Why Schools need to be

Sun Sensible

Find out more about being Sun Sensible at www.sunsense.co.uk

1. Cancer Research UK: Cancer incidence for common cancers – UK statistics. http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/incidence/

commoncancers/#All (accessed March 2011) 2. Cancer Research UK: Skin cancer statistics – Key Facts. http://info.cancerresearchuk.

org/cancerstats/types/skin/ (accessed March 2011) 3. IMS W01D, SPF Segment, Value Market Share, MAT April 2012 4. World Health

Organisation – What are simple steps for sun protection? Accessed 9/12/11. http://www.who.int/features/qa/40/en/ 5. SunSmart

campaign – Cancer Research UK http://www.sunsmart.org.uk .Accessed 02/13 6. Skin cancer prevention: information, resources

and environmental changes (PH32) January 2011. http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/PH32 7. ‘The Framework for School Inspection’

– 20th December 2012. http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/framework-for-school-inspection 8. WHO Children’s Sun Protection

Education http://www.who.int/uv/intersunprogramme/activities/recommendationsorvieto%5B1%5D.pdf 9. MP survey commissioned

by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Skin (1000 parents). Report from SKUK http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1386256/

Skin-cancer-Four-10-children-suffered-sunburn-school-warn-experts.html

REFERENCES

SunSense Makes More Sense

BRITISH

DERMATOLOGICAL

NURSING

GROUP

Even on cloudy and cool days, UV radiation

in sunlight causes unseen damage to skin;

and, indeed, skin cancers – now the most common

form of cancer in the UK1. In fact, UK deaths from

this type of cancer have overtaken Australia2. So,

in association with The British Dermatological Nursing

Group (BDNG), the School and Public Health

Nurses Association (SAPHNA) and Australia’s

No.1 sunscreen3 , the Sun Sensible campaign aims

to make children aware of the dangers early.

All skin types and colours are susceptible to sun-

burn and should be protected. Children’s skin is

particularly delicate and easily damaged4, putting

them at greatest risk – sunburn in childhood can

increase the incidence of malignant melanomas

(cancers) later in life.5 But such damage is easily

preventable – and school is one of the most

important places to get this message across.

The NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence)

‘Sun Safety Guidelines for Schools’6 go as far as

recommending that Head Teachers take action

to protect children from over-exposure to UV rays,

saying schools should “develop, implement and

monitor a specially tailored policy to ensure people

are protected as much as possible.” And, of course,

having such measures in place can also help improve

your Ofsted rating, by promoting the safety of

pupils in school, as outlined in their ‘Framework

for School Inspection.’7

Providing extra shade in the playground is one of

the ways you can help protect children… and with

our competition, you can! The top prizes are:

Early yearSA sandbox with pergola, a free

SunSense sunscreen 500ml

pump for every class and the

winning design made into

T-shirts for the whole nursery.

Key Stage 1 A wooden playhouse, free SunSense

sunscreen and UV wristbands

(showing when sun damage

could occur) for every class, with

the winning design made into

T-shirts for the whole school.

Key Stage 2

A covered seating area, free

SunSense sunscreen and UV

wristbands for every class, with

the winning design made into

T-shirts for the whole school.

Plus: 5 runner-up prizes of

‘Buddy Buses’ with roofs – perfect

for any outside play area! As well as

free SunSense sunscreen 500ml

pump for every class, and UV wristbands.

All your pupils need to do is design a T-shirt with a sun theme.

They can enter individually or as a class, and once their entries

are ready, they can either be uploaded to our website, or posted

to us. So whether you’re a school, nursery, parent or guardian,

visit www.sunsense.co.uk to register and take part now!

Win equipment for your school or nursery playground in our competition!

While the sun can cause serious skin damage, it

also helps young bodies produce vitamin D for the

development of healthy teeth and bones.8

Recently, there have been concerns raised that

the application of sunscreen can lead to a vitamin D

deficiency in children; and as part of the campaign,

you may need to address parents’ concerns.

The BDNG and the SAPHNA agree that there

is a clear link between skin cancers and sun

exposure. They recommend a diet rich in Vitamin

D and/or supplements as a more effective and

safer alternative than putting children at risk of

skin cancers by not using a sunscreen.

41% of parents have reported that their children

have got sunburnt while at school9 – so with the

help of teachers, SAPHNA, parents and the BDNG,

we’ve produced a range of materials to help your

school put your own policy in place, teach your

pupils more about the sun and help encourage

children to cover up, drink more fluids, stay in the

shade and apply sunscreen regularly.

How the campaign works

Vitamin D and the sun