The School Nurse is responsible for the health and welfare of students while they are at the RGS. So that the School is aware of any medical conditions a student may have, parents are asked to complete the medical form with all relevant details.
Parents are also asked to read the ‘Health at the RGS’ document below, together with the medical care information leaflet issued to all parents during the first week of the academic year, so that they are familiar with the health management protocols in school. Relevant medical information is essential to enable the School to provide the best possible care and to provide information should a student need to be accompanied to hospital.
Parents are requested to inform the School Nurse by email if a student is unwell, undergoes an operation or has an accident, or if there are any changes to their medical details. The School Nurse should also be copied (schoolnurse@rgsg.co.uk) into any emails regarding a student’s absence due to ill health, so that the general health of the School can be monitored.
Should a student be taken ill or sustain an injury during the school day, every attempt will be made to contact parents where required. Appropriate first aid will be administered and, where parental consent has been given, basic medication may be administered if necessary to alleviate pain or discomfort and aid recovery.
If a student is required to take medication prescribed for a chronic or long-term condition during school hours, parents should contact the School Nurse to make the necessary arrangements. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own medical conditions and may self-administer medication, provided that an assessment by the School Nurse confirms that they are competent to do so. This assessment is also required for any short-term medication brought into school (pain relief, antibiotics, and similar). Where a student has an Individual Health Care Plan, parents are asked to provide the School Nurse with a copy.
Medical information is stored electronically and treated as confidential. It will normally be accessed only by the School Nurse; however, as the safety and wellbeing of students is paramount, certain information may need to be shared with selected school staff (particularly when students are taken offsite or on trips) and with hospital personnel. If there is any information that parents wish to remain strictly confidential, they should advise the School Nurse accordingly.
All staff are made aware of student allergies and any necessary medication, such as inhalers for asthma. Please note that where a student is recorded as carrying emergency medication (such as EpiPens or inhalers), the student is required to have this medication with them at all times, particularly on trips, excursions and sports fixtures held offsite. Students who do not have their emergency medication with them may be refused participation.
OPRO no longer visit schools to provide mouthguard impressions. Parents who wish to obtain a custom-made mouthguard may use OPRO’s order service, which provides the same quality of mouthguard. An RGS Guildford mouthguard is also available for purchase at https://www.opro.com/.
Parents with any concerns regarding a student’s health are welcome to discuss these with the School Nurse in the strictest confidence.
The School Nurse is normally available during school hours for the provision of first aid and basic medical care. Other health matters should be addressed outside school in the usual way. While able to provide advice and guidance, the School Nurse is not a diagnostician and does not provide a diagnosis for any student. The School Nurse is responsible for maintaining suitable first aid supplies and for the safe and secure storage of medication. When the School Nurse is not on site, a first aider is available.
Minor Injury
In the case of a minor injury, the School Nurse will assess and treat the student as required. Where the School Nurse considers that the injury requires further assessment or treatment, the student’s parents will be contacted to arrange for the student to go home or to be taken to the Accident & Emergency Department. If necessary, the School Nurse or a member of staff will accompany the student to hospital and remain until a parent arrives.
Minor Illness
In the case of a minor illness such as a headache, sore throat or raised temperature, the School Nurse may administer the following, where parental consent has been given on the medical form:
- Paracetamol / Nurofen (ibuprofen) – tablet or liquid form
- Strepsils (age 12+, every 2–3 hours only)
- Proprietary (available without prescription) indigestion remedies, such as Gaviscon oral suspension or Rennies
- Proprietary antihistamine tablet or syrup (Cetirizine)
- Proprietary bite and sting relief cream, such as Anthisan
Should the School Nurse have any queries, parents will be contacted to discuss the administration of any medication. Appropriate documentation for any medication or treatment administered will be completed and stored electronically. Students will be advised when they may take the next dose. Where a student requires regular pain relief following an injury or illness, it may be beneficial for them to bring their own supplies to take at intervals throughout the day; in such cases, a self-administration assessment must be completed by the School Nurse. Parents must not send students to school with medication without informing the School Nurse and the student’s Tutor.
Serious Injury / Illness
In the event of a serious injury or illness during the school day, the School Nurse will make every attempt to contact parents. If unable to do so, the School Nurse will arrange for the student to be taken to the Royal Surrey County Hospital, and the School Nurse or School Office will notify the parents. The School Nurse or another member of staff will remain with the student until a parent arrives. Where transfer to hospital is not required, parents will be contacted and asked to collect the student from school as soon as possible.
Suspected Concussion
In the event of a suspected concussion, the student will be added to the School’s concussion management programme (see the Concussion Policy). Parents will receive an email advising them of the concussion, together with the guide for parents concerning the relevant signs and symptoms. The School Nurse will contact parents only where the student needs to go home or to hospital, or where there are significant concerns. Where parents have not consented to membership of the concussion management system on the medical form, the School Nurse will email the information required regarding medical assessments. Please note that, in recent years, the School has experienced difficulties in arranging the required assessments with GPs, owing to increasing pressures on their services, which can delay some students’ return to sport.
Chronic Medical Conditions
Students with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy or anaphylaxis) may need to take medication during the school day. At the RGS, students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own medication for these conditions, provided that they are competent to do so. Where parents would like medication to be administered by the School Nurse or another member of staff, the medication must be in its original packaging and clearly labelled with the student’s name and date of birth. The dose and the times at which it is to be administered must also be clearly stated on the label.
A ‘Consent to Administer Medication’ form must be completed. The student is responsible for attending the medical room at the appropriate times. Parents of students with long-term medical needs should provide the School Nurse with a copy of the student’s most recent Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP). Parents are also required to provide spare medication for these conditions, particularly for use in emergencies.
Diarrhoea and Vomiting
The School follows guidance from the Department for Education and the Department of Health regarding illness in school. Any student who has experienced an episode of diarrhoea and/or vomiting should not attend school until they have been symptom-free for 48 hours. While the School recognises that this may mean a student has work to catch up on, an unwell student will not be comfortable in school and their ability to learn will be impaired; there is also a risk of infecting others. Where a student becomes unwell with diarrhoea or vomiting at school, parents will be asked to collect them. The School also asks that any student with a high fever (above 38°C) remains at home until they have been fever-free for 24 hours.
Off Games Procedure
Where a student is ill or injured, or has an appointment, and an absence from Games/PE is required, parents should email the Director of Sport, Mr Cover (rgs-sports@rgsg.co.uk), in advance to request permission, copying in the student’s Form Tutor. The email should state the nature of the injury or illness and the length of time for which absence from Games/PE is requested. Only students in the Upper Sixth are permitted to sign out of school when off games. All other year groups must register at the PE office at the beginning of their PE/Games session before being directed to the appropriate location for their off-games period. All students are expected to remain in school unless they have permission to attend an appointment outside school. Please note that, for PE lessons, most students will attend the session to observe or to undertake a non-physical role.
Signing Out ‘Ill’
If feeling unwell, all students are expected to see the School Nurse before contacting a parent to collect them or signing out at the School Office. Where the School Nurse is not available, students must seek permission from their Form Tutor, Head of Year or Senior Deputy Head. A student who leaves school without following this process may receive a sanction. This procedure ensures that the School is aware of any illness and is able to act in the student’s best interests, both academically and pastorally.
Severe Allergies, Allergies and Dietary Preferences / Requirements (Cultural or Religious)
Please see the separate information provided below.