SUN SAFETY @ St MARK’S PRIMARY      

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

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 parents 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 Seek’ 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. Use sheets/tarpaulin to tie over washing lines as home-made ‘tents’ or between trees to provide extra shade during hot periods. Thank you for working with us to ensure our pupils are educated and protected from the sun.

Please follow these rules when you are at home or on holiday and encourage your friends and family to do the same! Thank you.