Suncream at Primary?

[DripdripdroplittleAprilshowers]

Hi, just wondering if anyone is sending their DC into school with suncream while it's hot? I don't know of any policy at school about whether it's ok or not. I sent a little roll on one with DC this morning an they said the teacher asked if anyone had cream to put on, but they were the only one.

I don't want to be that parent but also want my child protected from the sun, especially on PE days when they spend even more time outside.

I use the all day stuff on sunny days. Put on at 8.30 so less than 7 hours until I pick them up again. If particularly hot on a day they’re in breakfast/ after school club I still put it on in the morning but send a little roll on one in and tell them to put it on again at lunch time. Wouldn’t expect the teacher to do it (even non covid) and I know they won’t apply it thoroughly everywhere but a bit of a sun cream top up is better than nothing!

The problem schools have is:

Safeguarding Re staff touching pupils to apply the suncream (even though it might seem crazy)

Relying on pupils to apply it correctly and enough of it for it to be doing the job

If pupils need help applying it, one member of staff applying suncream to up to 30 pupils would take longer than break time or the playing out time after lunch.

It's a nightmare to be honest, and often staff at break don't have time for suncream as they are either dealing with incidents, prepping for the next lesson, involved in an intervention that's needed, catching up with other staff etc.

My dd is now in yr 2 and once it warms up I also send her in with a roll on one. Which they are allowed to apply themselves at breaks and P. E. Also send her in with her hat. A number of parents in her class do the same.

When mine were at primary we were told to put long lasting sunscreen on them before they went to school that would last the school day.

I put sun cream on mine just before school.

Just had an email asking us not to send in cream due to allergies 🤷🏼‍♀️ I send a roll on one because my daughter has a burn scar that must be protected. School okd this.

I’ve never put suncream on for school, on myself or any of my dc. I guess I’ve always assumed they don’t spend that long in the direct sun at school and no one has burned yet (very fair)

Also use the all day suncream on sunny days. Apply in the morning before they go and it lasts for the school day. I use boots soltan kids all day stuff

The main problem with sending in sun cream for young children to apply themselves, is that it needs to be applied approx 15 mins before going in the sun for it to be effective. So applying it at the beginning of break will mean it only starts working once they are back in class!

Or you have to let/ remind children to apply the sun cream half way through a lesson, which is really disruptive. All parents need to do is apply the once a day stuff before school but we always have some that insist that their child needs it applying through the day.

As a parent of an extremely fair ginger child I know there are products that can be applied once and do work, very well, as he had never had sun burn even in 40 degree heat abroad, so it really annoys me!!

I apply my kids sun cream before they go and it lasts all day

We are asked to apply all day sun cream, which we do.

Mine in y5 and y8 put it on before school. Y5 Dd takes it to school too.

I use an all day one but we are allowed to send it in. I only use the all day one because DD wouldn't be able to spray/squeeze the bottle herself or get the lid off a roll on.

Fluffy yabu as it depends on the person dp isnt ginger in fact tans but burns really easily. On holiday in canaries he always burnt despite lotion. It may be sweat?
In the sw i have had to put suntan lotion on every year and i tried to get away without this year and they havent burnt yet however they are getting freckles/tan so sun damage.
However dc1 got burnt on the shoulders after a couple of hours in the pool over half term

If your child is able to put it on themselves (the roll on ones are a good choice), I would send it in. I've taught reception and year 1 for 10 years and in all honestly, sun cream season in school is a faff as staff have to guide children and not touch. Can you imagine what that's like with 4 year old?! Lol! I had one boy who squirted a load down his ear. Luckily his mum was fine about it and said it had dried and fell out in the shower, but I felt awful.

It is a big deal in the summer term here (overseas) and all children must either provide their own or use the school sunscreen. This happens at nursery level too - they have sunscreen registries and are constantly trying to catch toddlers to reapply! I'm sure it is different under the English sun, but once a day sunscreen is a recipe for burning in my country.

For early primary school roll-on one (like a deodorant stick) are really good. Send a sunhat in - a proper broad brimmed one. That is easy because you don't need to apply it in advance.

I teach year 1 and there's no way i have time to put suncream on children. Provide a hat and put some cream on them before school. Ks2 children can use a roll on themselves.

We have been asked to put it on before school and send a bottle in with them. Ds is in reception so no idea if he manages it himself or not but I know he is fairly well covered from me doing it in the morning anyway

Yes o pop it on in the morning before school face arms and legs. Always send in with a sun hat too. Can’t expect the teachers to do it for the whole class

We use an all day sunscreen on days when the UV index is high. If we knew they were only going to be out for a short play at breaks/lunch we probably wouldn't apply but usually I expect on a sunny day that they are hopefully making the most of it and having the kids out playing for a good chunk of the day.
Never had any issues or sunburn using the once a day and we have used it regularly for years now in hotter countries as well. We first started using it actually as it was the only one we found that didn't cause a rash on the DC rather than for the all day protection but that is definitely a huge bonus for when they are at school.

I put factor 50 P20 on both DC every morning before I get them dressed when the weather is on the warmer side and send them with hats. Both are very fair and neither have burnt so far.

@FluffyPJs
The once a day cream doesn’t work for everyone. My DH burns very easily (pale skin but dark hair) the once a day doesn’t work for him unless he tops it up every few hours.

We're asked to put cream on in the morning. In reality I know the staff would put sun cream on the DC if parents asked them to top it up etc.

I put it on DD (Yr1) before school & she has a roll-on one for top ups but I don't think the teachers ask them too.
DD reacts to most sunscreens so we can't use the once-a-day ones but so far no burns whilst at school.
& yes I am that mum who has been sending her in with sunscreen on when everyone else hasn't. Don't care - she'll thank me when she's older.

May be worth asking what the arrangements are for outdoor play - dd has just started at a new school and one of the mums happened to mention that they put big sails up in this weather so the children spend very little time in the direct sunlight, so much less worried about her being completely creamed