Back-to-school forms, sorted
Every fall the same stack arrives: emergency contacts, health forms, photo releases, device agreements and more. Here's what each form is for, what to check before you sign, and how to send them all back from your phone without a printer.
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Easy to get wrong
Out-of-date contacts
Check every phone number on the emergency form — schools call these first.
Missing medication details
Health and medication forms often need a doctor's signature too. Start those early.
Signing only page one
Multi-page forms may need a signature or initials on several pages.
Getting through the stack
Set aside fifteen minutes and do them in one go.
Collect the PDFs
Save each form the school emailed or posted on its parent portal.
Fill and sign
Open each one here, fill in the details, sign and add the date.
Send them back
Return them the way the school asks — email, portal or app.
Emergency contact and pickup forms
Lists who the school can call and who may pick up your child. Add at least two people besides the parents, check the numbers, and tell those people they're on the list. If there is someone who must not pick up your child, ask the school how to record that — it usually needs a separate conversation, not just a line on the form.
Health, allergy and medication forms
Tell the school about allergies, conditions and medicines. If your child needs medication at school, many schools require a separate authorization signed by both a parent and a doctor, plus the medicine in its original packaging. Ask the school nurse which form they use and send it before the first day.
Photo and media release
Lets the school use your child's photo or name in newsletters, on the website or on social media. You can usually say no or agree only to some uses — read the options before signing.
Technology and device agreements
If the school lends a laptop or tablet, you'll often sign an acceptable-use agreement and sometimes a damage policy. Check who pays for repairs and whether the device may go home.
Sports, clubs and trips
Sports usually need a participation form and a recent physical exam form signed by a doctor. Field trips and clubs come with their own permission slips during the year — keep this site bookmarked for those.
School form questions
- Do both parents need to sign?
- Usually one parent or guardian is enough, unless the form says otherwise. You can add a second signature on the same PDF.
- Can I sign on my phone?
- Yes. Open the PDF from the school's email or portal, sign with your finger and send it back.
- The form isn't a PDF. What now?
- If it's a web form in the school's portal, fill it in there. This tool is for PDFs you need to sign and return.
- What does it cost?
- Free to try. Downloading your signed PDF costs €2.99 a month or €24.99 a year, and you can cancel anytime.