At Lowther Endowed School and Little VIPs Day Care, the health, safety and wellbeing of every child is our priority. We are committed to being an allergy-aware school and to creating an environment where pupils with allergies are supported, included and able to take part fully in school life.

What does allergy-aware mean?

Allergies can affect children in different ways. For some pupils, exposure to an allergen can cause a serious or potentially life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis.

Being allergy-aware means that we:

• Take all reported allergies seriously.
• Work closely with parents and carers to understand each child's individual needs.
• Keep appropriate allergy and emergency information up to date.
• Ensure relevant staff are aware of pupils' allergies and know how to respond to an allergic reaction.
• Have clear procedures for dealing with allergic reactions and emergencies.
• Encourage children to understand the importance of looking after themselves and others.
• Aim to reduce avoidable exposure to known allergens while recognising that it is not possible to create a completely allergen-free environment.
• Promote an inclusive approach so that children with allergies can participate fully in lessons, trips, clubs, celebrations and other school activities.

Working together

Keeping children with allergies safe is a shared responsibility. We ask parents and carers to inform the school promptly about any diagnosed allergies or changes to a child's allergy management plan.

Parents and carers should provide the school with any medication or emergency treatment that their child has been prescribed, together with clear instructions for its use.

We also ask families to follow the school's guidance around food and allergies, particularly when sending food into school or providing food for shared activities and celebrations.

If a child has an allergic reaction

Staff receive appropriate information and training to help them recognise the signs of an allergic reaction and respond in accordance with the school's emergency procedures.

If a child is experiencing a suspected severe allergic reaction, staff will follow the child's individual emergency plan and the school's procedures, including administering prescribed emergency medication where appropriate and seeking emergency medical assistance.

An inclusive community

We understand that allergies can sometimes cause anxiety for children and families. Our aim is not to exclude children or unnecessarily restrict activities, but to manage risks sensibly and support every pupil to participate safely and confidently.

By working together, we can help make our school a welcoming, caring and allergy-aware community for everyone.

We kindly ask all parents and carers to do their best to ensure that children do not bring products containing nuts into school or nursery in lunchboxes or as snacks.

Please avoid bringing the following items:

• Packs of nuts
• Peanut butter sandwiches
• Chocolate spread containing nuts
• Fruit and cereal bars containing nuts
• Chocolate bars or sweets containing nuts
• Sesame seed rolls, as some children with nut allergies may also have a severe reaction to sesame
• Cakes made with nuts

Please also be aware of products that may not obviously contain nuts, such as cakes containing marzipan, products containing chocolate hazelnut spread and pesto.

School Meals

We work to ensure that appropriate information is available regarding the ingredients and allergens in food provided to children. If your child has a food allergy or dietary requirement, please ensure the school or Little VIPS Day Care is fully informed so that suitable arrangements can be made.

Staff and Treats

Extra care must be taken at certain times of year, particularly during celebrations such as Easter and Christmas. If staff distribute confectionery or treats, packaging and ingredients must be checked carefully to ensure that products containing nuts are not given to children with allergies.

Particular products that may require extra attention include:

• Celebrations
• Roses
• Heroes
• Quality Street

Fruit sweets or other suitable nut-free alternatives may be a safer option, subject to individual children's allergy requirements.

Check the Packaging

Please always check food packaging for allergy warnings such as:

• Not suitable for nut allergy sufferers
• This product contains nuts
• This product may contain traces of nuts

These warnings indicate that a product may be unsuitable for consumption within our school and nursery environment.

If you have any concerns about your child's allergy or would like to discuss their individual needs, please contact the school office.