School Nursing Service
School Nurses are all qualified nurses, often with additional specialist qualifications in Public Health. Each School has a named school nurse who is the key health care worker in school. School nurses work with children from four years nine months up to 16 years of age.
The School Nursing Team provides services for children, young people and their families within their home, their schools and in community settings.
The school nurse is the link to the School Health Team. Parents, carers, and young people can use the School Nursing Service by contacting the school or calling the number at bottom of the page.
What does the School Nursing Team provide?
In Primary School
Every child is offered a school entrance health assessment, usually in the term of their 5th birthday. Children receive an assessment of their height and weight in Year 6 as part of the National Child Measurement Programme. Health assessments in primary education can be carried out at any age with parental consent. These include:
- Growth monitoring
- Vision screening
- Hearing tests
- Health promotion
In Secondary School
In secondary education young people are encouraging to assess their own health needs and emotional wellbeing. Other services include:
- Drop in services
- Sexual health clinics
- Health promotion activities
- HPV Immunisation programme
Children educated at home
The school nursing service is also available to families who have chosen to educate their children at home. Your named school nurse will contact you to arrange an appointment at a time and venue convenient to you and your child. The nurses also hold group sessions which include healthy eating, dental hygiene, puberty sexual health and support for the transition to adult services. These sessions are held at venues across the city. If your child would like to participate please contact the school nurse for details.
The School Health Team also provides preventative programmes in schools which aim to improve future health and wellbeing. This may include issues such as obesity, sexual health, alcohol, smoking, and substance misuse.
The School Health Team supports and signposts to other appropriate services including:
- Health Visiting
- Community Nursery Nurses
- Community Paediatricians
The School Health Team work closely with:
- Education and safeguarding teams
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
- Contraception and Sexual Health Services
- GPs
- Teachers
- Social Care
- Other health services, e.g. Speech and Language, hearing and vision clinics
- Children Continence Service
How to Contact the School Nursing Team
Please contact the School Nursing Team at:
Public Health Nursing Service
Adelaide Health Centre
Millbrook
Southampton
SO16 4XE
Tel: 0300 123 6661
Or visit the website.