Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Do children in the UK have to be vaccinated to attend school?

132 replies

AlexiaRivers · 26/07/2022 16:24

Is there a question on schools application forms that ask wether a child has had their vaccines before they start? If so do the schools prioritise based on this?

For reasons I won't go into on this thread, I have chosen not to vaccinate so am just curious if this will have an impact on the school application process when the time comes.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
lunar1 · 26/07/2022 16:25

There are no requirements in the uk for any childrens vaccines for school.

Silverfinch · 26/07/2022 16:25

Sadly not.

MrsOwainGlyndŵr · 26/07/2022 16:25

No. But IMO it should be a legal requirement.

SpaghettiSquash · 26/07/2022 16:28

No but it should be a requirement to attend school IMO unless there are medical reasons why they can't be vaccinated.

HumunaHey · 26/07/2022 16:30

SpaghettiSquash · 26/07/2022 16:28

No but it should be a requirement to attend school IMO unless there are medical reasons why they can't be vaccinated.

So, in some cases, neglected/abused children would not get to go to school and suffer more neglect/abuse. Great idea.

onelittlefrog · 26/07/2022 16:30

No, it's not mandatory to have vaccines to attend state school.

However, if there's not a medical need for your child to be unvaccinated, I would think about whether sending your child to school is the right thing.

There could be a medically vulnerable child in the class and by choosing not to immunise your child and sending them to be in close proximity to a vulnerable child every day, you could be putting them at risk.

So no, it's not illegal, but it's not very ethical unless there's a genuine medical need.

There's nothing wrong with people having their own beliefs about immunisation, but I think when it puts others at risk, you should seriously think about homeschooling as the ethical thing to do.

EV117 · 26/07/2022 16:34

No it’s not.

That’s because most of us do vaccinate our children, therefore a small minority not doing it doesn’t pose a great risk or are at a huge risk themselves.

If it was the other way around it would have some dire consequences.

So, you’re welcome OP.

vroom321 · 26/07/2022 16:37

Ohh I thought everyone had the pre school jabs?

JePréfèreLesChiens · 26/07/2022 16:40

No and I think that’s a good thing. Young get no say, they shouldn’t miss out on education.

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 26/07/2022 16:40

Unfortunately not, i would 100% support it being mandatory (where it is the parents choice to not vaccinate)

JePréfèreLesChiens · 26/07/2022 16:41

Young children

sunglassesonthetable · 26/07/2022 16:42

Just checking you're in the UK? It's not mandatory.

In the US ? It is pretty much mandatory with slight variations between states.

liveforsummer · 26/07/2022 16:49

They ask on the medical forms about tetanus but no requirement

passport123 · 26/07/2022 16:50

Unfortunately not. Stupid selfish people are also allowed to send their kids to school.

Whatalovelydaffodil · 26/07/2022 17:13

vroom321 · 26/07/2022 16:37

Ohh I thought everyone had the pre school jabs?

They're not compulsory

nocoolnamesleft · 26/07/2022 18:52

Unfortunately not. I think it should be compulsory for school attendance.

PinkBump2022 · 26/07/2022 19:22

No it’s not asked on the forms

AlexiaRivers · 26/07/2022 19:25

Thank you for the information, I have intensly thought about home schooling as not to put others at risk and still haven't reached a decision on that yet, but is something I am also strongly considering, just wanted the information so I am aware when the time comes.

OP posts:
DahliaMacNamara · 26/07/2022 19:29

No, there's no question about vaccination status on state school admission applications. I have no idea what information might be requested by independent schools.

passport123 · 26/07/2022 21:02

vroom321 · 26/07/2022 16:37

Ohh I thought everyone had the pre school jabs?

As indicated on this thread, some people are a mixture of a bit hard of thinking, and quite selfish, so they don't bother.

passport123 · 26/07/2022 21:03

HumunaHey · 26/07/2022 16:30

So, in some cases, neglected/abused children would not get to go to school and suffer more neglect/abuse. Great idea.

If vaccine status was linked to nursery/school place and also receipt of benefits, most anti vaxxers would vaccinate. We'd then have less unvaccinated kids and we could treat it as the child protection issue that it is and get court orders to have them vaccinated. The numbers are too big for that at the moment.

Purplewatch · 28/07/2022 00:35

I really don’t get the vitriol towards unvaxxed kids and their parents. Why is it OK for an unhealthy (immunocompromised etc) unvaxxed child to be at school potentially spreading diseases to everyone else themselves, yet a healthy unvaxxed child attending school is seen as abhorrent?! I’ve had one vaccine in my life and almost didn’t live to tell the tale. I was kept home from school with any typical childhood disease, not sent in to infect immunocompromised children (of whom there were none in my class, ever, through all my 14 years of schooling). My own child is completely unvaxxed. She has never had any typical childhood diseases apart from chickenpox which she caught from a child in paediatric A&E at 6 months old! She’s as strong as an ox and super healthy. Never had an upset tummy or ear infection or any other common childhood infection that jumps from child to child in her class (HFM, d&v etc). And SHE’s the one you think should not be in school because she’s a danger to others? 😂

Thecupofdoom · 28/07/2022 00:46

passport123 · 26/07/2022 21:03

If vaccine status was linked to nursery/school place and also receipt of benefits, most anti vaxxers would vaccinate. We'd then have less unvaccinated kids and we could treat it as the child protection issue that it is and get court orders to have them vaccinated. The numbers are too big for that at the moment.

School place perhaps.

But I think you need to do your research if you think anti vaxers are all in receiving benefits.

JassyRadlett · 28/07/2022 00:55

Why is it OK for an unhealthy (immunocompromised etc) unvaxxed child to be at school potentially spreading diseases to everyone else themselves, yet a healthy unvaxxed child attending school is seen as abhorrent?!

Because the immunocompromised child is the one we should, as a group, be doing what we can to protect if they can't be vaccinated by surrounding them with people who have been vaccinated and can help to keep them safe. Because it's right that we should care about protecting the most vulnerable.

Besides, an immunocompromised child is highly unlikely to be waltzing off to school while infected with one of the diseases we vaccinate against... because of the whole being immunocompromised thing.

I’ve had one vaccine in my life and almost didn’t live to tell the tale.

im sorry to hear that, do you know what the issue was?

I was kept home from school with any typical childhood disease, not sent in to infect immunocompromised children (of whom there were none in my class, ever, through all my 14 years of schooling).

How lucky. I had several children in my school with various illnesses that compromised their immune systems, including a girl with cancer who died of a lung infection.

My own child is completely unvaxxed. She has never had any typical childhood diseases apart from chickenpox which she caught from a child in paediatric A&E at 6 months old!

Goodness, I wonder what could have contributed to her avoiding all those diseases that were almost unavoidable before mass vaccination....

Riggsisadino · 28/07/2022 01:01

It's not mandatory but I believe it should be bar medical reasons which includes severe reactions.
And yes @Purplewatch your child is a risk to other children. I wasn't going to let my son play with any unvaccinated children as I am immuncomprimosed and my son may hAve had the same condition we are waiting on results. My child is no longer with me. We didn't choose to be immuncomprismosed you chose not to vaccinate your child. Heard immunity is there to help those who can't have vaccines but when people choose not to this falls down. Yes your well child hasn't come down with much. But they could pass it on to a child and make them sick or a relative. If they can't have them for a medical reason then that's fine. If you choose not to you are selfish and you never know what your child may develop in the future.