Medical Care

The School enjoys a well-equipped Medical Centre, available to all students and staff throughout the term, and provides medical cover 24-hours a day.

Our caring team work very closely with students and staff to ensure everyone receives the help, care and support they need. The Medical Department also offers the services of a Nurse/Student led listening service as well as an Independent School Counselling service.

The Medical Department ensures a safe and caring environment is provided in both a physical and emotional capacity, offering advice on all medical/health matters. To enable us to facilitate this, we ask, if there is any change to your child’s health, be it temporary or long term that we are informed in writing, so medical notes can be updated and any care that may be needed can be given without delay. We support children with both long-term and short-term medical needs and offer a “open door “policy for those who just need someone to talk to. We can if necessary also refer children to see the School’s Independent Counsellor.

Medical FAQs

When and Where is the Medical Department?

The Medical Department is situated in the main school building opposite the Refectory.

It is open 08:00 – 19:00 Monday – Thursday, 08:00-18:30 on Fridays, and on Saturday, Sister is in school to cover sports fixtures. There is also a sister on call, out of hours for any health needs/emergencies for the Boarding students.

The nursing staff also cover extra-curricular activities which take place at the School either by being present or on-call

What happens if I need to take medicines while I am at School?

The nursing staff are able to administer any medication that may be required by a student whilst at school. Your medicine must be handed into the Medical Department, ideally by your parent. It must be in its original packaging, clearly labelled with your name on it.  Your parent will need to sign a consent form giving us details of the reason for you taking it, the dose and time it is needed to enable us to administer it.

If it is not possible for a parent to do this in person, a signed letter stating the above is acceptable.

Medicines are not able to be administered without all of this information.

Boarding students are given medication as required by the Nursing staff.

If an Inhaler or Epipen is prescribed parents/guardians are responsible to ensure that school are provided with one that is in date at all times for the student. Reminders will be sent from the medical department

We ask that no student keeps any medicines with them, other than an inhaler, whilst in School, unless by prior agreement with the Medical Department.

My child is going to be boarding at the School; will they be registered with a GP?

All our full time boarding students are registered with The County Practice in Syston. The School Doctor is Dr Tim Jennings.  He, or a member of the practice team, visit the School twice a week, but if a child needs to be seen in between, arrangements are made for them to be taken to the surgery accompanied by a member of staff.

We are also able to arrange dental, optician, orthodontic and hospital appointments as necessary.

We always keep parents/guardians fully informed of any changes in their child’s health.

I am a boarder – what if I am ill at night?

Firstly, you would tell the duty boarding staff that you were feeling unwell. They would then telephone the nursing staff for advice. If it were necessary for a nurse to visit you, they would do so.  Otherwise, advice is given over the phone to the experienced

Boarding staff who, would then monitor you carefully overnight.  Both Boarding houses have a medical room where if necessary you would stay overnight

If a child is expected to be ill for more than a couple of days, or requires hospital admission then their parent/guardian, where possible would either be asked to collect them or join them at the hospital.

Will I receive vaccinations while I am at School?

All children in the Senior School and Preparatory School are offered the Influenza vaccine in the Autumn Term.

Students in the Senior School are also offered routine childhood Immunizations, which are carried out by the Leicestershire Immunization Team, with a member of the school nursing staff present.

Girls in Year 8 are offered the cervical cancer vaccination in accordance with Area Health guidelines.

What happens if I am unwell or injured and unable to do Games?

If you are in Years 7-10 and are unwell or injured, your parents will need to write a letter to the Medical Department giving the reason why you are unable to participate in games. You will then be given an ‘off games note’ for you to give to your sports teacher. You will still need to bring your sports kit in to school as some lessons are indoors and you may, at least, be able to listen and learn from the lesson.

If you are in Years 11-13, you need to bring a letter from your parents and present it at the Sports Office.

If the problem is long term, a letter will be required from your GP.

My child has had an upset stomach, when can they come back to School?

It is the School’s policy that if a child has had either diarrhea and/or sickness, they must not return to School until 48 hours after the last bout of sickness/diarrhea and they are tolerating a normal diet. This is in order to minimize the spread of infection.

Also if your child is diagnosed with conjunctivitis, tonsillitis or impetigo and prescribed antibiotics they must have had 48hours of medication before they return to school.