It can sometimes be hard to decide whether or not to keep your child off school if they are ill.

Luckily, there are Government guidelines which detail the illnesses and diseases that will keep your child off school, and those they are safe to attend with.

If you do keep your child at home, the NHS said: "It's important to phone the school or nursery on the first day.

"Let them know that your child won't be in and give them the reason."

Alternatively, if your child is well enough to go to school but has an infection, disease or illness that could be passed on such as a cold sore or head lice, the NHS urged parents to let the teacher know.

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Is my child too ill for school?

The illnesses/diseases that will keep your child off school (and for how long), according to the government guidelines, are:

  • Chickenpox (At least five days from onset of rash and until all blisters have crusted over)
  • Respiratory infections including Covid-19 (Your child should not attend school if they have a high temperature and are unwell, while those who have tested positive for Covid should avoid school for three days after the test)
  • Diarrhoea and vomiting (Children can return to school 48 hours after diarrhoea and vomiting have stopped)
  • Diptheria ("Exclusion is essential" the Government warned and you should contact your local UKHSA health protection team)
  • Flu or influenza-like illness (Until recovered)
  • Hepatitis A (Off school until seven days after onset of jaundice or symptom onset if no jaundice)
  • Impetigo (Off until lesions are crusted or healed, or 48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment)
  • Measles (Four days from onset of rash and if they are well enough)
  • Meningococcal meningitis or septicaemia (Until recovered)
  • Meningitis due to other bacteria (Until recovered)
  • Mumps (Can go back to school five days after onset of swelling)
  • Rubella/German measles (Five days from onset of rash)
  • Scabies (None, however, must avoid close physical contact with others until 24 hours after the first dose of chosen treatment. Those unable to adhere to this advice should be kept at home until 24 hours after the first lot of treatment)
  • Scarlet fever (Keep off until 24 hours after starting antibiotic treatment or until resolution of symptoms if not undergoing treatment)
  • Tuberculosis (Until at least 2 weeks after the start of effective antibiotic treatment)
  • Whooping cough (Two days from starting antibiotic treatment, or 14 days from onset of coughing if no antibiotics)

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Illnesses your child can go to school with

There are illnesses that your child can have that won't prevent them from going to school including:

  • Conjunctivitis
  • Glandular fever
  • Head lice
  • Hepatitis B, C, HIV
  • Tonsillitis

For more information on any of these illnesses and what to do with your child and attending school, refer to the Government's guidelines (a link to which can be found above).

The NHS website also offers advice on what to do when it comes to common conditions that school children may experience.