Healthy Schools - Pool Hayes Primary School

The Healthy Schools programme gives support to schools wanting to create an enjoyable, safe and productive learning environment whilst minimising potential health risks.
The National Healthy Schools Programme is funded by the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Health, with a regional and local network implementing the work locally.

The National Healthy Schools Programme aims:

• To support children and young people in developing healthy behaviours
• To help to raise pupil achievement
• To help to reduce health inequalities
• To help promote social inclusion

The Benefits of Being a ‘Healthy School’

It is self-evident that pupils can fulfil their potential only when they are healthy, happy and at ease in all areas of their lives.

“A healthy school is one that is successful in helping pupils to do their best and build on their achievements. 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”.

Schools are encouraged to work at achieving the awards in the following areas of school life:

• School organisation
• Ethos
• Environment
• Family and Community
• PSHE and Citizenship
• Drug Education (including alcohol and tobacco)
• Emotional Health and Well Being
• Healthy Eating
• Physical
• Safety
• Sex and Relationship Education

Alongside mental health, eating well is also very important for our young people and families. Recently our school Nurses have been working with families to support a healthy diet using the following websites:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide/

https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/

Most children require a snack at morning break to keep them going through the day.

As a healthy school we encourage children to bring in healthy snacks.

Many of these will help contribute to their 5 daily portions of fruit and vegetables, keep them alert and help them concentrate.

Children in EYFS and KS1 have a daily snack of fruit or veg provided for free by the government, so additional snacks for these ages may not be required.

If you are intending to send in healthy snacks with your child please consider the list below:

-Vegetables/ vegetable sticks – such as celery, cucumber, peppers or carrot.

-A piece of cheese (cheddar cheese or Babybel).

-A piece of fresh or dried fruit – pineapple, mango, kiwi, plain raisins, apricots, blueberries, banana slices.

-Bread sticks, plain pretzels, banana bread, malt loaf, oat/rice cakes and small pitta breads are also good snacks.

We are aiming for a common-sense approach, with the key being to keep it healthy, therefore please no sports/energy drinks, chocolate, sweets or crisps during breaktime. Additionally, we have a no nut advisory due to allergies.

Pool Hayes Primary School are happy to be awarded Healthy School Status.