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Height and Weight Checks for Your Child
During the 2007/08 school year, children in: Reception, Year 6 and Year 10 throughout Walsall will be invited to have their height and weight checked by a health professional at school as part of the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP).
Children have their height and weight measured by health professionals when they are born and in the early years of their lives. Many children also have a school entry health check in reception which includes a height and weight measurement.
Children’s growth is indicative of a range of health issues and by collecting this information the tPCT can decide what kind of services should be offered to children and families in this area.
When will these measurements be taking place?
The measurements will take place throughout the academic year and will be planned in accordance with the business of the school.
Where will the measurements be taken?
Reception children will have their height and weight measurements taken at the back of the classroom. Year 6 and Year 10 children will be measured in a private room away from other children.
The tPCT will be extremely careful to handle this process with sensitivity: for example children will only be required to remove jumpers/blazers and shoes and will not be required to undress.
The measurements will only take about one to two minutes per child and all information will be treated with confidentiality.
Unfortunately, the PCT monitoring team are unable to measure any child in the school setting who cannot stand independently and we do not have the equipment to measure any child who uses a wheelchair.
If you would like your child to have their height and weight measured, alternative arrangements have been made for this at the Walsall Child Development Centre (CDC), Shelfield Clinic,
Can I find out my child’s measurements?
As is done when children’s height and weight are measured in reception, as part of a routine health check, children’s measurements are fed back to parents. This information will also be fed back to parents of Year 6 and Year 10 children.
Who will be taking the measurements?
The measurements will be taken by two trained PCT employees who will coordinate the project and measure all the required children across the borough.
What if a parent or guardian has some worries over their child’s weight?
These measurements are not being taken to identify individual children but are being collected to look
If you have some worries about your child’s weight then please speak to your GP or the school nurse. They will then be able to discuss this with you in confidence and refer you onto further services or health professionals if appropriate.
Can I withdraw my child from these measurements?
Every parent or guardian will be issued with an opt-out letter informing them when the measurements will be taking place at their child’s school. Within this letter they will be given the opportunity to withdraw their child from the measurements should they wish.
What happens with this information?
The information which is collected will be fed back to parents and will also be updated onto the NHS Child Health System which is a secure database, as is done with all health information relating to your child. All measurements will be kept private and no one is permitted to see these results.
The Reception and Y6 data will also be anonymously uploaded to the Department of Health at the end of the year to be included in the national data for the NCMP.
Height and weight measurements are an important measure in relation to a child’s growth. We are not collecting data to pick out individual children but we are looking at a collection of data to look at how the children in
Who can I contact about more information?
Should you have any further questions relating to children’s height and weight checks at school please contact Joanne Kirkby at Walsall teaching Primary Care Trust on 01922 604827.
The Department of Health publication ‘Why Your Child’s Weight Matters’ includes information on the NCMP and why a healthy weight in children is important. This can be found at:
For further information regarding activity programmes available within
www.activewalsall.org or call 01902 605500 for more information
For specialist advice regarding physical activity and weight management then please contact the WAY 4Ward or Fun 4 Life programme by calling Rachel on 01902 605500 or e-mailing ShepherdR@walsall.gov.uk
