Last updated: 11 October 2026, 12.55am BST.
Parents and carers across East Sussex are being asked to check their email or school messages and complete the consent process for this autumn’s free school flu vaccination programme.
What East Sussex parents have been told
East Sussex County Council’s public-health team said school immunisation teams will visit schools over the next two months. The programme covers pupils from Reception through Year 11 and normally uses a nasal spray rather than an injection.
Parents should have received an email or letter containing their school’s code. That code is needed when using the Sussex Immunisations consent service. The form is used whether a parent gives or refuses consent, helping the team avoid uncertainty on vaccination day.
There is no single county-wide consent deadline in the announcement because each school has its own visit date. The practical deadline is therefore the one in the message from the child’s school. Families who cannot find it should contact the school office rather than guess a code or wait until the vaccination team arrives.
Who is offered the school flu vaccine
The school programme described by the council covers Reception to Year 11. National UK Health Security Agency guidance for the 2026–27 season provides schools with updated invitation and consent materials.
The nasal vaccine is the standard option for most eligible children. An injectable alternative may be suitable in some circumstances, including certain allergies, medical conditions or where the nasal product is not acceptable. The NHS consent service says families should provide the requested health information so the clinical team can assess the appropriate option.
This report does not replace individual medical advice. Parents who are unsure because of asthma, allergy, medication, immune problems or a previous reaction should use the contact details in their invitation or speak to their GP, pharmacist or the immunisation team.
Why it matters locally
The council said flu vaccination coverage has recently been around half of primary-age children and below half among secondary-age children. It also cited Department for Education data showing 2.5 million school days were missed nationally last winter, with flu a major contributor.
Those figures do not predict what will happen in one East Sussex school. They do explain why the programme is delivered before the usual December and January flu peak: the aim is to reduce illness in children and onward spread to relatives who may be more vulnerable.
What parents should do
- Search school email, parent apps and letters for the flu vaccination invitation.
- Use the school code in that message to complete the online consent form promptly.
- Check the school visit date and tell the team about relevant medical history.
- If the child is absent or misses the session, use the Sussex children’s immunisation service for catch-up information.
- For urgent medical concerns, use NHS 111; call 999 in a life-threatening emergency.
Brighton Locals’ view
Our assessment: the programme is straightforward, but the reliance on a school-specific code makes clear communication essential. Schools should repeat the date and code before their session, while parents should record a clear consent decision rather than assume silence will be treated as approval.
What happens next
School visits continue through the autumn, with the council saying they are usually completed by the end of November. The useful measure will be not just the number of forms returned but whether catch-up clinics reach children who were absent or whose families missed the first message.
Bottom line: find the message from your child’s school and complete the form now; the exact deadline follows the school’s own vaccination date.
Featured image: a 2023 nasal influenza vaccine pack, used as a product illustration and not a photograph of the 2026 East Sussex programme. Whispyhistory, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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