Nut free school

[Don04]

I'm looking for some advice. I visited a good ofstead rated local primary school Albert Pritchard, to have a look around in March with a view to my daughter starting nursery with them this Sept, informed them of her allergies dairy and soya so drank hazelnut milk was told that's no problem. Great.

We accepted the place offered turning down an outstanding other school place as we felt AP after seeing child teacher interacting this was more nurturing environment. All going great and was invited to take my little one the other week for a visit to see her new school and on leaving was given an information pack. Included was information about this being a nut free school, totally not aware of this untill then. I called them and they have not been helpful, telling me no she couldn't have her milk, we could either change her milk or she could have water.
I'm getting really stressed as we've tried her with oat, coconut and rice milk numerous times. I totally support that they may have a child or teacher with a nut allergy and in no way want to inflict any suffering on anyone but is a school able to serve a blanket ban? Now, not having this information earlier I'm stuck with either withdrawing her, forcing her to change milks or worse her being singled out having something different at snack time.

I'm totally furious we were not given this information well before making a decision.

I prefer almond milk in coffee, but to drink and for cereal, oat milk is much nicer. Try your DD again with oat milk, she'll get used to it!

Obviously, someone cocked up giving you inaccurate information earlier on - who was it that told you that? It's that that is the problem imo.

However, as everyone has said, I think you'll find nearly all schools are nut free nowadays - so it's not something that they'll especially bother saying in advance. I'd be amazed if your other school choice is not also a nut free environment if you rang and asked.

There will be a number of kids in your dd's class with allergies, or health issues, or family issues, or SEN of some type. All of these may have slightly different provision at different times in the class. Ime, children are usually very accepting of these, and just get on with things. Your daughter really won't be singled out for not drinking milk - there are bound to be a number of children who don't drink milk for some reason or other, including personal preference. Don't let this ruin the excitement for you and your daughter of starting a new school that you've chosen to be the best option for her - it really won't have a big impact.

It possibly wasn't mentioned because it's pretty much the norm in schools to be nut-free. Not sure how/why you were told that hazelnut milk would be fine but if so, it's clearly an error from someone who was unaware of the implications for you.
You are just going to have to get over this and move on.

Nobody is missing the point , the point is even at 3 she will be fine with water during the day and the likelihood is that you would find exactly the same issue at most schools , as most schools are nut free .

Yes is diagnosed she is under hospital dietician. I'm much more reassured re most kids will take water, her day nursery were great at providing alternatives so whatever anyone else had she had a very close alternative and I totally grasp nut allergies! The outstanding school wasnt nut free.

Our last primary school went but free halfway through the time we had a child there. There is no guarantee a school won't change. A child who was allergic to nuts joined and everyone had to adapt. It was fine, and we have a child who is lactose intolerant and can only have a little soya.

@Don04 so is it an IgE or IgG allergy? I'm assuming IgG if under dietician and not allergist. That makes all the difference. Although your daughter can become ill from milk and soya, she wouldn't die if exposed. A child with a nut allergy could. Which is why almost every school is nut free now, and if they aren't then they should be.

Yes they can blanket ban and yes they should and in all the primary schools in our area there is a blanket ban on all forms of nuts and peanuts.

This information is usually available on the school website before you even make a choice for your school.

I doubt you will find a primary that will allow nuts.

So it is her nursery not school. So you can still withdraw her and find a different nursery and then when you are making your actual school applications you will know to ask specifically if it is still an issue for you. (She can drink water)

At 3, she doesn't need any milk during the day. This really isn't a problem. My older one couldn't have dairy. Was never a problem, he also never had replacements at nursery. Just ate and drank all the many foods without dairy.

I though the vast majority of schools were nut free, all the ones I know of are anyway.

Are you sure the outstanding school isn’t nut free? Maybe they just haven’t mentioned it either, equally if they weren’t you could easily find a child with an allergy joined the class and the policy changed.

When they said her drinking hazelnut milk was ok, they maybe assumed you would realise she could not have the drink in school (because that's what nut-free means) but you were asking if it was ok to have her in school having drunk hazelnut milk beforehand, so potentially on her breath.

If they have pupils with nut allergies, they are more likely to be properly allergy-aware, which will be a positive for their management of your daughter’s allergies.

mine have never had milk at school, for a starter they don't like it but it is also an extra cost. I think it was only a tiny number in the class did have it so water from their own water bottles was far more normal.

certainly all primary schools I know are nut free. It just isn't worth the risk.

sorry just seen you said it was a nursery. well neither of mine had milk at preschool either. There was always a range of fruit and breadsticks etc for snack time with water or milk.

If it is a big issue to you then get her on a waiting list for where you would prefer and move her.

I'm surprised any primary schools are not now nut-free.

OP of all the things to think about when your child starts school, you have picked a real non-issue. Please do not spend your energy on this, there are worse things in the world

It's frustrating that you were given incorrect information.

However it's common for schools to be nut free, and the other school may have the same policy.

I think it's OK for a 3 year old to not have milk during nursery hours and just have water. However if you prefer her to have milk continuing at her current private nursery is an option, preschool is optional.

I understand that being given the wrong information at the start is frustrating, but getting really stressed and worrying about your child being singled out is a bit excessive. And really questioning whether the school can implement a blanket ban? Of course they can - most schools do because nut allergies can be fatal. Your daughter will be fine and will quickly get used to not having her milk during the day. I think considering moving her to a different school because of this when it was great in every other way would be ridiculous.

What was your reasoning behind naming the school in full? Are you trying to publicly shame them? This could really backfire on you if someone made the school aware of this post. It's obvious who has posted it.

If you have a child with allergy, I think you really need to be grateful that school takes the matter seriously. Yes, of course it's annoying they have misinformed you, but drinking milk is optional, many won't anyway, and allergy could be a life or death matter for some,

Thanks all for the info, some genuinely useful as the school system is new to me so obviously I wouldn't have been aware schools were nut free, no its not on the school website.

Lots of people warned me about Momsnet being an outlet for women just to take pot shots and aside from the few really helpful posts, which have really helped my thinking the rest are personal putdowns. So to clarify no I'm not one of those moms as I've not complained to the school, I dont have loads of stress in my life, I happily hold down a senior role and I'm not a wet behind the ears 20 something and no I don't want to shame the school, I just cant comprehend how in this day and age it wasnt event mentioned in earlier conversations and visits.I will be having a conversation with them about making it obvious about it being nut free and anything else potential parents would need to know to be made publicly available at the decision making stage.

The only people that need to know it's nut free are those with nut allergies, and they'll ask. The rest of us can adapt around them, their life threatening condition is far more important.

Actually. Can I stick my head above the parapet - I'm rather suprised there isn't a sign in reception, saying that it's nut free? I rather thought they would be drumming it into everyone, given the seriousness.

The reason they didn't mention nut free is because all schools are. My kids school offered cow or soy milk, otherwise parents sent in a drink (unsweetened) but must be nut free. Most took water