Milton Keynes Primary PRU Awarded Asthma Friendly School Status

Milton Keynes Primary PRU has been officially awarded “Asthma Friendly Status” which is the first time a school in Milton Keynes has been awarded this accolade.

Milton Keynes Primary PRU has developed a strategy to support the whole school community in understanding and managing asthma.

To be recognised as an Asthma Friendly School, a school must address a set of criteria that establishes an Asthma Friendly environment and meets current legislation from the Department of Health guidelines.

These criteria are:

• Develop, adopt and implement an Asthma Policy
• Develop an asthma register – hold a list of all children who have asthma/inhalers in school that is easily accessible,
• Children to have immediate access to their own inhalers
• Purchase of an emergency inhaler and spacer as per Department of Health guidelines.

The benefits of becoming an Asthma Friendly School include:

• Improving asthma awareness and management in school
• Improving support to students with asthma encouraging an inclusive environment
• Supporting responsibilities for the health, safety and wellbeing of students and staff
• Ensures school is implementing current and best practice asthma management strategies
• Enables school to promote its self-evaluated status to ensure that the community is aware of the school’s commitment to Asthma Friendly strategies.

Ms Mills, Headteacher of Milton Keynes Primary PRU said, “Here at Milton Keynes Primary PRU, we are fully committed to developing a Healthy School and ensuring all children are enabled to develop their full health potential is vitally important to us. Supporting families with children who have asthma is really important.

This time of the year can often be a challenge for children with asthma. Children can be exposed to viruses which can be another trigger of an asthma attack.  It is important that children with asthma maintain their lungs in the best possible condition, so any asthma attack may be prevented.

GP practice will provide an asthma review and ensure that medication is reviewed, check the inhaler technique and provide a personal asthma plan. It is important that updated asthma plan is provided to the school so that we have information required to best support pupils with asthma in school, which could prevent an asthma attack. Asthma should not be an inhibitor for children to have a fully inclusive holistic education.”

Mrs McCue, Specialist Teaching Assistant and Healthy Schools co-ordinator stated, “We are especially proud that Milton Keynes Primary PRU has been successful in achieving this accolade. We will continue to raise the profile of the importance of supporting children with asthma and providing information on the successful management of asthma in our school.”

Liz Wilson, Public Health Practitioner and Healthy Young Peoples Network co-ordinator said, “Becoming an asthma friendly school is a proactive approach to addressing awareness and prevention of asthma locally.

This is such a fantastic example of good practice that the Primary Pru will be adding to their National Healthy Schools and Local Healthy Young People’s Award applications. “