Co-op Academy Glebe

Asthma Policy

Asthma Policy 2023-2024

• The School recognises that asthma is an important condition affecting many school children and welcomes all pupils with asthma
• Ensures that children with asthma participate fully in all aspects of school life including PE
• Recognises that immediate access to reliever inhalers is vital
• Keeps records of children with asthma and the medication they take
• Ensures the school environment is favourable to children with asthma
• Ensures that other children understand asthma
• Ensures all staff who come into contact with children with asthma know what to do in the event of an asthma attack
• Will work in partnership with all interested parties including all school staff, parents, governors, doctors and nurses, and children to ensure the policy is implemented and maintained successfully

This policy has been written with advice from the Department for Education and Employment, National Asthma Campaign, the local education authority, the school health service, parents, the governing body and pupils

1. This school recognises that asthma is an important condition affecting many school children and positively welcomes all pupils with asthma.
2. This school encourages children with asthma to achieve their potential in all aspects of school life by having a clear policy that is understood by school staff, their employers (the local education authority) and pupils.  Supply teachers and new staff are ALSO MADE AWARE OF THE POLICY.  All teachers, and at least one member of staff in each class is provided with training on asthma regularly. This is provided by the School Nursing Service which also covers Severe Allergic Reactions and Epilepsy.

Medication

Immediate access to reliever is vital.  Children are encouraged to carry their reliever inhaler as soon as the parents, doctor or nurse and class teacher agree they are mature enough.  The reliever inhalers for all children are kept in the School Office.  Parents are asked to ensure that the school is provided with a labelled spare reliever inhaler.

The school will also hold separately a spare and unnamed inhaler for emergency use or if a child’s inhaler runs out.  All inhalers must be labelled with the child’s name by the parent.  School staff are not required to administer medication to children except in an emergency however many of our staff our happy to do this.  School staff who agree to do this are insured by the academy’s insurance policy when acting in accordance with this policy.  All school staff will let children take their own medication when they need to.

Record Keeping

At the beginning of each school year, or when a child joins the school, parents are asked if their child has asthma.  All parents of children with asthma are given an (Asthma UK) School Asthma Card to complete and return to the school.  From this information the school keeps its asthma register which is available for all school staff.  Cards are then sent to parents on an annual basis to update.  If medication changes in between times, parents are asked to inform the school.

Glebe Academy does now hold an emergency inhaler and spacer as per

‘Guidance on the use of Emergency Salbutamol inhalers in schools’ March 2015. Specific staff have been trained to administer the emergency inhaler and there is pictorial and written instructions around the school.

Parents of children with Asthma are sent a letter asking permission for the emergency inhaler to be used in the event that their own inhaler is not available.  See Appendix 1 attached.  Parents will be informed by letter if their child has used the emergency inhaler (Appendix 2).

The school holds inhalers for each child and they are regularly checked for expiry dates by a member of staff.

PE

Taking part in sports is an essential part of school life.  Teachers are aware of which children have asthma from the asthma register.  Children with asthma are encouraged to participate fully in PE.  Teachers will remind children whose asthma is triggered by exercise to take their reliever inhaler before the lesson. Each child’s inhalers will be labelled and kept in a box at the site of the lesson.  If a child needs to use their inhaler during the lesson, they will be encouraged to do so.

The School Environment

The school does all that it can to ensure the school environment is favourable to children with asthma.  The school does not keep furry and feathery pets and has a non-smoking policy.    As far as possible the school does not use chemicals in science and art lessons that are potential triggers for children with asthma.  Children are encouraged to leave the room and go and sit in a break out area if particular fumes trigger their asthma.

Making the School Asthma Friendly

The school ensures that all children understand asthma.  Asthma can be included in Key Stages 1 and 2 in science, design and technology, geography, history and PE of the national curriculum.  Children with asthma and their friends are encouraged to learn about asthma; information for children and teens can be accessed from the following website www.asthma.org.uk.

When a Child is falling behind in lessons

If a child is missing a lot of time from school because of asthma or is tired in class because of disturbed sleep and falling behind in class, the class teacher will initially talk to the parents.  If appropriate the teacher will then talk to the school nursing team and special educational needs coordinator about the situation.  The school recognises that it is possible for children with asthma to have special education needs because of asthma.

Asthma Attacks

All staff who come into contact with children with asthma know what to do in the event of an asthma attack.  The school follows the following procedure, which is clearly displayed in all classrooms.

1. Ensure that the reliever inhaler is taken immediately.
2. Stay calm and reassure the child.
3. Help the child to breathe by ensuring tight clothing is loosened.

After the attack

Minor attacks should not interrupt a child’s involvement in school.  When they feel better they can return to school activities.

The child’s parents must be informed about the attack.

Emergency procedure

If after the reliever has no effect after five to ten minutes:

• The child is either distressed or unable to talk
• The child is getting exhausted
• You have any doubts at all about the child’s condition

• If for any reason the child stops breathing, an ambulance should be called immediately

Call an ambulance from the school office and advise the parents straight away of all action taken.

A child should always be taken to hospital in an ambulance.  School staff should not take them in their car as the child’s condition may deteriorate

Appendix 1

Consent Form:

Use of Emergency Salbutamol Inhaler

Child showing symptoms of asthma/having asthma attack

1. I can confirm that my child has been diagnosed with asthma/has been prescribed an inhaler (delete as appropriate)

2. My child has a working, in-date inhaler, clearly labelled with their name, which is kept at school.

3. In the event of my child displaying symptoms of asthma, and if their inhaler is not available or is unusable, *I do/ *do not consent for my child to receive salbutamol from an emergency inhaler held by the school for such emergencies.

*Please mark as appropriate

Signed: ………………………………………………………..   Date: ……………………

Name: (print) ………………………………………………………………………….…..

Child’s Name: ………………………………………………………………………..…..

Class: …………………………………………………………………………………….

Parent’s address and contact details:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Telephone: ……………………………………………………………………………………….

E-Mail: ……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Appendix 2

Emergency Salbutamol Inhaler Use Form

Child’s name: ……………………………………………………………….

Class: ………………………………………………………………………..

Date: ……………………………………………………..

Dear ……………………………………………….

This letter is to formally notify you that  …………………………. has had problems with

his/her breathing today.  This happened when …………………………………………..

*They did not have their own asthma inhaler with them, so a member of staff helped them to use the emergency asthma inhaler containing salbutamol.  They were given ……. puffs.

*Their own asthma inhaler was not working, so a member of staff helped them to use the emergency asthma inhaler containing salbutamol.  They were given ……. puffs.

Although they soon felt better, we would strongly advise that you have your child seen by your own doctor as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely

*Delete as appropriate

Appendix 3