Information for Parents of Primary School Children
The School Nursing Service provide support for children once they start in reception class at school (or if they are Home Educated once they are reception age).
The Health Visitor will transfer a child’s records and care to our service. The health visitor will let the school nurse know about any support that they have been offering to address any health concerns and this helps the school nurse provide continuity of service.
Each school has a named school nurse who visits the school each term to meet with the pastoral and/or a senior staff member. This is an opportunity for the school nurse to review the school health plan. As part of the health plan, our service can support the teachers with delivery of personal, social and health education (PSHE), we might also deliver groups in school to help children build their self-esteem and confidence and also deliver parenting groups from the school if requested to do so.
We supply each school with a poster to display in their reception areas which has the name and a photo of the named school nurse for that school and details about how to contact the service.
Each child will receive a welcome letter when they start reception and this should be sent out in the school starter packs. If a child is home educated and education services have notified us of their status we will send a letter to the child’s home address.
Whilst you child is in primary school they will meet a member of the school nurse team when they are offered a height and weight measurement as part of the National Child Measurement Programme(NCMP). In Walsall we measure children in Reception, Year 4 and Year 6 and you will receive a letter explaining more about the programme a few weeks before the measurements take place. The benefits of the programme will be explained however you are still able to opt for your children not to be measured.
