What is a healthy school?

It is committed to ongoing improvement and development.

It promotes physical and emotional health by providing accessible and relevant information and equipping pupils with the skills and attitudes to make informed decisions about their health.

A healthy school understands the importance of investing in health to assist in the process of raising levels of pupil achievement and improving standards.

It also recognises the need to provide a physical and social environment that is conducive to learning."

National Healthy School Standard (DfEE 1999)
Evidence of a healthy school

A school can be described as achieving healthy school status (Level 3) when there is evidence demonstrating impact against the following criteria:

• Social inclusion and health inequalities inform the development and implementation of activities
• In line with the DfES Continuing Professional (CPD) Strategy, the impact of CPD (including, for example, teacher lesson observations, work shadowing and mentoring) on the success of healthy schools activities is regularly being evaluated and informing the development of the healthy schools programme.
• The school is delivering the requirements of the national curriculum, particularly in relations to sex and relationship education and drug education, including alcohol and tobacco, in line with statutory requirements, non-statutory guidance and the National Healthy School Standard criteria.
• Pupils views are reflected in school activities, including those with special educational needs and specific health conditions, as well as disaffected pupils, young carers and teenage parents
• The whole school community (pupils, staff, parents, governors and community partners) is invited to take part in policy development, physical, social and cultural activity and support each others learning
• The school provides a culture and environment to support the taught PSHE and citizenship curriculum.