Schools sun policy - am I wrong?

[Originalfoogirl]

Before I speak to the school about their sun policy, I wanted to know if others think I'm taking an unreasonable stance.

As soon as it starts getting sunny, we get a text from the school reminding us to send our children wearing sunscreen. Fair enough, a reminder is good. I also send our girl with a bottle of suncream and remind her to re apply it - as per the advice from cancer research and sunsmart. All day sunscreen is not effective. Yesterday she said she got in to trouble for asking for help to do it and was told "you're supposed to put it on before you come to school". At 7 she can kind of do it herself, but her disability does cause her some problems putting it on.

I know it can be a faff for a teacher to put sunscreen on 30 kids and there aren't enough assistants, but just as they have to help the littles get help changing for PE and for using the toilet etc, but to me, sunscreen is just as basic. I have friends who have had skin cancer.

I think the school should have a policy on this and build it in to their day. Schools in Australia seem to manage and before anyone says it, our sun is just as dangerous to children as theirs is.

I know many people just don't see the importance of it for their children and don't appreciate the risks of burning, but should I take this up with the school or not?

Oh and I do understand the risks of burning, thanks. The last line of your OP implies that anyone who disagrees with you is stupid

Sunscreen needs to be applied 20-30 minutes before going outside, so won't impinge on staff breaks.

So you'd prefer that half an hour a day was taken from teaching time?

School isn't all day. If you put all day lotion on at 8.30am, it should last until 3.30 provided they're not out for hours on end. You can then reapply for the evening.

But not all children will need help. The ones that do should get it.

I would go in and have a chat, that's always better than stewing. Then put a note in your child's bag explaining she has sunscreen on etc. (My DS is always happier with a note. Sometimes the note just says DS is tired).

Also, I found this stick one easier for my DS to put on. (Apologies, because this is off topic).
www.boots.com/en/Soltan-Kids-Hypoallergenic-Sun-Protection-Stick-SPF50-25g_1207240/

I wouldn't expect teachers to apply sunscreen. My girls have never been sun burned. They can do other things like move to the shade and cover up if getting to hot but generally they are not out for long periods so it is rarely am issue.

Screaming safeguarding in a job where you are a responsible for a child's basic needs, whether that's toileting, cleaning, comforting or suncreaming, is a pathetic excuse for getting out of doing something and putting the responsibility on the parents.

Once children are in primary school they are supposed to be able to handle their own "basic needs." Unlike nursery teachers, primary teachers do not help with toileting, etc., unless the child has specific, agreed, documented needs.

Applying suncream really is a parent's job, not a teacher's.

DH's school rule is they can bring sunscreen in and an adult will supervise amounts but the children must be able to actually apply it themselves (disability excepted). I don't trust all day sunscreen but I do think if it's applied at 8.30 it will be ok til after lunch and then my sons school at least tries not to put them outside for long periods in the afternoon when it's warm anyway.

80kgirl Its not if it needs reapplying during the day and the child has difficulty doing it!

Its not if it needs reapplying during the day and the child has difficulty doing it!

No, it still isn't the teacher's job.

Ds is very capable, but he's 5 and we use the spray on stuff - he really struggles to push the button down. As for buddy systems, that sounds like a good plan but would bet my life schools then receive complaints from parents because the cream has been smothered on the uniform. The thought of 30 five/ six year olds in charge of suncream makes my teeth itch. And I'm not a parent who would complain about suncream on uniform!

And I would not be sending my children to a school where the teachers were scared of touching a child.

Well that rules out most schools in the UK as I've yet to come across a school where the teachers would be comfortable applying sunscreen to children.
As well as the potential allegations (safeguarding) there's also the possibility that if a child were to get sunburn, there would be cries of ''well the teacher didn't apply it properly''
Or, a child could come out in a rash because they have sensitive skin and the parent would start bleating about the teacher putting the 'wrong' type of sun cream on their child.
Teachers have enough on their plate without taking all that on board.

The trouble is a lot of schools are concerned about the safeguarding issue of teachers applying sunscreen. I run a holiday club and we ask parents to apply before they come and try to encourage children to pair of to reapply if needed.

If your child has additional needs then helping with sunscreen should be fine so i'd speak to the school.

I think you're misunderstanding what safeguarding means in a school setting nokids.

If a child has a disability which means they're unable to carry out certain aspects of their own personal care which other children of their age can manage, the child needs a care plan. This will involve staff (and it will be need to be two of them unless the sunscreen is applied in a public place) being released from other tasks to apply the sunscreen. The school will need to ensure the staff who are released are covered if they themselves are supporting a child with an ECHP, for example.

Parents often come in to help in these situations if they can because they like to be helpful and support their child and the school.

My DD is also 7. DD school insists on sun hats and sun cream but cannot put sun cream on individual children I'm guessing due to safe guarding (?). However, in reception class they are provided with a free sun hat and sun cream with a roller similar to a roll on deodorant. Reception teacher then shows them how to do it while she demonstrates on herself. Yes, sun cream inevitably gets on school uniform but as most people replace it in September, its no biggy. BTW, Nivea do a roller sun cream for kids.

This policy is very much the norm in the UK - my dcs have attended several schools and it has been the same at each one. Teachers are not meant to touch the children - which is a pretty sad state of affairs if you ask me but is how things are.

I can also understand that taking up to an hour out of the busy school day to apply sun cream is not very practical. Schools struggle to cram in everything they are meant to be doing as it is. Having said that I think if your child has a disability then that puts a different slant on things.

My dcs are very fair and we have found the all day suncream (we use the Boots one in factor 25 or 30) plus a hat effective enough for a school day.

Teachers are not meant to touch the children

That's not actually true.

Agree with previous poster who mentioned liability too - schools will also be concerned about allergies and what if the teacher misses a bit? Similar issues to those that mean that many schools are reluctant to administer medicines these days.

If you do a good enough job with a high factor before school, it should last the day anyway.

Teachers are not meant to touch the children - which is a pretty sad state of affairs if you ask me but is how things are.

Why a sad state of affairs? I'm not their parent. I'm there to help them learn. I don't need to touch them to do that. Obviously if a child is hurt I'd deal with the injury or put them in the recovery position or break up a fight etc but hugging an upset child/applying sunscreen isn't appropriate or necessary for a teacher.

Ofsted guidelines say that school adults are allowed to suncream a child as long as the parents are aware of the policy. So "please put suncream on your child before school but if they should need help to reapply during the day they can ask an adult to help" should suffice.

Most children would be fine with all day or reapplying themselves but for the few that are not they should be able to rely on the people who are responsible for their needs to assist them if necessary. Anything else is totally bonkers. And if a child is disabled or allergic then all issues should be written into their care plan anyway - including suncream.

On the subject of breaks, this isn't the only time they are outside as they do many different activities outside but I would expect teachers to monitor it and ensure they have access to shade or limited period in the sun.

purpledasies you would really stand by an upset 4/5 year old and leave them to cry? I hope you teach teenagers!

I apply factor 20 all day to mine than i send them with 50, they are to put the 50 on at lunch time. ( they only apply the 50 on super hot days)

To be honest the 20 plus a hat does the job, I'm just conscious they have pale skin so send 50 to be sure. They wear the 20 everyday during the summer.

They are the exception to the rule as most don't wear cream, few have hats ( very middle class school so bit surprising) lots burn😟

My kids are fair like me (I can burn stupidly quickly). I put cream on in the morning and they've never got burnt having not reapplied it during an average school day. They are encouraged by the school to drink plenty and spend some time in the shade if it's very sunny, which I feel is far more sensible than slapping cream on and letting them run around in the glaring sun all lunchtime.