The school nurse UK secondary school pupils can see works within the pastoral team to support physical and emotional health — running confidential drop-in clinics, delivering immunisation programmes, screening vision and hearing, and referring pupils to specialist services such as CAMHS when a concern needs more support than the school can offer alone.

What does a school nurse actually do day to day?

A school health nurse covers far more than plasters and headaches. Day to day work typically includes confidential drop-in sessions where pupils can talk through worries about periods, relationships, emotional wellbeing or general health; delivering scheduled immunisation programmes such as HPV and teenage boosters; screening growth, vision and hearing at set points in secondary school; and supporting pupils managing chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes, epilepsy or severe allergies with an agreed care plan shared between parents, the GP and school staff. Many school nursing teams also run health education sessions alongside PSHE, covering topics like sleep, nutrition and managing stress around exams. Some services also offer weight management support and advice on healthy relationships, tailored to the age and stage of the pupils they see, and the exact mix of services can vary between local authority areas.

Is the school nurse the same as the person who deals with first aid?

No. Most day-to-day first aid — cuts, bumps, a child feeling unwell in class — is handled by trained first-aiders or welfare staff employed directly by the school, not by the qualified school nurse. The school nurse's role is broader public health and pastoral work rather than routine injuries, and many secondary schools are visited by their nursing team on set days each week rather than having a nurse present every day.

How do you contact the school nurse?

School nursing services in England are commissioned by the local authority's public health team, often covering several schools in an area rather than being based permanently in one building. Parents can usually contact the service through the school's pastoral office or SENCO, who will pass on a referral, or directly if the local authority publishes contact details for the team. Many areas also run a confidential text messaging service — commonly branded ChatHealth — that lets pupils message the school nursing team directly with a health question, without going through a parent or teacher first.

What is the school nurse's role in safeguarding?

School nurses are trained to recognise signs of neglect, abuse and self-harm, and they work closely with the school's designated safeguarding lead when a concern arises. Because they see pupils in a health-focused, often one-to-one setting, they are sometimes the first professional a pupil confides in about a difficult home situation or a mental health struggle. They also provide continuity of care for children with ongoing health needs, including looked-after children, contributing health information to the wider safeguarding picture the school and local authority build up around a vulnerable pupil.

Service What it covers How pupils access it
Drop-in clinic Confidential one-to-one chats about health, emotional wellbeing, relationships Attend during advertised sessions, no appointment needed
Immunisation programme HPV and teenage booster vaccines delivered in school Consent form sent home; nurse-led sessions on the day
Health screening Vision, hearing and growth checks at set year groups Scheduled during form time or PSHE
Chronic condition support Care plans for asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and allergies Parents and GP share the plan with the nurse at admission or diagnosis
Referral and signposting CAMHS, sexual health services, school counsellor, GP Nurse refers directly or advises on next steps

Frequently asked questions

General drop-in conversations do not usually need separate parental consent, since they are part of routine pastoral care, but planned interventions like immunisations require a signed consent form sent home in advance. Confidential health advice to pupils aged 13 and over can be given without a parent present, in the same way a GP would see a teenager alone for a private consultation.

Is the school nurse a fully qualified nurse?

Yes — most school nurses hold a Specialist Community Public Health Nursing qualification alongside a nursing degree, and the service is commissioned by the local authority public health team rather than run directly by the school. This is different from a first-aid trained member of staff who deals with minor injuries during the school day.

What if my child needs support but the nurse isn't on site every day?

Most secondary schools share a nursing service across several schools, with the nurse present on set days each week or fortnight. Between visits, pastoral staff, the school's designated safeguarding lead or your GP can pick up urgent concerns, and many areas offer a confidential text messaging service that reaches the nursing team directly outside their in-school hours.

Can the school nurse discuss things with my child without telling me?

For general health and emotional wellbeing conversations, yes — school nurses work under the same confidentiality principles as other healthcare professionals, sharing information with parents only with the pupil's consent, unless there is a safeguarding concern that overrides confidentiality. If a nurse believes a child is at risk of harm, they are required to share that information with the school's safeguarding lead, regardless of what the pupil has asked to keep private.

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