Health in primary school (kindergarten or elementary)

Verified 26 November 2025 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Your child enters kindergarten or elementary school and you want to know how is the follow-up of his health ensured? Vaccinations, medical visits, preventive measures and health education, schooling of the sick student, fight against school bullying: here is the information you need to know about your child's health in primary school.

The number of mandatory vaccines to enter school depends on the date of birth of your child.

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Child born before 2018

The mandatory vaccinations are as follows:

  • Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for residents of the department of French Guiana older than 12 months (one year) or any person staying there.

Persons with parental authority must ensure that this obligation is respected.

The recommended vaccinations concern the following diseases and infections:

  • Diseases such as tuberculosis, pertussis, rubella, measles, and mumps, chickenpox, influenza, hepatitis B, shingles
  • Invasive haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococcal, meningococcal C infections
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections.

FYI  

A national HPV vaccination campaign is being organized in schools and health-care facilities for children with disabilities.

Child born from 2018

The mandatory vaccinations for babies and children:

  • Diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis (DTP)
  • Pertussis
  • Invasive Haemophilus influenzae type B infections
  • Hepatitis B
  • Invasive pneumococcal infections
  • Meningococcal serogroup A, B, C, W and Y
  • Measles, mumps and rubella.

And, for residents of Guyana, yellow fever, from 1 year.

Persons with parental authority must ensure that this obligation is respected.

The recommended vaccinations concern diseases such as:

  • Tuberculosis
  • Chickenpox
  • Flu
  • Shingles
  • Human papillomavirus infections
  • Rotavirus.

A medical examination is carried out at the nursery school for all children aged 3 to 4 years.

Another medical examination is carried out during the 6e year of the child, in large section of kindergarten or CP.

These visits are free of charge for families. The presence of a parent is strongly advised.

These medical visits allow to establish a health check of the child.

The main objective of these assessments is to identify the signs that can lead to learning difficulties: visual, auditory or language problems.

Please note

If your child is overweight, the doctor may refer you to a health center or nursing home to set up a specific follow-up. This tracking, called health pathway, includes a physical activity report and dietary and psychological follow-up sessions. To follow this route, your child must be between 3 and 12 years old.

With your consent, the information about your child's health collected during these examinations is recorded in the shared medical record.

Every school must educate students about thelifestyle. A regular reminder of the following barrier gestures should be performed:

  • Wash your hands several times a day, with soap and for 30 seconds
  • Use a disposable tissue to sneeze or cough
  • Immediately throw this tissue in the trash and wash your hands again.

The school must also make the child aware ofnutrition education and the fight against obesity.

FYI  

Vending machines for beverages and food products are prohibited in schools.

Short-term illness: absence of the child

When your child is absent due to illness, you must first report it to their school as soon as possible. You will then have to justify this absence in writing.

One medical certificate is mandatory only in case of contagious disease. You must provide it to the school administration as soon as your child returns to class.

Long-term illness: home or hospital schooling

If your child's illness does not allow full-time admission to his school, ateaching support at home in the hospital or at school (Apadhe) can be set up.

To do this, you, or the head teacher, through the Apadhe teacher coordinator, must make the request to the Dasen: titleContent. The child's medical certificate must be transmitted.

Who shall I contact

The departmental technical advisor decides whether the state of health of your child requires the implementation of this device.

In this case, he will be cared for at home by volunteer teachers, if possible from his institution.

If your child is hospitalized for a long time, they may benefit free of charge the intervention in hospital of specialized teachers.

If your child cannot benefit from these devices, they can follow theeducation in the family.

You can also register it free of charge at the National Center for Distance Education (Cned) in a regulated class. For this, you must obtain permission to educate your child in the family with the Dasen: titleContent.

Other illness: individualized care (IAP)

If your child requires special care, especially in case of chronic disease, you can ask the school to set up a individualized hospitality project (IAP).

Example :

If your child has a food allergy, you can use the IAP to set up a packed lunch system.

If your child's illness requires medication (asthma, diabetes), it should be available in the infirmary and in the child's first aid kit.

If your child repeatedly experiences verbal, moral or physical abuse from one or more other students, he or she is victim of school harassment. You must contact the school management. You will be invited to present the situation of harassment experienced by your child.

You can also contact the 3018, national number for victims of harassment.

This number allows you to report the problem of bullying experienced by your child. You will get advice and support to deal with the situation.

Who shall I contact

  • National number for victims of harassment

    To ask your questions anonymously and confidentially about school harassment.

    By phone

    3018

    Open 7 days a week, from 9am to 11pm

    Free and anonymous call

    Website

    e-enfance.org

The school must then respect a support protocol to put an end to the harassment situation.

Different prevention measures are put in place to combat school bullying.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • If a child's mental or physical health is at risk

    Childhood in danger - 119

    A telephone number for any child or young person who is a victim of violence or anyone who is concerned about a situation of a child in danger or at risk of being.

    By phone

    119 (free and confidential call)

    24/7

    A call on this number is geolocated, identified and prioritized. It doesn't appear on the bills.

    On the website www.allo119.gouv.fr

  • If you think you are a victim or witness of bullying at school

    National number for victims of harassment

    To ask your questions anonymously and confidentially about school harassment.

    By phone

    3018

    Open 7 days a week, from 9am to 11pm

    Free and anonymous call

    Website

    e-enfance.org