Introduction

The School Nursing Service visits schools to give both routine vaccines and the seasonal flu vaccine as part of their health promotion work. These immunisations are highly effective, safe and free.

In order to provide maximum protection, it's important children and young people get their vaccinations on time and complete the course when more than one dose is required.

Parents and carers will be given consent forms before a child is vaccinated. Please make sure these are completed and returned to the school.

If you have any queries about school vaccinations or have misplaced or lost your consent form, please ring the School Nursing Service on 01639 862801.

New to Wales? If you and your child/children have moved to Wales from another country, please ensure your child/children are vaccinated according to the Wales schedule. The timings of childhood immunisations can vary between countries and your child/children may need an additional dose of certain vaccinations to bring them in line with our schedule and ensure they have the maximum protection. Check with the School Nursing Service on 01639 862801 or GP.

Information for arrivals from Ukraine Go to this page on the Public Health Wales website for vaccination leaflets and information for arrivals from Ukraine.

Go to this page on the Public Health Wales website for the full routine vaccination schedule for Wales. It also has an A-Z list of vaccinations and information on each one.

Home-educated children

Home-educated children can get the immunisations they would have had in school from their GP practice. 

What vaccinations are given in school?

Flu

All school children in Wales, up to and including year 11, are eligible for the flu nasal spray vaccine in the autumn/winter.

A small number of children with specific health conditions or circumstances may be offered an injectable vaccine by their GP as an alternative.

The nasal spray vaccine is known as the live attenuated influenza vaccine or LAIV and goes by the brand name Fluenz Tetra.

It’s given as a quick squirt up each nostril.

It’s recommended as it has been shown to be more effective in children compared to the injectable inactivated flu vaccines.

It provides good overall protection against the flu and is expected to provide some cross protection against mismatched strains.

The vaccine contains weakened (attenuated) versions of the flu virus to create an immune response, but cannot give your child the flu.

Pupils will bring home consent forms which must be signed and returned to the school.

Years 8 and 9 (12-14 year olds)

Two doses of the HPV vaccine are given with a gap in between to girls and boys. This vaccine protects against cervical cancer and some other cancers, such as cancers of the head and neck. 

Follow this link to a word document with the HPV school programme dates for 2024. 

Year 9 (13 and 14 year olds)

Tetanus, diphtheria and polio vaccine, known as the three-in-one teenage booster, and the vaccine against meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y (MenACWY), which can cause meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning) are given. 

Starting university?

The MenACWY vaccine should also be given to all individuals under 25 years of age who are planning to attend university for the first time or those in their first academic year at university if they have not already received the vaccine.

Ideally the vaccine should be administered at least two weeks prior to starting university.

Cases of meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning) caused by Men W bacteria are rising, due to a particularly deadly strain.

Older teenagers and first-time university students are at high risk of infection because they tend to live in close contact in shared accommodation, such as university halls of residence

Missed vaccinations

Please contact the School Nursing Service on 01639 862801 or your GP practice if you think your child has missed a routine vaccination.