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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

24 hours sick policy

37 replies

CaesarSaladNoDressing · 03/12/2013 20:05

DS was refused entry to school this morning because he was sick once in school at 2pm yesterday afternoon. I picked him up, he wasn't sick again, ate his tea, slept fine and seemed totally recovered this morning. DH was doing drop and and was accosted by HT who said DS couldn't come in as was less than 24 hours since he was sick.

I am annoyed, not because of the policy to keep kids off, I do understand re infection spreading etc.. but the fact that I didn't know about this rule. DH had arranged day off today when I got the phonecall so it was all sorted but then as he was better, DH cancelled his cover at work.
I just don't know how they thought we would automatically know this without being told...ever!
I actually checked the website and DD nursery info pack (she is starting in Jan) to see if there was anything mentioned about this but not a thing anywhere.

Is this common practice? I am amazed it isn't in attendance policy if it's a school rule.

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mankyscotslass · 03/12/2013 20:07

At our school its 48 hours after the last sickness/loose bowel movement.

I can't remember how I found that out though.

AuntieStella · 03/12/2013 20:07

Yes, very common - and 24 hours is a short one. Many places have 48 hours.

Original poster

CaesarSaladNoDressing · 03/12/2013 20:09

So it doesn't matter why they were sick?

DS is a bit of a puker, he had reflux as a baby and used to be always throwing up. He's got a cough so I reckon that's why he was sick.

Am wondering whether to email school?

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NickNacks · 03/12/2013 20:09

It's not the schools but the health protection agency who set it and it's actually 48 hours.

How can you think it's ok to send a recently (very recently) contagious child back into a setting with potentially dozens of people to infect!?!

mrz · 03/12/2013 20:10

The NHS guidelines are 48 hours not 24 and most schools follow the 48hour rule

www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Yourchildatschool/Pages/Illness.aspx

Original poster

CaesarSaladNoDressing · 03/12/2013 20:11

As explained above. I don't think he has a sickness bug I think he was sick through running about at playtime then coughing. He used to be sick all the time when he was little.

OP posts:

NickNacks · 03/12/2013 20:11

No it doesn't matte why because you might be wrong.

Original poster

CaesarSaladNoDressing · 03/12/2013 20:12

Thank you for link mrsz

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Periwinkle007 · 03/12/2013 20:12

48hrs is standard- not set by the schools but standard for workplaces etc.

and no it doesn't matter why they were sick. there was a child in my daughter's preschool who went back having 'only been sick once last night' - sure enough a day or so later virtually ALL the children were sick. so it didn't affect him very badly but it did them.

I assumed everyone knew the rule was standard and am surprised you didn't know. Please remember that for some people who have health conditions or autoimmune disorders these illnesses can be much more serious and cause a lot of problems.

It actually really winds me up when people send their kids back in less than 48hrs later. If everyone followed the rules then fewer kids would get ill in the first place.

NickNacks · 03/12/2013 20:13

As a childminder I've heard every excuse imaginable and the school undoubtedly have too.

Boobybeau · 03/12/2013 20:13

It's usually 48 hrs after d or v tbh but I've always been told this in writing at any child care/schools but it is quite unusual for them to have not told you this some how.

lilyaldrin · 03/12/2013 20:13

Yes it's common practice - usually 48 hours. The staff should have told you when you picked him up sick though.

Original poster

CaesarSaladNoDressing · 03/12/2013 20:13

I am never wrong!!

But that's not really the issue, I genuinely didn't know it was a rule and it's nowhere on the school website.

I am obviously a bit thick!!

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Original poster

CaesarSaladNoDressing · 03/12/2013 20:16

I am not making excuses

We had childcare all arranged. As soon as I picked him up yesterday I called DH who changed his shift. He then had to change it back again this morning.

And yes receptionist handed him over and didn't say a word.

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ilovepowerhoop · 03/12/2013 20:16

www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1194947358374 - gives timescales for keeping them off for all sorts of illnesses

FightingOverImaginaryIcecream · 03/12/2013 20:20

DS1 never seems to get seriously ill when there's a vomiting bug doing the rounds. Loads of people off his school for a week, one little girl hospitalised through dehydration and he was sick once at breaktime and then spent the next 48 hours bouncing on our trampoline saying "I'm not ill! When can I go back to school?". The answer being not yet, as despite never seeming terribly ill, he is as contagious as anyone else with the bug (and DS2 always suffers the consequences).

ShoeWhore · 03/12/2013 20:20

It's 48 hours at our school too.

I do know what you mean though. Ds1 sometimes throws up when he has a high temp (often first sign an ear infection is brewing) - he's not contagious and there is no real reason he needs to be kept away from other children. It's pretty easy to spot the difference between that and an actual sickness bug.

Oh and ds3 gets travel sickness. Never quite sure how the rule applies to that either!

I do support the rule though. Ds3 got noravirus when he was at nursery and it was really scary.

NickNacks · 03/12/2013 20:24

I don't mean excuses as you were trying to get out of keeping him off, excuses in the sense that most parents have a 'reason' why their dc probably isn't 'really ill'. Iyswim.

souperb · 03/12/2013 20:24

I am curious about this because DD is due to start school next Sept and is currently sick 2-3 times a week. She's not ill, just gets motion-sick quite easily and tends to vomit when she has a cold or gets upset. Drs reckon its because of large tonsils, which they don't want to take out yet. I can see her missing most of her school career if things keep on as they are - is there not any leeway on the being sick thing at all? I'm afraid to say that I just send her in to preschool at the moment on the grounds that she's not ill and would never get to go if she took 48 hours off each time. Obviously, if she has a temperature or other symptoms I keep her home. But not for "normal" vomiting for which I can generally pinpoint a cause.

Original poster

CaesarSaladNoDressing · 03/12/2013 20:24

Yes DS has been running round dressed as a power ranger all day apparently! I think we must have become a bit desensitized to him being sick after the 2 years of reflux.

I am going to raise the fact that we were unaware this was a rule and it should be mentioned in the attendance policy. They have pages and pages about unauthorised absence, referrals and penalty notices though! I also checked the health and safety policy and it's not in there either.

Thanks for all replies x

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Original poster

CaesarSaladNoDressing · 03/12/2013 20:28

souperb - I am no use to you, it is clear I have no idea about these things!!

But surely a Drs letter or something would cover as is existing medical issue?

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mrz · 03/12/2013 20:29

souperb imagine your daughter vomits in class ... the teacher has 29 other children to keep away from the vomit care for. From experience I can assure you it isn't pleasant when a child vomits over the table or on their neighbourand the others want to make patterns in it!

Original poster

CaesarSaladNoDressing · 03/12/2013 20:30

I am ok with the rule too ShoeWhore.My childminder has always had this policy so I knew it was her rules but for some reason thought hers was to do with under 5s.

Lesson learnt!

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OddBoots · 03/12/2013 20:33

My dd had reflux that caused her to be sick if she had hiccups or sneezed hard or sometimes for unknown reasons. We made the school aware of this and they accepted it without a letter from the doctor (although we would have been willing to get one). I think it was the fact we made them aware before she started that helped.

IamInvisible · 03/12/2013 20:37

I'm amazed that people haven't heard of the 48 hour rule tbh.

When I was a Pre-school supervisor, a CM told me about X who had not been off the toilet all afternoon and had vomited copiously as well. (A vomiting bug was doing the rounds) Next morning she pitched up to the door with X looking pale and peaky , saying mum thought it was because they had eaten too many grapes! My manager and I turned them away and said not to bring them the next day either. She wasn't happy, but rules are rules.

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