Kardinya Primary School implements the ‘Best practice guidelines for anaphylaxis prevention and management in children’s education and care‘. These Guidelines aim to provide best practice guidance to reduce the risk of anaphylaxis in children’s education and care services, while supporting children to participate in the full range of activities. Our key principles are:
The principal will ensure that an Individual Anaphylaxis Health Care Plan (IAHCP) is developed in consultation with the student’s parents/guardians, for any student who has been diagnosed by a medical practitioner as being at risk of anaphylaxis. The IAHCP will be in place as soon as it is provided by the parent.
The student’s IAHCP will be reviewed, in consultation with the student’s parents/guardians:
Parents should be aware that a student’s details, including information about the severe allergy, their photos, and the IAHCP will be recorded as a reference point for staff to ensure they can provide the best possible care in cases of emergency. Medications will be held in the medical room in the school office. Student’s IAHCP will be displayed in the Medical Room.
Additional EpiPens are also available in the Medical Room and in different places across the school for students who require them, including those who have an anaphylactic reaction for the very first time, whilst at school.
Parents/guardians of a child at risk of anaphylaxis shall:
While every effort is made to reduce the risks associated with allergies, it cannot be guaranteed that a school is ‘free’ of any product.
It is not possible to achieve a completely allergen-free environment in an environment that is open to the general community.
We recognise the need to adopt a range of procedures and risk minimisation strategies to reduce the risk of a child having an anaphylactic reaction, including strategies to minimise the presence of the allergen in their immediate environment.
The school will make student medical information and the IAHCP that have been supplied by parents available to supervising staff.
Fellow students will be made aware of students in their class or groups with allergies and Individual Anaphylaxis Health Care Plans. Specific strategies to reduce the risks of exposure for the student will be taught.
If a student or staff member has a communicable disease, the principal will act in accordance with the advice provided by the Department of Health in managing communicable diseases.
Please see the guide for a list of communicable diseases and responses.
Occasionally, the staff and students at Kardinya Primary School encounter ‘Extreme Weather’.
Severe Wet Weather – thunder/lightning, storm, heavy rain (please note, intermittent drizzle, sprinkling rain is not considered ‘Severe Wet Weather’). During severe wet weather, students remain indoors at recess and lunch and undertake Physical Education lessons in the undercover area.
Hot weather - During hot weather, all water bottles and lunchboxes are kept inside the classrooms. Students are encouraged to play in the shade, and to utilise the sunscreen which is always available in every classroom. Physical education lessons are modified. We may shut the oval and basketball courts.
Extreme Heat or Heatwave - During a period of extreme heat, students will remain inside (classrooms or in other internal spaces such as the undercover area/library) during break and eating times. Physical Education lessons will be modified or cancelled and not taken outside. Any planned vigorous activity will be postponed. For any planned excursions, we will ensure the venue operators have plans in place.
Please always note that, water bottles can be kept in classrooms and there is sunscreen available for all students (in classes). Each of our rooms are air-conditioned and most also have fans.
From time to time, nits (eggs) or head lice are present in the hair of students. When we are aware of this, we notify all parents in the class, via Connect. Parents are asked to check their child’s hair and if any nits or lice are found, commence treatment as recommended in the Department of Health information sheet titled Head Lice – What parents need to know.
Schools are required to adopt a whole school approach to healthy eating within the school community. Fundamental to this is the implementation of strategies which inform, support and promote healthy eating within the guidelines of the Department of Education’s Healthy Food and Drink Policy.
Our staff promote healthy eating and teach this in Health Education lessons from Kindergarten to Year 6, as per the WA Curriculum.
Our Kindy to year 6 classes all have a Crunch & Sip break between 8:45am and 11.10am. This is a set time in class to eat (crunch) fruit or vegetables and drink (sip) water in the classroom. Please pack a piece of fruit or provide a separate container with cut-up pieces of fruit or vegetable for your child to snack on during this time.
Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school, to use in the classroom, in physical education lessons, and at recess and lunch. Only water (not fruit juice, or cordial) is allowed.
Parents are encouraged to pack a healthy lunchbox. Please don’t pack too much food as often young students don’t understand they do not have to eat everything mum or dad pack! Our students have 15 minutes at long break and 10 minutes at short break , to eat, before they go and play. Information and suggestions for parents can be found in the Department of Education’s Healthy Food Guide.
As students are at school during times when UV radiation levels are highest, schools play a significant role in minimising students’ UV exposure.
At Kardinya Primary School, we ask that the following Sun Awareness Behaviours are adhered to:
We ask that parents and carers:
We ask that students will: