School health screening programme

The Worcestershire School Nursing Team undertake routine health screening for children at key points during their school journey. Health screening helps us monitor and support your child’s health and wellbeing as they grow. These are carried out by trained members of our health team and include:

  • Height and weight measurements (part of the National Child Measurement Programme — NCMP)
  • Health screening questionnaires completed by parents or guardians in the Parent Portal (see below) in Reception and by the child in Year 6 and 9.

Health screening questionnaires

Routine School Health Screening is offered at key stages of your child's school journey:

  • Reception (first year of school)
  • Year 6
  • Year 9

They provide a valuable opportunity to check on your child’s health and development, ensuring any extra support can be offered if needed. 

The process begins with an online questionnaire, completed securely through a trusted platform called School Screener. As part of this, you will be asked to create a profile and access the Parent Portal, where you can:

  • View the health information we hold about your child
  • Complete the Health Needs Assessment Questionnaire — Be quick, you only have two weeks to submit the questionnaire once you receive your invite.
  • Access guidance and resources to support your child's health and wellbeing.

Use the drop-down sections below to learn more about the Parent Portal and the School Screener platform. Alternatively, you can access our  digital leaflet for guidance.

Information on the School Screener and Parent Portal

What is School Screener?

School Screener is the secure digital platform we use to host our health screening surveys. It allows us to:

  • Share important health messages with parents and carers
  • Collect and manage health information safely
  • Monitor your child’s health over time.

All data is handled in line with NHS standards for privacy, accessibility, and data protection.

How do I complete the questionnaire?

When your child starts school, you’ll receive a letter from us. This is usually around the middle of September. The letter will include a personal link to School Screener. Using this link, you will be invited to create your Parent Portal account.

Signing up for Parent Portal

You can access your Parent Portal and the School Screener from any phone, laptop or mobile device.

Parent Portal lets you:

  • Fill in your child’s health questionnaire
  • Get instant messages from our team
  • View results letters quickly and easily

Can my child opt-out?

Participation is entirely your choice. If you would prefer not to take part, you don’t need to do anything further. By not completing the survey, we will understand that you have chosen not to participate in the Reception Health Screening Programme.

How we use your data

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018, we have a legal duty to protect any information we collect. Please be assured that all personal confidential information will be kept secure and confidential at all times and will only be used by staff who have a lawful reason to do so.

For details on how we use your information, please visit the links below:

 

How to sign up for the School Screener and Parent Portal

As parents and carers, when your child starts school, you will be issued with a letter from our service containing a ‘unique link’ to register for an account to access the Parent Portal within School Screener. Please note this link can only be accessed via Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge web browsers.

It is important to register, as without an account you will be unable to access the health questionnaires or view the results from your child’s hearing test and growth measurements.

To register on the portal, is quick and easy to do by following these simple steps:

  •      Open the unique link in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge to visit the Parent Portal homepage

Screenshot of the SchoolScreener Parent Portal Homepage

  •      Select register now, which will open a new page and fill in the required information

Screenshot of SchoolScreener Register Page

  •      Open your email from SchoolScreener and follow the link to confirm registration

Screenshot of SchoolScreener Email Confirmation

  •      Next follow the on-screen instructions to create a password for your parent portal account

Screenshot of the SchoolScreener _ Password Screen

  •      Once you have set a password, head back to the Parent Portal homepage to login

Screenshot of SchoolScreener Login Screen

  •      Once you have logged into the portal, you can select which form(s) to complete

Screenshot of SchoolScreener Login Homescreen page

Within your account, you will also need to confirm and accept that you have read all the information relating to the screenings for electronic results letters to be issued and your child’s results to be viewed securely through the portal.

National Child Measurement Programme

National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP)

In Reception and Year 6, your child will be invited to take part in the National Child Measurement Programme. This initiative promotes healthier lifestyles and helps monitor children's growth across the UK.

  • Measurements are taken discreetly in school by our team
  • Results will be available to view securely via the Parent Portal
  • Guidance will be provided on how to access further support or resources if needed

If you would prefer for your child not to be weighed and measured, you can ‘Opt Out’ via the Parent Portal, but you need to do this at least 2 weeks before the screening is due to take place.

What do the growth measurements involve?

As part of the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) to promote healthier lifestyles, the team will offer your child the opportunity to have their height and weight measured in school during reception and again in year 6. The measurements will be available for you to view in the Parent Portal with advice on how to access further information and support if needed.

Image of a little boy getting his height measured

The team also use the anonymised clinical data  to support management and service delivery. Your child’s school will also be offered the health demographics relating to their school, which can be used to support the development of their School Improvement plan.

If you would prefer for your child not to be weighed and measured then you can ‘Opt Out’ via the Parent Portal, but you need to do this at least 2 weeks before the screening is due to take place.

Have a question or need more information? Get in touch!

If you need help signing up for the Parent Portal, or if you have any questions about school health screening or the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) please do not hesitate to get in touch. We’re here to help!