Immunisation Schedule

Below is a list of immunisations that school age children will receive and when they will be given them.

• Flu

  School Year: Reception to Year 11

  Time of year given: October to January

  This is given by nasal spray which is squirted up each nostril. Not only is it needle-free (a big advantage for children), the nasal spray works even better than the injected flu vaccine with fewer side effects. It’s quick and painless and will mean your child is less likely to become ill if they come into contact with the flu virus.

  Flu can be very unpleasant for children. They have the same symptoms as adults – including fever, chills, aching muscles, headache, stuffy nose, dry cough and sore throat lasting up to a week.  Some children develop a very high fever or complications of flu such as bronchitis, pneumonia and painful middle ear infection. They may need hospital treatment, and very occasionally a child may die from flu.

  For children with long-term health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, heart disease or lung disease, getting flu can be very serious as they are more at risk of developing serious complications.

  Find out more about the flu vaccine

• HPV (Human Papilloma Virus)

  School Year:  Year 8

  Time of year given: January to July

  From September 2019, we're delighted to be able to offer this to boys as well as girls. It helps to protect against cervical, genital and head & neck cancers as well as genital warts. Although of course boys can’t get cervical cancer, HPV is linked to other cancers that men can get.

  The HPV vaccination involves one injection. The team offer catch-ups clinics for girls / young women, so if the dose has been missed or delayed, it can still be given.

  Find out more about contraception and sexual health

• Meningococcal ACWY

  School Year: 9

  Time of year given: January to July

  Meningitis is inflammation of the lining of the brain. One of the most serious and common causes of meningitis is by meningococcal bacteria. As well as meningitis, meningococcal infection can lead to septicaemia (blood poisoning), both of which can be very serious or fatal.

  Teenagers and young adults are at higher risk of developing meningococcal disease and will be offered the vaccine that protects against four different types of meningitis A, C, W and Y at the same time as the Teenage Booster (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio).

• Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio

  School Year: 9

  Time of year given: January to July

  Diphtheria, tetanus and polio are rare now because of vaccination but they are very serious diseases. Your child will have been offered three doses as a baby and one pre-school booster.

  Sometimes known as the teenage booster, this should be young people’s fifth and final dose to protect them into adulthood.

• MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella)

  School Year: 10

  Time of year given: September to July

  Children should receive two doses of MMR vaccine at one year and with the pre-school booster at 3.5 years. For year 10 students, the School Immunisation Service offers a catch-up in case one or both doses were missed earlier. You can check with your GP if you are unsure if your child has had these. 

  Measles, mumps and rubella are very infectious and can develop into very serious conditions. For older children who have gone through puberty, mumps can be serious and lead to swelling of the testicles or ovaries.

  There are increasing numbers of measles outbreaks across the UK and the world.