Health and Safety Policy

The school promotes personal development, health and wellbeing (ref SPHE curriculum). The provision of a healthy, safe, secure and happy environment for all pupils and staff is a priority at the school.

Safety Policy

Pupils are not permitted to leave the school premises during school hours without written parental permission. In such exceptional circumstances as medical appointments etc, they should be collected by a parent or parental nominee (as outlined in written request) and also accompanied back to school afterwards.

Infants should be accompanied to and from school each day. Parents should see them safely to their room in the morning, avoiding prolonged departures that can often cause distress to all concerned. Those collecting infants should wait outside the hall area so that teachers can easily identify who is meeting each child and can hand over the child to their care in safety. Children will not be permitted to leave their classroom until the adult collecting them has been identified. If different people collect your child, please provide the class teacher with a list of names.

Stay safe programme

The Stay Safe programme is implemented with Senior Infants, II, IV and VI classes in compliance with Eastern Health Board regulations.

Garda Síochána

The Garda Síochána safety programme is implemented with V class during Term 2. The course of weekly half-hour video/discussion sessions is taken by the local Garda community liaison officer from Greystones Garda Station, while the class teacher is also present.

Fire drill

Fire drill is practised in the school and fire equipment is checked regularly by external inspectors. Pupils are aware of where all fire alarm buttons are located.

Junior school wardens

A junior school warden system, organised in conjunction with the National Safety Council and the Garda Síochána and under the auspices of Wicklow County Council, is operated by pupils from the senior classes at the school. The wardens man the crossing on Church Road in teams of six members throughout the year and they participate in an annual national competition organised by the National Safety Council.

The school receives regular visits from the Garda community liaison officer who also assists with the training of junior school wardens.

Health Policy

Emergency file

The school keeps an emergency record file (contact names/numbers, important medical information etc) for each pupil. It is obviously essential that this information is kept up-to-date so regular review of your child's file is recommended.

Illness and absence from school

It is advised that a child who is ill in the morning or has been ill during the night remain at home from school. A child who is unwell may be miserable at school. If a child becomes ill during the school day, parents will be contacted immediately. Should this not prove possible, other named contacts or the child's doctor will be contacted directly. If necessary the child will be taken to a hospital emergency department, while the school staff continue efforts to contact parents.

Pupils returning to school from any absence must bring a letter addressed to the principal outlining the reason for the absence. If relevant, a medical certificate should be supplied.

If any contagious illness is diagnosed within the school community, the principal must be informed immediately so that notification can be circulated as a matter of urgency

Medication

Medication may only be administrated to pupils in extremely limited circumstances and under strictly controlled guidelines. Parents of pupils concerned must write to the Board of Management requesting its authorisation for a member of the teaching staff to administer the medication. Such a request should include instructions for the procedure to be followed in administering the medication. Board of Management authorisation for such administration of medication is subject to the provision of an indemnity from the parents of the child. This is a prescribed procedure.

Eastern Health Board

Check-ups including dental, optical and aural examinations are regularly administered to children at the school with parental consent.

Healthy lunches

In order to raise awareness of the importance of a nutritional diet as well as general health care and dental hygiene, the school operates a healthy lunch policy. Crisps, sweets or soft drinks must not be provided for school lunch. The Department of Health suggests that lunches should include one from each of the food groups - fruit and vegetables; milk and meat with two from the cereal and potato group. Your child's lunchbox, published the Department of Health, includes guidelines on healthy school lunches. Copies are available from the school secretary.