National Healthy Schools Programme

The National Healthy Schools programme is part of a long-term initiative, which brings schools in partnership with local communities, education and health services to make schools a healthier place.

The programme supports links between health, behaviour and achievement. It is about creating healthy and happy children and young people, who do better in learning and in life.

To support children and young people in developing healthy behaviours
To raise the achievement of children and young people
To reduce health inequalities
To promote social inclusion

Targets

The Government has set a target that all schools will be participating in the National healthy Schools programme by 2009 and that 70% of schools will have achieved National Healthy Schools status.
Nottinghamshire is well on the way to meeting that target with over 50% of schools already involved in the scheme.

Government recommendations:

The Departments of Health and Education are consistent in their view that schools play a key role in promoting the health of children and young people. Key strategies underpinning Healthy Schools include:

The DfES Strategy for Children and learners (2004)
‘every school should become a healthy school and an inclusive school’

Healthy Living Blueprint for Schools (2004)
‘schools are integral in shaping pupils’ attitudes to health’

Choosing Health (2004)
‘schools have a key role in supporting children to gain skills and confidence in making healthy choices’

The Children’s Plan: Building Brighter Futures (2007) ‘schools play a vital role in promoting physical and mental health, and emotional wellbeing, underpinned now by a duty to promote the wellbeing of pupils in the Education and Inspections Act 2006’

Ofsted Well-being Indicators (2009)

‘strong school-level indicators to improve the information available to schools to help them assess the well-being issues their pupils face and to evaluate the school’s contribution to promoting pupil well-being’

White Paper: Your Child, Your Schools, Our Future (2009)

‘the new Pupil Guarantee will now also ensure that every pupil should go to a Healthy School that promotes healthy eating, an active lifestyle and emtional health and wellbeing’

Being a healthy school has real benefits
Pupils in Healthy Schools improve faster in terms of achievement in national tests.
Pupils in Healthy Schools report a range of positive behaviours, from being less afraid of bullying to being less likely to use illegal drugs.
Healthy Schools are more inclusive.
Healthy Schools have more effective liaison with pupils’ parents or carers and with external agencies.
Schools can use the whole-school approach when becoming Healthy Schools to bring about sustained improvement.
Healthy Schools contribute to the 5 national outcomes for children in the Every Child Matters report; Be Healthy, Stay safe, Enjoy and Achieve, make a positive contribution and Achieve economic well-being.
For further information – please visit the National Healthy Schools website www.healthyschools.gov.uk, or contact the Nottinghamshire Healthy Schools Team:
NHS Nottinghamshire County
Public Health
Byron Court
Brookfield Gardens
Arnold
NG5 7EW
Tel: 0115 8831864