When to keep a child off school with a common illness
A cough or a cold usually does not mean a day at home, but sickness bugs, chickenpox and a high temperature do. A parent's guide to the NHS advice, illness by illness.
The early-morning question every parent faces at some point: are they well enough to go in? The NHS publishes simple guidance on when children should stay at home and when they can go to school or nursery as normal. The aim is to stop infections spreading without keeping children off for minor bugs.
This is general information. If you are worried about your child, contact your GP, use NHS 111 or, in an emergency, call 999.
The quick rule
If your child has a high temperature, keep them at home until it has gone. If they seem well enough to take part in normal activities and do not have a high temperature, they can usually go in, even with a cough or a runny nose.
Illness by illness
Coughs and colds. It is fine to send your child to school with a minor cough or cold. If they have a high temperature, keep them off until it goes.
Diarrhoea and vomiting. Keep them off until 2 days after they last had diarrhoea or were sick. Stomach bugs spread very easily, so this rule matters more than most.
Chickenpox. Keep them off until all the spots have crusted over. This is usually about 5 days after the spots first appeared.
Scarlet fever. If your child has scarlet fever, they will need antibiotics from a GP. They can go back to school 24 hours after starting the treatment.
Impetigo. Keep them off until all the sores have crusted over and healed, or for 48 hours after they start antibiotic treatment.
Hand, foot and mouth disease. Your child can go to school if they seem well enough. There is no need to keep them off until the blisters have healed.
Conjunctivitis. There is no need to keep your child off school unless they feel very unwell. A pharmacist can advise on treatment. Gentle cleaning of the eyes and good handwashing help stop it spreading.
Head lice and threadworms. Children do not need to stay at home. Treat the problem and carry on as normal.
Cold sores. There is no need to stay off, though your child should avoid touching the sore.
Ear infections and sore throats. If your child has a high temperature or is in a lot of pain, keep them at home until they feel better. Otherwise they can go in.
Telling the school
Let the school know on the first morning your child is off and give a brief reason. Most schools have a phone line or an app for reporting absence. Some schools and nurseries have their own rules that may be stricter than the NHS guidance, especially for younger children, so check the policy.
Your rights at work. Juggling work and a poorly child is one of the hardest parts of family life. Employees have the legal right to take a reasonable amount of time off to deal with an unexpected problem involving a dependant, such as a child falling ill. The law does not say this time must be paid, so it depends on your employer's policy and your contract. Tell your employer as soon as you can.
Preventing the next one. Regular handwashing with soap and water is one of the simplest ways to stop infections spreading at home and at school. Teaching children to catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue, bin it and then wash their hands helps the whole household get through the winter with fewer days off.
