National Healthy School Standard

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National Healthy School Standard
Strategic Background in 2004 Every Child Matters
and Children Bill 2004 five outcomes for
children, and subsequent changes to Childrens
Services, Ofsted school inspections and Joint
Area Reviews from September 2005 DfES Five Year
Strategy every school to be a healthy
school National Service Framework healthy
school programme (NHSS the two cpd PSHE
programmes) referenced Healthy Living Blueprint
- healthy schools central to the governments
vision Public Health White Paper - (expected
October/November with significant reference to
healthy schools anticipated)
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National Healthy School Standard
Background to Obesity There are rising levels of
obesity and overweight children in the
UK Nationally 21.8 of boys aged 2-15 are
overweight, including 5.5 who are obese 27.5 of
girls aged 2-15 are overweight, including 7.5
who are obese. Source 2002 Health Survey of
England Overweight BMI of 25-30 Obese BMI
of 30 Healthy BMI 20-25
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National Healthy School Standard
Background to Obesity Around two-thirds of the
population of England are overweight or
obese Obesity has grown by almost 400 in the
last 25 years Obesity is associated with many
health problems including CHD, diabetes, kidney
failure, osteoarthritis, back pain and
psychological damage Costs of obesity estimated
as 3.3 billion Costs of overweight and obesity
estimated at 6.6 billion (Source Parliamentary
Health Select Committee Report)
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National Healthy School Standard

• The Five Objectives of the Healthy Living
  Blueprint
• To promote a school ethos and environment which
  encourages a healthy lifestyle
• To use the full capacity and flexibility of the
  Curriculum to achieve a healthy lifestyle
• To ensure the food and drink available across the
  school day reinforces the healthy lifestyle
  message
• To provide high quality Physical Education and
  School Sport and promote Physical Activity as
  part of a lifelong healthy lifestyle
• To promote an understanding of the full range of
  issues and behaviours which impact upon lifelong
  health

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National Healthy School Standard
What Is A Healthy School? A healthy school is
one that is successful in helping pupils to do
their best and build on their achievements. A
healthy school understands the importance of
investing in health to assist in the process of
raising levels of pupil achievement and improving
standards. NHSS Guidance. P.2
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National Healthy School Standard
1. To promote a school ethos and environment
which encourages a healthy lifestyle This is
probably the very essence of what a healthy
school is all about. The employment of the NHSS
whole school approach, the formation of the
healthy task group, the analysis of need and the
support given by the local network of support all
combine to make the schools involvement with the
local healthy school programme the most effective
way of achieving this objective. The Blueprint
itself specifies 7 of the ten NHSS aspects of the
whole school approach
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National Healthy School Standard
2. To use the full capacity and flexibility of
the Curriculum to achieve a healthy
lifestyle Local Healthy School Programmes can
help and encourage schools to record their
planned food curriculum for the year - using Food
Technology and PSHE as the starting point, as
well as science, geography, citizenship, PE and
RE. This gives the opportunity of some
synergetic learning and may help avoid
duplication or omission When shared with the
school caterers it gives them the chance to plan
ahead and produce food that brings classroom
learning to pupils reallife experience.
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National Healthy School Standard

• 3. To ensure the food and drink available across
  the school day reinforces the healthy lifestyle
  message
• Local healthy schools programmes will support
  schools to develop
• Food policies
• Water in schools
• Breakfast clubs (if appropriate)
• Healthy tuck shops (if appropriate)
• Healthy vending machines (if appropriate)
• Advice on healthy lunch boxes
• Healthier dining room environments
• Healthier lunches
• And other facilities

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National Healthy School Standard
4. To provide high quality Physical Education and
School Sport and promote Physical Activity as
part of a lifelong healthy lifestyle a) local
strategic planning with local and school based
sports coordinators and/or extended school
advisers b) the training of lunchtime supervisors
regarding active play c) redesign and/or zoning
of playgrounds to encourage physical activity d)
working with School Travel Advisers and others to
develop a School Travel Plan with more walking
and cycling e) helping schools to map out where
and how it is offering at least two hours of
physical activity a week f) helping schools to
identify and target groups or individuals who may
be in particular need of support or alternative
provision g) encouraging local clubs to make
available coaching skills and facilities
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National Healthy School Standard

• 5. To promote an understanding of the full range
  of issues and behaviours which impact upon
  lifelong health
• Local healthy school programmes already offer
  support to schools on
• PSHE
• Citizenship
• Drug education (including alcohol and tobacco)
• Emotional health and well-being (including
  bullying)
• Safety
• Sex and relationships education
• as well as healthy eating and physical activity

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National Healthy School Standard
An Example of Added Value Quote from Healthy
Living Blueprint Schools providing breakfast
should ensure that the food and drink available
are consistent with an overall healthy diet. Many
pupils do not eat breakfast before coming to
school and this affects the balance and variety
of a childs overall daily diet. It may also
impact on their ability to settle in the mornings
and begin to learn. Combining a breakfast service
offering healthy food with other activities may
help attendance, offer the opportunity for some
catch-up work and personal support for
individuals for who may need it. Added value of
Healthy Schools The National Healthy School
Programme has been designed to support schools in
strengthening their provision by involving the
whole school community in health issues. Such an
approach is more likely to have a greater impact
on pupils health, learning opportunities and
achievement. (Thanks to Claire Smith, Lewisham,
Southwark and Lambeth)
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• National Healthy School Standard
• Breakfast Clubs
• Positive encouragement of healthy lifestyle
  through eating breakfast
• Encouraging healthy choice of food - reiteration
  of 5 a day
• Supports the taught curriculum in healthy eating
• Added value of Healthy Schools
• Provides curriculum and community support to
  complement the Breakfast Club Practice
• Encourage accompanying activities such as healthy
  tuck shop
• Support in health promotion activities (Thanks to
  Claire Smith, Lewisham, Southwark and Lambeth)