Cover picture by Volunka (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Inspire is a project aiming to improve the treatment of asthma in children, leading to increased attendance at school and better grades.

April 2024

Now inviting all schools and parents to participate!

Over 1,200 schools participating already Why should I take part? What’s involved? Participate

Inspire is being undertaken by Brighton and Sussex Medical School with support from The Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital, Brighton & Hove City Council, EpiConcept and Studybugs.

Why should I take part?

  • Recent research
    Source: Study “Salbutamol use and clinical response in children with asthma,” Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital, University of Dundee School of Medicine, Nursing and Dentistry, February 2016
    suggests that a significant proportion of children with asthma are responding inadequately to their asthma medication.
  • Meanwhile, illness accounts for 60% of school absence
    Source: National Statistics release “Pupil absence in schools in England: 2013 to 2014”
    . Every year 1 in 5 children misses a day or more of school
    Source: Analysis by Brighton & Hove City Council and EpiConcept, based on data collected by Studybugs 2014-16
    due to asthma-like illness.
  • Children with poor attendance tend to achieve less
    Source: Department for Education research report “The link between absence and attainment at KS2 and KS4”, February 2015
    in both primary and secondary school.

Better treatment of asthma-like illnesses is urgently needed.

It could lead to a better quality of life for children, an increase in attendance at school, and in turn an improvement in grades.

That’s what we’re trying to achieve – but we need your help.
Improved treatment
Fewer days off school
Better grades

Important: Children should continue to take treatment for asthma as advised by their GP (more)

What’s involved?

To deliver the project we’re using a free absence-reporting app called Studybugs.

What’s special about Studybugs is that it understands the illnesses and symptoms that parents enter.

For this project, Studybugs will enable us to ask parents optional extra questions if they enter asthma-like illnesses or symptoms. The answers given will be the basis of our research. We’ll also be able to recommend to parents various actions they can take to improve treatment.

 Studybugs website (parents section) ...parents and staff love it, it just makes life so much easier and is saving loads of time every single day. The map is also really useful – I like to check it daily to see what bugs are going around. Sally Ellingford, Attendance Officer at BHASVIC (about the free version of Studybugs) Studybugs ‘bugs going around’ map

To take part, we’re inviting parents to get the Studybugs app, and inviting schools to register with Studybugs and ask parents to get the app.

It’s extremely quick and straightforward, and as well as helping us with this project, Studybugs makes reporting absence more convenient and secure for parents, and saves time for schools. You can even use it to see what bugs are going around in the local area.

If you’d like to know more, please see Common Questions.

Want to participate?

School Staff

Please register your school on the Studybugs website then follow the simple instructions.

It’s free, there’s nothing to install and it just takes a few minutes to get set up.

Get Started

Parents and Carers

Please get the free Studybugs app or register online.

Then use Studybugs to report your child’s absence whenever they’re ill.

Get Started

Not sure? See Common Questions.