Letter to Parents and Carers: Medication & Illness Management Guidance
Tue 13 Oct 2026
Dear Parents and Carers,
Medication & Illness Management Guidance
At Outwood Academy Shafton, we prioritise robust arrangements to ensure your child’s health, wellbeing, and safety. Please keep this summary guidance accessible for reference throughout the academic year.
1. Managing Illness During the School Day
- If your child feels unwell, they should inform their classroom teacher or Learning Manager immediately.
- Staff will notify emergency first aid personnel to evaluate your child and provide care. Note: The academy maintains trained emergency first aid staff, but does not have a dedicated on-site school nurse.
- If your child is too unwell to remain in class, we will contact you directly to discuss the collection of your child.
- Please ensure emergency contact details remain up to date in our school system at all times.
2. Bringing Medication into School
- Medication should only be brought to school when essential to your child's health or attendance during school hours.
- Students must not carry medication on their person; unauthorised medication will be confiscated.
- Routine medicines prescribed three times daily should be administered at home (before school, after school, and at bedtime).
- Where medication is required during school hours, all requirements below must be met:
- Delivery: Hand-delivered to Main Reception by a parent, carer, or authorised adult.
- Packaging: Provided in original pharmacy packaging detailing the child's name, dosage instructions, expiry date, and enclosed patient leaflet.
- Paracetamol: Non-prescribed paracetamol for short-term illness can only be administered for up to 3 days without a formal GP prescription.
- Consent: A signed Parental Agreement to Give Medicine form must be completed before any medication is administered.
3. Emergency Medical Devices & Severe Allergies
- Students with emergency conditions (e.g., severe allergies or asthma) are supported to carry emergency medication in their bag or blazer pocket.
- Students prescribed Adrenaline Auto-Injectors (AAIs) must carry two in-date AAIs with them at all times.
- The academy maintains central stocks of emergency backup AAIs and asthma reliever inhalers for emergency use.
- Emergency spare AAIs can be administered immediately in life-threatening situations.
- Emergency spare inhalers will only be administered if prior written parental consent is on file.
4. Individual Healthcare Plans (IHCPs)
- For students with long-term medical conditions, complex needs, or severe allergies, we will collaborate with parents and healthcare professionals to establish a formal IHCP.
- For allergic conditions, the student's official clinical Allergy Action Plan issued by a doctor must be attached to the IHCP.
To discuss a medical condition or set up an Individual Healthcare Plan, please contact Mrs Livingston, our Health & Wellbeing Officer, at c.livingston@shafton.outwood.com
Yours faithfully,
Jane Goldthorpe
Business Manager