This policy is a statement of the principles and procedures regarding first aid and prescribed and non-prescribed medicines for children at Northern Ballet.
Aims and objectives
- To ensure that children receive appropriate first aid when necessary.
- To ensure that staff and guardians have a common understanding regarding the administering of medicines when children are at Northern Ballet.
- To ensure that children with medical needs receive proper care and support.
Roles and Responsibilities: Guardians
It is the responsibility of guardians to:
- Inform Northern Ballet of their child’s medical needs
- Ensure that Northern Ballet has the most recent emergency contact details for their child/ren
Guardians must provide any medication in a container clearly labelled with the following:
- The child’s name
- Name of medicine
- Dose and frequency of medication (with applicator/measuring spoon)
- Any special storage arrangements
- Collect and dispose of any medications held at Northern Ballet at the end of each term
- Ensure that medicines have NOT passed the expiry date
Pupil information
At the start of each academic year, guardians should give the following information about their child’s long-term medical needs, via the programme registration process. The information must be updated as and when required, and at least annually.
- Details of child’s medical needs;
- Medication including any side effects;
- Allergies;
- Name of GP/Consultants;
- Special requirements e.g. dietary needs, pre-activity precautions;
- What to do and who to contact in an emergency;
- Cultural and religious views regarding medical care.
Administering Emergency First Aid
If a child requires first aid, a qualified first aider will administer the appropriate treatment in accordance with their training. If deemed necessary, a staff member will call 999 for emergency medical response, and follow any guidance / instructions from the emergency services.
Should a child be required to go to hospital, the Academy of Northern Ballet will:
- Ensure the child is safe to travel (if not traveling via ambulance)
- Accompany the student to the hospital (if not in an ambulance, then in a taxi, paid for by Northern Ballet). The staff member will be a trained First Aider and hold an enhanced DBS.
- Contact the students’ emergency contact to ensure they are informed, and kept up to date with any progress or treatment.
- Stay with the student until they have been registered by the hospital staff, and a guardian is able to join, or collect them.
Records
Each time first aid is given to a child, a record needs to be kept for the Health & Safety Committee. All instances need to be recorded, but details of the child’s personal information do not need to be shared with the committee. If you do not wish for your child's data to be shared with the Health & Safety Committee, please ensure your registration form states this clearly. The first aid log records the following:
- Name of pupil;
- Date and time of administration;
- Who administered the first aid and what action was taken;
- Possible cause of first aid requirement
- Recommended next steps
Allergies
Students and staff must inform us of any allergies.
Due to the varying needs of staff, students, and guests participating in classes, the Academy of Northern Ballet, and Northern Ballet Learning have a strict no nut policy. This is extended to the wider building when a visitor/building user has an airborne nut allergy, in these circumstances, all building users are notified in advance.
Administering Medication
We expect guardians to administer medication to their children at home wherever possible. This means that where the administration of medicine during their time at Northern Ballet can be avoided it should be. Prescribed medication will not be administered without prior written permission from the guardians including written medical authority if the medicine needs to be altered (e.g. crushing of tablets). Equally, staff will not give a non-prescribed medicine to a child unless there is specific prior written permission with a valid reason for the administration of the medicine from the guardians. A Medical Permission Form must be completed and signed in all cases.
The relevant Northern Ballet programme manager will determine if medication is to be administered on site, and by whom, following consultation with staff. All medicine will normally be administered during breaks and lunchtimes. If, for medical reasons, medicine has to be taken during the day, arrangements will be made for the medicine to be administered at other prescribed times. Pupils will be told where their medication is kept and who will administer it.
Any member of staff giving medicine to a pupil, should check on each occasion;
- Name of pupil;
- Medical permission form completed;
- Prescribed dose;
- Expiry date.
Written permission from guardians will be required for pupils to self-administer medicine(s) via the Medical Permission Form.
Carrying Medicines
For safety reasons, pupils are not allowed to carry medication unless agreed on an individual basis. Such arrangements will only be agreed after completion of the Medical Permission Form. All other medicines must be handed to the programme manager on entry to the Northern Ballet premises.
Storage
All medicine, in the care of Northern Ballet, must be stored strictly in accordance with product instructions (paying particular note to temperature) and in the original container in which dispensed. In most instances medication will be kept in an administration office. All medicine will be logged onto the medical file. Class teachers may store pupil’s inhalers which must be labelled with the pupil’s name. All emergency medicines, such as inhalers and adrenaline pens, must be readily available to children. Programme Managers will be responsible for storing EPI-Pens.
Some medicines may need to be refrigerated. They can be kept in a refrigerator containing food but must be in an airtight container and clearly labelled. There must be restricted access to a refrigerator holding medicines. There is a refrigerator located in the Academy of Northern Ballet office for such purposes.
Administering Records
Each time medication is given to a child, a member of staff will complete the medication log which records the following:
- Name of pupil;
- Date and time of administration;
- Who supervised the administration;
- Name of medication;
- Dosage;
- Reason for medication being administered;
- A note of any side effects;
- If medicine has been altered for administration (e.g. crushing tablets) and authority for doing so.
Refusing medication
If a child refuses to take their medication, no Northern Ballet staff member will force them to do so. Guardians will be informed as soon as possible. Refusal to take medication will be recorded and dated on the child’s record sheet. Reasons for refusal and any action then taken by the staff member will also be recorded.
Emergency Procedures
The Programme Manager will ensure that all staff are aware of Northern Ballet’s planned emergency procedures in the event of medical needs.
Medical Alert
It is likely that there will some children attending Northern Ballet with a range of medical needs which need to be known by staff members. Details of any medical needs should be updated annually, as a minimum via the programme registration form.
Administering First Aid and Medicine Policy reviewed an updated August 2026.