“Gower2010!
I love you whether male or female! Exactly! I think I made my comments a little more succinctly but concurr with you completely.
I am sick of this so called professional group taking arbitary actions and thinking parents have to comply......snow, so called inset days, picture taking, soft drinks etc.
This group have been given far too much power by their ability to take industrial action and not be held to account. Doctors, nurses, police, prison officers are not in a position to take such action.
Cut them off at the ankles I say!”

“Click on the right arrow below the photo in order to view more of the picture. Note change in colour from shoulder to upper arm.”

“* Correction: As for the argument about allergic reactions, what happens if Child A. is allergic to the suncream worn by Child B. and during normal day-to-day interactions at school, Child A. is exposed to Child B's suncream which has liquified through Child A's perspiration?”

“According to this article, it seems the parents of the child do apply sun cream on their child before school. However, it also seems that the child in the article was possibly exposed to the sun, over and above that of normal play/lunchtime sessions, due to sports day practice.

Arguably, even the most effective 'long-lasting' sun creams are unlikely to be effective for up to 7 hours. Even if they were, leading sun cream manufacturers advise users to avoid intensive midday sun (11am-3pm) - even when protected! Furthermore, a child may arrive at school during a warm, but cloudy summer day, only to find themselves getting sunburnt later in the day when skies clear. Allowing school children access to their own suncream during school hours would avoid this and provide a flexible solution. It would also encourage children to take a responsible approach to sun safety.

It is clear that schools have a duty of care to take 'reasonable' steps to protect those in their care from all sorts of harm. Simply passing the buck back to parents who may have taken all 'reasonable' and 'foreseeable' sun safety precautions prior to sending their child/ren to school, is probably not helpful. In this case, a school jumper loaned by the school could have easily prevented the child from getting sunburnt, even if she was sent to school in a vest top with no suncream on.

As for the argument about allergic reactions, what happens if Child A. is allergic to the suncream worn by Child B. and during normal day-to-day interactions at school, Child B. is exposed to Child A's suncream which has liquified through Child A's perspiration?

Risk is a fact of life; we have to accept some risk (yes, even in schools) or life as we know it will simply grind to a halt.

The question that needs answering is this: Is the risk to those children with an actual/potential allergic condition greater than the risk posed by those who could develop skin cancer because they are not allowed to apply their own suncream during the school day as and when required? If it is not, then allow children access to their own suncream at school. We must stop hiding behind alarmist excuses. If the risk is greater (the highest risk to the allergic child could potentially be anaphylaxis) then schools need to look at ways to mitigate the risk - epinephrine auto-injector provision at school for example.

Banning things and having lots of policies isn't always the answer!

Interestingly, this same school drew media attention last summer for taking the decision to ban all parents from taking pictures/videoing at the schools sports day. Then, like now, parents took a stand about a school policy decision.

It's right and proper that decisions taken by schools should be scrutinised by parents for all sorts of reasons. A quick Google search on this school reveals that in its recent Estyn Inspection ( http://tinyurl.com/6jmhn7b ), it received a 'good' for performance and 'adequate' for leadership. One might expect better for a well-off rural part of Gower.

The school's inspection report by Estyn states: "Governors do not yet offer enough constructive challenge to the school. As a result, they are not wholly effective in undertaking their role as a critical friend." The report also states: "Partnership working between the school and local authority is not strong enough in building the school's capacity for continuous improvement and in the sharing of good practice." This might go some way to explaining why Swansea Council's response to this article appears to be somewhat detached, given that decisions about the issue raised in this article were made by, and is the ultimate responsibility of the school and its governing body. Essentially, these parents need to make a formal complaint to the school governing body if they disagree with the school's suncream policy; in reality, the LEA has no jurisdiction here!”

“When a parent/guardian leaves their child at the school gates, they are in effect agreeing to allow the teachers and other staff at the school to act 'in loco parentis'. Schools have legal duties in respect to this, namely the Children Act 1989 and Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. These two Acts cover 'duty of care' and 'safeguarding wellbeing'. Regardless of whether or not a child comes to school adequately sun protected @NormalParent, schools have a legal duty to protect children in their care from harm - that includes harm from sunburn!

As part of a dynamic risk assessment, any child not appropriately prepared for an activity in the summer sun (even 15 minutes is sufficient enough time to burn) should be made to sit out the activity in the shade, or loaned some suitable clothing to cover up - such items can normally be found in the lost and found cupboard or school office!

In response to @nemofisher Is anyone even remotely suggesting teachers actually apply children's suncream for them?”

“1. Teachers arent allowed to apply suncream to children and i'm sure if they did you'd have a lot more parents complaining
2. Teachers dont have the time to apply suncream to 30 children in their class
3. A good brand of sun protection with a high spf should suffice for playtime (I doubt the children were out all day in the sun)
4. I'm very suspicious as to whether the parent did actually apply suncream on before sending them to school, many parents dont have the time or forget before school
5. 'If' the parent thought enough to put suncream on the child before school then surely they would've thought to dress her in more than a vest top!
6. The school had the policy in place already, check your schools policy and if you're not sure then dont run the risk by sending your child in unprotected

The parents are neglegent here not the school and are now showing their stupidity by advertising their idiocy”

“The parents should take responsibility for sending their child to school in a vest top, especially as they clearly knew the rules on suncream from previous discussions with the school.”

“I agree with both sides on this subject. Yes, kids should wear t-shirts to school that will protect their shoulders in warm weather, but forearms and legs can always burn (unless you send your child to school in leggings and a poloneck). At the age of 10 children can, when shown, apply suncream themselves. Even if all parents submit a consent form and the cream is kept with the teacher. Will they suggest next all kids stay indoors during the summer so no one will burn? Our country is loosing the plot! (ps. there is no such thing as a Normal Parent, all our kids turn us a bit bonkers eventually).”

“Hi NormalParent (not so normal by sounds of things)
There is a far higher risk of a 'young person' developing skin cancer from sun burn over their life, than a child having a skin reaction due to sun blocks!!!???
Don't you think that concerned parents would know what was safe? Any way, why would teachers have to apply to 200 pupils? That is an arguement with no legs. These children can apply their own, they just need someone to teach them.......oops....no one suitable there then? Only an insulated group of blinkered individuals who think they know more about something but can never really put their finger on it, would respond to this topic in such an ignorant manner. Get and find out what is at stake here before putting up your flimsy whimsical self satisfying attempts at debate.
If you know so much about teaching, why aren't you doing your job rather than rehashing the teacher comments from the original article?”

“Here we go again, it's always the schools fault! As a parent and teacher why is it always down to the school.
Clunky_Munkey needs to get real! How can you expect teachers to apply sun cream to 200 pupils?
It's the LEA guidlines the school follows, take your issue up with them.
If a child took sun cream to school and another child has an allergic reaction because of it, who's fault is that? the school i suppose.
It's the responsibility of the parents to ensure their child is adequately protected, if Aimee wore a top like the one in the photo, what do her parents expect? Her parent's are clowns!”