It is important that parents, staff and pupils work together to ensure that we can all enjoy the sun safely over the summer months.  The sun’s rays are particularly strong over the summer and they can damage children’s skin. Dehydration and over-exposure to sunlight can cause huge health worries which we would like to avoid.  Your child’s health and wellbeing are very important to us and Sun Safety is something that we take seriously. 

As a school we regularly talk to children about the importance of being safe in the sun during lessons and assemblies as appropriate. 

Your support is very important.  You can help by:

• Talking to your child about the importance of sun protection at home.
• Sending your child into school with a named sunhat.  Children who do not have a sun hat on very sunny days will be asked to stay in the shade.
• Applying a high factor sun cream (at least SPF 15) to your child before sending them to school.  
• Ensuring your child brings a large water bottle to school and encourage them to drink plenty of water – we will remind them too!

Why is sun protection important for children and young people?

The number of cases of malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer is rising at an alarming rate.  The good news is that the majority of these cases could be prevented.  Most skin cancers are caused by too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.  If we protect ourselves from overexposure to the sun then we can reduce our risk. This is particularly important for children and young people whose skin is more delicate and easily damaged.

What about vitamin D?

We all need some sun to make enough vitamin D.  Enjoying the sun safely, while taking care not to burn, should help most people get a good balance without raising the risk of skin cancer. For more information on vitamin D, visit the SunSmart website.