Should I send my child to school with a cold? Latest government guidance explained

We help you decide if your child is well enough to go to school...

A father wiping his toddler daughter's nose with a tissue
(Image credit: Getty Images)

If your kid has picked up a sniffle or a cough, you might be wondering 'Should I send my child to school with a cold?' We've done the research, so you don't have to.

Sniffles and snotty noses are just another part of life when the winter months arrive, leaving many of us searching for natural cold remedies and natural cough remedies too. But while it's easy to decide to keep your kids home when they have symptoms of flu or are really feeling under the weather, colds just aren't so simple. Do you send them off with a packet of Soothers (not suitable for those under 4) in their bag, or grant them a duvet day so they have time to recover?

Now, the UK government has offered new guidance for parents on when they should send their children to school, in a bit to tackle absenteeism. It comes as Department for Education figures show 22.3% of pupils were "persistently absent" during the 2022-2023 academic year, a figure that has risen since the pandemic - before which just 10.9% were persistently absent.

Here, clinical pharmacist and scientific advisor to Alive! Supplements, Mike Wakeman, and GoodToKnow's Family Editor, Stephanie Lowe, give their advice on when you should - and shouldn’t - send your child to school with a cold.

Should I send my child to school with a cold?

You can send your child to school with a cold, both the NHS and our expert pharmacist say. "It is fine to send your child to school with a minor cough or common cold symptoms, but if they have a fever, keep them off school until the fever goes," Mike explains. 

Advice from the NHS issues a similar warning. If your child has a fever or a is giving a reading outside of the healthy temperature range for children (about 38°C) then they should definitely stay at home. 

However, you will also want to consider whether your child feels well enough to work. As Stephanie says, "As a parent, you know your child. You know if they're not well and not themselves. I think we need to change the narrative around this dated 'pushing through it' culture. When you're ill the best thing to do is rest."

She advises, "Snotty nose but still running around; I'd call ahead to the school to let them know but still send my child in. Snotty nose, temperature, lethargic and not at all themselves - I'd keep them off school or nursery. You're the parent, you know your child."

A boy sneezing into a tissue in a classroom

(Image credit: Getty Images)

If your child is well enough to go into school, encourage them to sneeze into a tissue, throw it away immediately and wash their hands regularly, to prevent the spread of germs. The UK government's e-bug resources can help you to explain and discuss hygiene habits - and why they are important - to your child or teenager.

If your child isn't well enough to attend, you should call the school's administrative office on the day to let them know that they won't be coming in. The school can then register this as an official absence due to sickness. 

Government guidance on attending school with a cold

The UK government has launched a campaign titled "Moments matter, attendance counts" in a bid to encourage parents to send their children to school if they have minor illnesses by stressing the importance of attendance for attainment, wellbeing, and development.

The advice includes a recent letter from the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, which outlines best practice when it comes to attendance and illness. 

On coughs and colds, the letter reads, "It is usually appropriate for parents and carers to send their children to school with mild respiratory illnesses. This would include general cold symptoms: a minor cough, runny nose or sore throat. However, children should not be sent to school if they have a temperature of 38°C or above. We would encourage you to share the NHS ‘Is my child too ill for school?’ guidance with parents and carers in your schools and communities which has further information."

Can I send my child to nursery with a cold?

Children can go to nursery with a cold, just as they can go to school with one. Nurseries wouldn't necessarily expect your child to stay at home if they're just a bit bunged up. However, if they have a fever, flu or a contagious disease of any kind, it's best they spend a couple of days at home to recover.

And bear in mind that it's important to take coughs and colds in babies. In the summer months, a runny nose could be the result of allergies as babies can get hay fever, but in the winter, any symptoms could be more serious.

Can my child go to school with a sore throat?

Children can go to school with a sore throat and/or a cough. Most sore throats are the result of a minor virus that clears up on its own, but it's important to look out for other symptoms that could indicate a bigger issue.

Look out for a fever, red and swollen tonsils, painful or swollen neck glands. Along with a sore throat, these are symptoms of strep throat. It's a very contagious illness and most cases tend to occur in school-age kids and teenagers.

Most cases of strep throat need antibiotics, so it's important to consult your child's GP if they have any of these signs.

When to keep your child home from school

Coughs and colds are one thing but there are some illnesses where it’s important to keep your child off school - for their health and other children's. 

If your child has any of these conditions, they should stay at home for at least 48 hours: 

  • Chickenpox
  • Impetigo 
  • Flu 
  • Food poisoning (diarrhoea and vomiting) 
  • Measles 
  • Meningitis
  • Mumps
  • Rubella (German measles)
  • Scabies
  • Scarlet Fever (tonsillitis and other related throat infections) 
  • Whooping cough 
  • Ringworm 
  • Salmonella 
  • E.Coli 
  • Gastroenteritis (diarrhoea and vomiting)
  • Rotavirus (diarrhoea and vomiting)
  • Infections spread through the faeces, such as: Giardia, Bacillary dysentery, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidiosis. 
  • Hepatitis A

If your child is technically well enough to go into school but has an infection that they can spread to others - like head lice or a cold sore - then they don’t have to stay at home. But it is important to let their teacher know so they can inform other parents and carers.

In related news, we've looked into the signs of Strep A in kids. You also might be interested to know how cold it has to be for schools to close, and we've also explained fines for taking children out of school.

Ellie Hutchings
Family News Editor

Ellie is GoodtoKnow’s Family News Editor and covers all the latest trends in the parenting world - from relationship advice and baby names to wellbeing and self-care ideas for busy mums. Ellie is also an NCTJ-qualified journalist and has a distinction in MA Magazine Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and a first-class degree in Journalism from Cardiff University. Previously, Ellie has worked with BBC Good Food, The Big Issue, and the Nottingham Post, as well as freelancing as an arts and entertainment writer alongside her studies. When she’s not got her nose in a book, you’ll probably find Ellie jogging around her local park, indulging in an insta-worthy restaurant, or watching Netflix’s newest true crime documentary.