HEALTHY SCHOOLS
A healthy position
The Healthy
Schools
Programme is
10 years old.
Richard Sangster, head
of the national scheme,
looks back on the last
decade and introduces the
new enhanced Healthy
Schools Programme
hE NATIoNAL healthy Schools
T
Programme is an initiative jointly
funded by the department of health
and department for Children, Schools healthy Schools is currently celebrating its 10th ambition to extend this to five hours a week for every motivation, learning and attainment levels at school,
and Families (dCSF), which is anniversary year, and during this time our schools have child by 2012. as well as some fairly serious repercussions for their
supporting local authorities and taken some undeniably healthy steps forward. our Many of our schools are now leading the way health in the longer term.
primary care trusts to equip children school meals, for example, are a far cry from what they with their creative and resourceful health promotion “Addressing the issue is an absolute priority for
with the skills to make informed health choices and, used to be, with huge investment having been made initiatives and healthy Schools is providing schools us. As part of our involvement with healthy Schools
ultimately, to do better in learning and in life. into ingredients and kitchens, as well as fresh training with the tools and resources to start making real inroads we’ve introduced a number of improvements to help
In 10 years, healthy Schools has established itself for catering staff. into a broad range of challenging issues affecting the us achieve this goal, including providing extra funding
as the most widely embraced non-statutory government Similarly, more than 90 per cent of our children are health and wellbeing of children, such as tackling for every secondary school to improve their menus
initiative in English schools, an achievement which I now benefiting from a minimum of two hours a week childhood obesity, teenage pregnancy, substance and dining room areas, making more water coolers
believe has helped to create a groundswell of support of high quality PE and sport, a figure which is up from misuse, and bullying. available, introducing fruit vending machines, and
for a health and wellbeing agenda in schools. 25 per cent in 2002. There is now a further government dr Will Cavendish, director of health and wellbeing, providing salad bars in all of our primary schools.
at the department of health, recently said: “The fact “We’ve also been working closely with parents
that schools are so enthusiastic about this programme and carers to help sensitively educate them on the
Taking the lead: National College
is because its ethos sits at ease with the reason why importance of physical activity and a healthy diet, so
teachers, headteachers, nurses, and the broader school our hope is that this programme will not only impact
workforce do what they do. pupils, but will also extend to their whole families.”
Don’t turn off the lights
“Ten years ago, our school policy was focused The promotion of close partnership working has
around academic standards alone. however, as been an important contributor to the popularity and
standards have risen, that’s being broadened out to success of healthy Schools in different localities.
include a stronger concern for children’s broader health hugh Annett, joint director of public health for
Communication is key when your school is involved in
and wellbeing,” he added. Bristol City Council and NhS Bristol, says that healthy
Jeremy Wight, director of public health at NhS Schools recognises that health and education go hand-
a BSF rebuilding project, says Arnold Evans
Sheffield and Sheffield City Council, summed up this in-hand and it has “encouraged a greater pooling of
changing ethos, adding: “For me, the most important resources and expertise locally between educational
change that healthy Schools has achieved has been an and healthcare professionals”.
You do not need to turn off the lights to hear Some may not want to share the buildings with other increased recognition and wider understanding of the In England, 99 per cent of schools are now involved
the refrain “we’ve been kept in the dark.” Clear agencies. And non-teaching staff will be worried important links between health and attainment.” in the scheme, which equates to more than seven
communication with your colleagues is often the first about possible redundancy. It’s you who will have to of course, this approach is not about giving up on million children. Moreover, healthy Schools recently
victim when pressures mount in a workplace. cope with these and many other concerns. high educational standards, but we have recognised that achieved its target for 75 per cent of schools to have
So it is crucial that, when a capital project like But it is worth striving to achieve that shared a child who is healthy will perform better in school, and achieved “National healthy School Status”.
Building Schools for the Future (BSF) comes along vision because it will be the bedrock of all subsequent
that you step up communications with your team. planning.
BSF can bring about a sea change in teaching and It will also make your dealings with your local
learning in your school. It is a daunting challenge, but authority, Local Education Partnership, governors,
it could be impossible if your colleagues aren’t well and the wider community so much easier.
motivated, well informed and actively involved in the It also makes all the difference when the architect
process from the outset. talks to teachers. It will be easier for them to take
Start planning now – even if BSF is still no more on board their differing priorities if they know that
‘
The most important change that Healthy
Schools has achieved has been an increased
recognition and wider understanding of the
than a rumour in your area. The longer you and everyone shares the same basic objectives. And the
your colleagues have to explore the issues, the better more they talk to teachers, the sooner they will get a
your chances of developing a vision of teaching and feel for the ethos of the school.
important links between health and attainment
learning for your school. When the architect presents their provisional
It is the clarity of this vision which will enable plans, teachers should be given the chance to look
the architect to design a building that is tailored to for shortcomings, overlooked details and missed a child who feels they are achieving will be less likely The health and wellbeing agenda in scho
meet the needs of your students and community for opportunities. to get involved in risky or harmful behaviour.
generations to come. The more scrutiny at this stage, the greater the The health and wellbeing agenda is really growing,
’
ols is
undoubtedly still growing, and against this backdrop,
from September 2009, an enhanced healthy Schools
This early start may be crucial, but colleagues will chances that the architect can improve on the plan and the publication of the government’s first Child Programme will be introduced into schools that have
inevitably feel they have more pressing concerns. So and create the school that you want. health Strategy, recent ministerial pushes on healthy already achieved National healthy School Status, in
you have to find them enough time to step back from Construction work is the next challenge. If it’s a eating, current consultations on introducing PShE as order to help them to be better equipped to promote
the day job and get down to some serious thinking. new build there needn’t be any problems, but a refurb part of the compulsory curriculum, and proposals for universal health improvement for all pupils. It will also
Leaders who have gone through BSF advise a or remodelling could cause some serious headaches. pupil wellbeing indicators to be included in student provide additional support targeted specifically to those
range of approaches to stimulate debate, including Brainstorm the things that could go wrong, and report cards also pay testament to the ever closer identified as most at risk.
training days, away weekends, frequent staff meetings then devise strategies for coping with each eventuality integration of health promotion and education. This future approach will also include a mixture
devoted to the project, and scouting parties to schools or avoiding them altogether. For example, the list will Many local authorities and primary care trusts are of school-based, local and national priorities that will
that have been through the process. include examination dates and the recommendation now using healthy Schools to help tackle challenging be flexibly developed by schools in conjunction with
It’s important that ideas are noted and circulated that the building work is put on hold for those days. health inequalities and achieve a wide range of key Children’s and Young People’s Services, primary care
so your colleagues have an ongoing sense of what Arrange this as early on as possible and the cost can government targets related to children. Liverpool, a trusts, parents/carers, and young people themselves.
everyone else is thinking. don’t be selective. If your be factored into the budget. city which suffers relatively high levels of health ultimately, my vision is that by being part of an
colleagues are to have faith in the process, they must If staff haven’t been kept in the dark and have inequalities, is one such example. enhanced healthy School programme, schools will be
see that all views are considered, even those with been fully involved with the project from the start, Stuart Smith, executive director for children’s services able to better access the support and guidance to make
which you might strongly disagree. there’s no reason why moving-in day shouldn’t be a at Liverpool City Council, explained: “Childhood sense of this bourgeoning health and wellbeing agenda
over time, these ideas should develop into a time of mutual congratulation and a celebratory drink obesity is a huge challenge for all health and education and embed healthier behaviours and wellbeing outcomes
shared vision to which the majority of the staff can or two – paid for by you, of course. professionals right now, and we have set ourselves an into the normal activities of school life. SecEd
subscribe. But don’t expect unanimity. Some of your ambitious target for not only halting childhood obesity
colleagues will understandably remain opposed to • Arnold Evans is a former secondary teacher. This in line with national government targets, but of actually • Richard Sangster is head of the Healthy Schools
change. article is one of a series available on the National reducing it by 10 per cent by the end of 2009. Programme. See next week’s SecEd for more on
For example, if they are achieving excellent results College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s “In Liverpool, nearly one in five of our 10 and 11- the scheme and how it is helping to tackle teenage
under the present system, they won’t want to embrace Services’ Future website, which supports school year-olds are now classified as obese, and nearly 10 pregnancies.
something new and untested. Some teachers have leaders involved in capital projects. Visit http:// per cent of our children at the age of five are currently
strong objections to PFI (private finance initiatives). future.ncsl.org.uk obese. It’s a well established fact that poor diet can
Further information
have a major impact upon children’s concentration, www.healthyschools.gov.uk
12 SecEd • September 10 2009
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