| Date Created | Date 1st Review Due | Date Reviewed | Version | Next Review Due |
| June 2026 | June 2027 | |||
The named staff member responsible for coordinating staff training and the upkeep of the school’s Asthma policy is:
Abby Stonell
Introduction
Asthma is the most common chronic condition affecting one in eleven children. On average there are two children with asthma in every classroom in the UK and over 25,000 emergency hospital admissions a year.
Egham Park School
Our school recognises that asthma is a widespread, serious but a controllable condition and we welcome all pupils with asthma.
At the beginning, when a child joins the school, parents and carers will be asked if their child has any medical conditions. If a child or young person has asthma this will be documented on the asthma register.
Every asthmatic child should have prescribed asthma medication and spacer (if needed) in school stored with their individual school action plan. This action plan will include parental consent for staff to administer medicine.
The school will ensure they have received the child’s individual asthma action plan from the GP practice or parent/carer.
The school recognises that pupils always need immediate access to reliever inhalers including all out of school activities. These are kept in a small box labelled with the child’s name and photo.
Children with asthma are encouraged to take control of their condition and feel confident in the support they receive from school. In case of an emergency where a child is unable to self-administer their inhaler all staff should feel confident in managing this situation. All staff must understand their duty of care to children in an event of an emergency.
Exercise
Taking part in sports, games and activities is an essential part of school life for all pupils. The health benefits of exercise are well documented, and this is also true for children and young people with Asthma. Consequently, it is vital that pupils with asthma are encouraged to participate fully in all sports, games and activities which are more practical. Staff should remind pupils whose asthma is triggered by exercise, to take their asthma pump as appropriate, based on their individual asthma plan, and to thoroughly warm up and down before and after exercise.
The school ensures the whole environment, which includes physical, social, sporting, and educational activities is inclusive and favourable to children with asthma.
Staff Training and Awareness
At Egham Park School, we ensure all school staff, including volunteers, are aware of the potential triggers for asthma, and understand ways to minimise these signs and symptoms of a pupil’s asthma and what to do in the event of an attack.
The school ensures that all staff, including volunteers and supply staff, who come into contact with pupils with asthma know what to do in an event of an attack. This includes awareness sessions for all staff delivered at least once a year along with completing online training. All staff understand that pupils with asthma should not be forced to take part in an activity if they feel unwell.
The Curriculum
Egham Park School ensures all pupils understand asthma by incorporating it in the curriculum. The school are aware there may be additional medication, equipment, or factors to consider in planning various trips and visits.
Administration
Egham Park School has clear guidance on the administration of medicine in school, which is outlined in the Medicine Policy.
The Department of Health and Social Care guidance on the use of emergency salbutamol inhalers in school recommends that schools keep an emergency salbutamol inhaler in school ( https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-asthma-inhalers-for-use-in-schools DHSC, 2015). The inhaler should only be used for children who have a diagnosis of asthma and are prescribed a reliever inhaler. In this instance, there should be a separate parental consent form (See Asthma Consent Form). This inhaler can only be used if the pupil’s own inhaler is not available to them. To avoid the possible risk of cross infection the plastic spacer is NOT to be reused. The school should return the inhalers to the community pharmacy for safe disposal.
Schools can buy inhalers and spacers from a pharmaceutical supplier, such as a local pharmacy, without a prescription. Schools can buy inhalers in small quantities provided it is done on an occasional basis. Pharmacies are not required to provide inhalers or spacers free of charge to schools: the school must pay for them as a retail item.
A supplier will need a request signed by the Proprietor or Headteacher (ideally on appropriately headed paper) stating:
- the name of the school for which the product is required
- the purpose for which that product is required
- the total quantity required
Schools may wish to discuss with their community pharmacist the different plastic spacers available and what is most appropriate for the age-group in the school. Community pharmacists can also provide advice on use of the inhaler. There is more information here:
Emergency Response
If a pupil needs to be taken to hospital, a member of staff will always accompany them until a parent/carer arrives.
Children’s asthma medical packs should include:
- Prescribed asthma medication and Spacer (if required)
- Individual Asthma Action plan
- Emergency parental consent form (Annex A).
Location of the school’s emergency medical packs:
- One in the First Aid Room
- One in Reception
SLT Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the Headteacher and Business and Compliance manager to ensure that:
- Supporting in an emergency Staff are supported in an emergency.
- Ensuring that Inhalers are checked termly to guarantee that replacement inhalers are obtained before the expiry date.
- Used or out of date inhalers provided by parents/carers are returned to them for safe disposal at their local pharmacy.
- Ensuring that used or out of date inhalers purchased by the school are returned to the local pharmacy for disposal.
- Ensuring that the asthma register is accurate and up to date.
- Staff and volunteers are informed of any pupils with an asthma care plan.
- Staff and volunteers receive appropriate training and support.
- Liaising with parents, the child’s healthcare professionals if a child is falling behind with their work because of their condition
All Staff Responsibilities
All staff, including volunteers, working at Egham Park School are responsible for the following:
- Completing the school emergency inhaler medication form if the school emergency inhaler has been used.
- Informing SLT if a school emergency inhaler has been used so that a new spacer can be ordered and the used one replaced.
- Recording when pupils have required their inhaler, and how much has been used, and informing parents/carers of when this has happened.
- Being aware of which children have asthma, being familiar with the content of their individual action plan and have read the schools asthma policy.
- Ensuring children have immediate access to their emergency asthma medicines.
- Maintaining effective communication with parents including informing them if their child has been unwell at school.
- Ensuring children have their medicines with them at all times during the school day, including being in different areas of the school such as the garden and kitchen and when they go on any school trips.
- Being aware of children with asthma who may need extra support during the school day.
- Ensuring all children with asthma are not excluded from activities they wish to take part in.
- Parents to be informed if child/young person has used their inhaler due to asthma symptoms
Safe Storage
- Emergency medicines are readily available to pupils who require them at all times during the school day.
- Pupils know exactly where to access their emergency medicines.
- All staff are aware of where pupils asthma medication is kept within school.
- All staff are aware of where the emergency asthma medication is kept within school.
- For more information see : https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/symptoms-tests-treatments/treatments/maintaining-and-looking-after-your-inhaler
References
- Asthma UK https://www.asthma.org.uk/about?gclid=CJqmpbWsrM0CFYdAGwod4KQEnQ&gclid=CJqmpbWsrM0CFYdAGwod4KQEnQ
- Department of Health and Social Care (2015), Guidance on the use of emergency salbutamol inhalers in schools