Service Specialist School Nursing Service

Service overview

Specialist School Nurses (SSN) provide expert nursing care to children and young people in Specialist Educational Needs (SEN) schools across Berkshire, usually up to the age of 19.

Every child or young person at these schools is automatically supported by the SSN team, so they can access nursing care as required.

We work closely with families, school staff, and other professionals to make sure health needs are met safely and appropriately within the school environment. This includes offering training and support to help school staff feel confident, creating a safe and supportive environment where pupils can enjoy school and thrive.

Accessing our service

Our service is for school-age children attending any of the designated SEN schools across Berkshire. Support is available up to the age of 19 years.

You don’t need to go through a formal referral process to access our service. SSNs are already involved with children and young people who have identified nursing needs.

In East Berkshire, we support children at Arbour Vale School, Manor Green School, and Kennel Lane School. In West Berkshire, we support children at Addington School, Avenue School, Brookfields School, and Castle School.

Preparing for an assessment

Your assessment will be arranged between your family and your named Specialist School Nurse (SSN) at a time and place that works best for you. This is likely to be done over the phone, although this will depend on the needs and complexity of the child.

During the visit, your SSN will talk with you and your child about their health, home, and school environment. We’ll also do a few simple health checks, like weight, heart rate, and temperature.

The whole appointment usually takes about an hour, depending on your child’s needs.

You don’t need to do anything special before we visit. But if you can, it’s helpful to have a list of any medicines your child is taking, share the names of professionals already involved in their care, and note down any questions you’d like to ask. This helps us understand your child’s needs and make the most of our time together.

Managing your health

Patient appointment

Your e-Health Passport

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Contact us and FAQs

Specialist School Nursing Service (West)

Email: SpecialistSchoolNurses@berkshire.nhs.uk Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm (term time only)

Specialist School Nursing Service (East)

Email: SSNTeamEast@berkshire.nhs.uk Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm (term time only)

Frequently asked questions

What happens if my child needs to use a medical device at school?

If your child requires the use of any medical devices, the Specialist School Nursing Service will provide you with information and advice as soon as the device is received.

We can also help you with

Is there any information for friends, family and carers?

If you’re a family member/carer or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available to you from a range of local communities and national organisations.  

How do I request an interpreter?

We can provide language translation and interpretation support whenever you visit or contact us.

Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.

We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:

  • telephone interpreting
  • video remote interpreting (VRI)
  • face‑to‑face interpreting
  • written translation
  • British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting
How can I get information in an accessible format?

Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to receive information in a format that meets their needs. Under the Accessible Information Standard (AIS)—a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers—we must ensure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand the information we provide and communicate effectively with us.

We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:

  • British Sign Language (BSL)
  • large print
  • braille
  • audio
  • easy Read
  • email
  • text message
  • face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present

If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.

Are service dogs allowed to my appointment?

Yes. You are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.

These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.

To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.

Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.

Treating our team with respect.

Respect is important.

We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.

Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.

We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.

This includes contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.

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