Who are we? 

School Nurses are public health nurses who work with school-aged children and young people and their families to promote good health and wellbeing outcomes and reduce inequalities and vulnerabilities.  They are registered nurses or midwives who have additional registered specialist training in public health (Specialist Community Public Health Nurse - SCPHN). 

School Nurses are essential in ensuring every child has the best start in life.  They work closely with schools and other local services, leading teams in supporting many children, young people and families every week and providing extra support and expertise when children, young people and families need it the most. 

What do School Nurses do?

School Nurses lead the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme in Tameside.  This is a National programme for children aged 0-19 years and their families: School Nurses provide this from 5-19 years of age, and Health Visitors provide the 0-5 years element. 

The Healthy Child Programme is described as Universal in Reach and Personalised in Response.  

There are 4 levels of service depending on individual and family needs: 

  • Community
  • Universal 
  • Targeted  
  • Specialist levels of support

The School Nursing Service is available to all children and young people who attend Tameside state-maintained schools, free schools and academy schools as well as those who are home-educated and live in Tameside.  

School Nurses:

  • Raise awareness of health needs
  • Assess health needs and initiate, develop and implement care plans to meet identified health & social care needs of children and young people
  • Work in partnership with families, primary care services (both statutory & voluntary) and partner agencies in order to facilitate health-enhancing activities.
  • Establish networks within the community in order to inform and influence policies which affect health outcomes, and then implement these policies.

All support, advice and interventions are evidence-based, and are tailored to meet the child/ young person’s individual and family needs. 

We work with children, young people and families in schools, their own homes and in community clinics.

Safeguarding children is embedded in the role of the School Nursing Service  because Health Visitors have a vital role in keeping children safe, working with other agencies in local safeguarding arrangements to do this.

The School Nursing Service Core Offer  

The School Nursing Service is available to all children and young people who attend Tameside state-maintained schools, free schools and academy

schools as well as well as those who are home-educated and live in Tameside.  

The core offer for all children and young people is:

  • Reception Class: School Health Check Questionnaire, Hearing Screening, National Child Measurement Programme and/or height and weight measurement for growth screen
  • Year 6: National Child Measurement Programme
  • Years 8 & 9: School Immunisation Programme 

You can ask for support from your local School Nursing Team at any other time, and School Nurses may become involved for example where a child has special educational needs or disability, or there are safeguarding concerns.

If you have recently moved into the area and haven’t had contact from our service, please call your local team. Our core hours for accessing the school nursing service are Monday – Friday 09.00hrs-1700hrs

There are 4 School Nursing Teams in Tameside and each team comprises of:

  • School Nurses
  • Community Staff Nurses
  • Health Mentors
  • Healthy Child Programme Assistants 

We also have School Health Assistants who deliver the National Child Measurement Programme, as well as growth measurements and hearing screening. 

Closely linked with the School Nursing Service are the:

We are very active in training the next generation of Nurses and School Nurses and so you may also meet:

  • Student Nurses
  • Student School Nurses (qualified nurses or midwives who are completing post-registration Specialist Community Public Health Nursing training)

School Nurses work in partnership with many other services and agencies including:

  • Schools – pastoral and teaching staff
  • Physiotherapists
  • Paediatricians 
  • Children’s Community Nursing Team
  • Speech and Language Therapists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Dietitians
  • GP`s
  • Health Visitors 
  • Children`s Social Care
  • Mental Health Support Teams
  • CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service) 

Our School Nursing teams are based in community clinics across Tameside, and work with children and young people who attend the schools in their local area:

  • Ashton School Nurses, Crickets Lane Health Centre: 0161 342 7891
  • Denton, Droylsden and Audenshaw School Nurses, Ann Street Clinic: 0161 366 2240
  • Hyde and Hattersley School Nurses, Hattersley Clinic: 0161 366 2272
  • Stalybridge, Dukinfield and Mossley School Nurses, Stalybridge Clinic: 0161 366 2182

Why not follow us on social media to find out what we’re up to and for useful information

As part of the National Healthy Child Programme we offer all children in Reception class a health check. This includes hearing screening and measurement of their height and weight.

You will receive a letter from us, via school.  This will explain the School Nursing Health Check, and will also explain the National Child Measurement Programme .  Enclosed will be:

Opt Out Forms for

  • Hearing Screening / height and weight measurement for growth screen
  • National Child Measurement Programme

The School Nursing Health Questionnaire

If you do not wish for your child to receive the hearing screen and growth measurements, and / or you do not wish your child to participate in the National Child Measurement Programme, it is important that you complete the relevant Opt Out form(s), and that you return it to school in an envelope addressed ‘To the School Nurse’.  Please do this within 2 weeks of receiving the letter. 

If you are happy for your child to receive hearing screening and growth measurements and/or to be included in the NCMP, you do not need to do anything.

If your child has any special requirements, or your child has a medical condition that affects their height or weight, please let us know – you can contact the School Nurse on the telephone number supplied.

Children are weighed and measured on their own away from other children.  They are asked to take their shoes and coats off.  Results are not shared with other children or the school.

Children are not made to take part in the hearing screen and height/ weight measurements on the day if they do not want to.

We will inform you if there are any concerns regarding your child’s growth or hearing as a result of the School Nursing Health Check and we will provide you with information on how to access further advice and support if required. Children who receive the health check but whose parents do not wish them to participate in the National Child Measurement Programme, will not have their height and weight measurements recorded in the Programme.  

In all cases, please complete the School Nursing Health Questionnaire and return to us via school, in an envelope marked ‘To the School Nurse’ so that it remains confidential; it will then be reviewed by the School Nursing Team.  This is an opportunity for you to raise any concerns you may have about your child’s health and wellbeing, and if needed, the School Nurses will be in touch to offer you support. 

We will visit your child’s school and check your child’s hearing, and measure their height and weight as part of this health check.  This will take place at any time over your child’s Reception school year.  It is carried out by trained health care staff who are part of our School Nursing Service.

The School Nursing Service is available for support and advice if you have any concerns about your child’s health and wellbeing during their school years, please contact us.

 

Each year in England, school children in Reception and Year 6 have their height and weight checked at school as part of the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). Height and weight measurements are used to calculate weight status. We collect this information because it is in the public interest to understand how many children are overweight, healthy weight or underweight. The data collected in the NCMP is used for improving health care and services through research and planning.  

The NCMP also provides us in the School Nursing Service the opportunity to offer support to parents in thinking about their child’s growth where required.

Maintaining the wellbeing of children in the NCMP

The wellbeing of children and families is very important.  Children are measured by trained and sensitive healthcare practitioners.  Children are measured fully clothed, except for their coats and shoes, in a private space away from other pupils.  The programme is delivered in a COVID-safe way, in line with the school and local authority’s safety control measures and national guidance for schools and healthcare. 

Individual results are not shared with your child, their school, or other children.  Once your child has had their height and weight checked, this will identify if your child is underweight, a healthy weight, overweight or very overweight.  We do not routinely contact parents if their child’s weight is in the ‘healthy’ range.  We will send a feedback letter to you if your child’s weight is outside the healthy range, and in that letter, we will provide you with information that may be of help.  This will be posted to your home address and is shared only with you.  It is your choice if you share the information with your child. 

The emotional impact of the NCMP has been researched and results show that body image, self-esteem, weight-related teasing and restrictive eating behaviours do not change as a result of being measured or receiving feedback.  If you are concerned about your child’s growth, weight, body image or eating patterns, at any age, seek further support from your School Nursing Team or General Practitioner.

All the data collected in the NCMP is treated confidentially and held securely by us. You can read more about how your child’s data is collected and processed as part of the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP).

How will I hear about the the National Child Measurement Programme?

When your child is in Reception and Year 6, you will receive a letter from us, via school.  This will explain the National Child Measurement Programme.  

If you do not wish for your child to participate in the National Child Measurement Programme, it is important that you complete the Opt Out form, and that you return it to school in an envelope addressed ‘To the School Nurse’. Please do this within 2 weeks of receiving the letter.  

If you are happy for your child to be included in the NCMP, you do not need to do anything. 

If your child has any special requirements, or your child has a medical condition that affects their height or weight, or you would like to discuss the NCMP, please let us know – you can contact the School Nurse on the telephone number supplied.

Children are weighed and measured on their own away from other children.  They are asked to take their shoes and coats off.  Results are not shared with other children or the school.

Children are not made to take part on the day if they do not want to

The School Nursing Service is available for support and advice if you have any concerns about your child’s health and wellbeing during their school years.  

Useful Information:

Medical problems:

Support with toilet problems:

ERIC The Children's Bladder and Bowel Charity

Sneaky Pooh Group (for soiling, based in Ashton):

Emotional support:

Tigers Anxiety Group (for primary school age, based in Ashton)

Kooth (online mental wellbeing community for Tameside young people)

Talk Shop (age 9-19, drop in, Thursday 4-7pm, The Anthony Seddon Centre Ashton)

The Hive (age 8-18, drop in, Monday 4-8pm, TOG Mind)

BEAT Eating Disorders Charity

Neurodiversity:

For support with these types of difficulties you need to go through your child's school.

Parenting support:

Parenting Helpline (support for Tameside parents with children’s behaviour and parental conflict)

Family Lives

Bullying UK

Winston's Wish (hope for grieving children)

The Sleep Charity

Young Carers

Food Bank

  • We can issue food bank vouchers

Special Educational Needs & Disability

Safeguarding 

Child in Imminent Danger

  • 999

 

Tameside Safeguarding Children

Tameside Early Help Access Point (support before it reaches safeguarding level)

Bridges domestic violence support

NSPCC

  • 0808 800 5000
  • help@nspcc.org.uk