these instances, parents/carers must complete a medical form.

The academy is not obliged to administer any medicines, but is prepared to help parents by giving a lunchtime dosage of a prescribed medicine. These medicines MUST be marked with the child’s name and the exact dose to be given should be written on it. The spoon for measuring the dose should be included.

Staff will then keep a record of when medicine has been administered in school.

The School Nursing Service

The School Nurse is employed by Kent Community Health NHS Trust and is based in Tunbridge Wells. The team offers a clinic, in school, periodically. To contact the team, please call 03007900244 or email kcht.twschoolnursing@nhs.net.

The School Health Service offers screening of height and weight for Foundation Stage and Year 6. Parents will have the option to opt out of this check if they wish to. The purpose of the School Health Service is to support children in reaching their full potential educationally and not be disadvantaged through ill-health. Throughout the child’s school life, the nursing team responds to any parental concerns and provides information and advice on health matters within the school; the emphasis is always on promoting a healthy lifestyle.

First Aid

In the event of an accident resulting in injury:

When taking pupils off the school premises, staff will ensure they always have the following:

• A mobile phone
• A portable first aid kit and reporting forms
• Information about the specific medical needs of pupils and any emergency medicine required e.g. asthma pumps/epi-pens
• Access to parents’ contact details

Risk assessments will be completed by the lead member of staff prior to any educational visit that necessitates taking pupils off school premises. At Leigh Academy Paddock Wood we use EVOLVE to organise and record all of our Trips and Visits and information has to be uploaded onto this system before children leave the school site.

For EYFS there will always be at least one first aider with a current paediatric first aid certificate on school trips and visits, as required by the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

There will always be at least one first aider on school trips and visits in Key Stage 1 and 2.

A typical first aid kit in our school will include the following:

No medication is kept in first aid kits, but may be carried separately by school adults for individual children.

First aid kits are stored in:

• The main office
• All year group areas
• Both Minibuses have First Aid Kits

If accidents occur whilst pupils are on the trip, they must be recorded using either a Minor Report or Incident Report – as per our normal school procedures. 

• A minor accident form is completed if the injury needs only very minor first aid – a wipe, cold compress, plaster or ice pack for a short time. 
• For all children that sustain an injury deemed as more than minor by a first aider the record will be entered directly on to the child’s record on bromcom.
• An email home is sent to the parents unless the injury is more severe and then a phone call will be made. 
• All children with a head bump will be given a wristband to wear and the teacher will speak to the parent on collection.
• An entry into bromcom will be completed by the relevant member of staff on the same day or as soon as possible after a major incident resulting in an injury which may need to be investigated further. 
• Records held in the first aid and accident book will be retained by the school for a minimum of 3 years, in accordance with regulation 25 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, an AIRS 1 form will be kept until the child is 21 years old.
• Any Serious Incidents or Injuries will be shared with our Estates Director and an investigation will take place to ensure procedures were followed, any Health and Safety concerns investigated and actions taken.

Through our system of Bromcom we will keep a record of any accident which results in a reportable injury, disease, or dangerous occurrence as defined in the RIDDOR 2013 legislation (regulations 4, 5, 6 and 7).

The class teacher or teaching assistant will inform parents of any accident or injury sustained by a pupil, and any first aid treatment given, where an Incident Report Sheet has been completed, on the same day, or as soon as reasonably practicable. Minor injuries will be recorded on the minor injury record in the First Aid boxes. Parents will be phoned in the event of any serious head injury and will be notified by email if any head bump has occurred.

All school staff are able to undertake first aid training if they would like to.

All first aiders must have completed a training course, and must hold a valid certificate of competence to show this. The school will keep a register of all trained first aiders, what training they have received and when this is valid until.

At all times, at least 1 staff member will have a current Paediatric First Aid (PFA) certificate which meets the requirements set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework and is updated at least every 3 years.