* The School Nurse Practice Development Resource Pack produced by the Department of Health can be downloaded from www.dh.gov.ukpublications.
* “Employing nurses in independent schools” is available from the Royal College of Nursing website (www.rcn.org.ukpublications).
* Information on the PSHE certification programme for school nurses and teachers can be found at www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk; www.tes.co.uk
www.tes.co.ukfriday has direct links to these websites Did you know?
* About 3,000 school nurses work in the UK
* Only 1 per cent of them are men; 97 per cent are white
* Each covers around eight schools - one secondary and its feeder primaries - and has an average caseload of 2,400 pupils
* In 2004 the Government announced plans to reverse a 20-year decline in school nurses and develop their role. Double the number is needed, according to the Royal College of Nurses
* They are not allowed to disclose information to parents without the pupil’s permission except if they consider a young person to be in danger of harm or abuse
* They can also provide contraceptive advice and advice on abortion without parental permission
Main text: Caroline Roberts Photographs: Alamy, Getty, Sam Atkins, Steve Hill, Roy Kilcullen, Chris Jones Additional research: Sarah Jenkins Next week: Memory
