The Whole School Approach

Central to the National Healthy Schools Programme is the whole school approach. Achieving National Healthy School Status recognises that being healthy is not just about children and young people, it is about the whole school community. And it’s not just what happens in the curriculum, it’s about the entire school day.

Through adopting this approach schools ensure full engagement with the school community and secure sustainable improvements.

There are 10 elements to the whole school approach:

• Leadership, management and managing change
• Policy development
• Curriculum planning and work with outside agencies
• Teaching and learning
• School culture and environment
• Giving children and young people a voice
• Provision of pupil support services
• Staff professional development needs, health and welfare
• Partnerships with parents/carers and local communities
• Assessing recording and reporting children and young peoples’ achievement

The Four Themes >