You have open access to the health visiting service (Mon-Friday 8.30am-4pm) by calling the Single Point of Access 0191 282 3319 if you need support or guidance.

The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) is available to those children in both reception and year 6 and provides an annual opportunity for our Service to engage with parents about their child’s health.

Our School nurses, their teams and other professionals involved in the NCMP are in a unique position to help shape how parents understand their child’s health and to support them to take steps towards positive action where needed. We can offer further support around healthy eating, exercise and portion control and we work alongside our dietitian service offering another pathway of support for families when needed.

Healthy children promotes growth into healthy adults, both mentally and physically and so this is a perfect opportunity to understand the health of your child.

The NCMP offer is not compulsory and both parents and children do have the option to opt out. Before the programme starts each year, the local authority will write to parents / carers of eligible children to inform them and give them the option of opting out of the programme. Children may also opt out on the day should they wish.

Our school health teams work closely with schools to ensure that the process is confidential for the children and only they are able to see the height and weight recorded if they so choose. Having been involved in this process for many years, and having worked with children and young people through developmental processes, we are aware that this is a sensitive issue for some children in a variety of ways and we ensure that there is no pressure to have a height or weight recorded and that this information is NEVER shared with other children or the teachers by the school health team.

For further information around this National programme visit:

Once children have been weighed and measured parents / carers will receive a letter detailing where their child sits within the relevant centiles. All data sourced throughout the NCMP process is managed with due and necessary discretion and our staff are trained to deal with any queries families may have.