SUN SAFETY     

At St Mark’s we take sun safety very seriously and work together with our families to help protect our children from the harmful sun’s Ultra Violet rays. The best way we can do this is to educate children in taking steps to ensure they can play out in the lovely weather whilst covering up. There are five simple rules to follow;

SLIP on a protective clothing

SLOP on Factor 50 sunscreen

SLAP on a wide brimmed hat  

SLIDE on some quality sunglasses

SHADE  seek out some shade

Sunscreen can be applied at home before the day starts but will also need to be re-applied during the morning and afternoon for it to be effective, especially if water play is happening. It would be helpful if families could show children how to apply it to their arms, legs, face and neck, for correct coverage. Remember to check the expiry date before using it. Most creams have a shelf life of around eighteen months.

It is advised by the NHS to follow the sun protection rules of ‘Slip, Slop, Slap, Slide and Shade’ from 1^st April until 30^th October, even on cloudy days.

You can check the UV forecast on a regular occasion to give your family an indication of how strong the sun is predicted to be. Any UV levels higher than a level 3 will require protection.

You can encourage your children to use shaded areas when playing on extremely hot days. 

St Mark's Primary is part of the Sun Safe Schools national accreditation programme, aimed at ensuring sun safety wellbeing for all pupils. Whilst we recognise that some sun is good for us, sun protection is an important safeguarding issue. All pupils learn about safe and unsafe exposure to the sun and how to reduce the risk of sun damage. Pupils have lots of fun learning about this subject through the Sun Safe Programme every year that focuses on developing their knowledge of UV rays and how to enjoy the sun safely. 

Thank you for working with us to ensure our pupils are educated and protected from the sun. 

Please read our St Mark's Sun Safety Policy. 

Further information can be found here regarding the Sun Safety Programme.

Parent information letter can be found here.