Why Get Involved?
The National Healthy Schools Programme ensures a range of outcomes in respect of improvement in health and reduced health inequalities; raised pupil achievement; greater social inclusion and increased working between health promotion providers and education establishments.
- "A healthy lifestyle will help you perform better in school and life"
- "A healthy school is an inclusive and successful school"
- "A healthy school has more effective liaison with parents and carers"
- "Children and young people in healthy schools report a range of positive behaviours such as diminished fear of bullying and a reduced likelihood of using illegal drugs"
- "A healthy school has more effective liaison between home and school, and school and external support agencies"
- "Healthy schools are making improvements at a rate faster than schools nationally, in a of ways, including quality of personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme, management of behaviour and support of children and young people"
- "Schools can use the NHSP whole school approach to bring about sustained school improvement"
- "A healthy school is one where children and young people achieve the outcomes within the Every Child Matters framework."
The National Healthy Schools Programme & Every Child Matters
Every Child Matters: Change for Children is a comprehensive approach to the well-being of children and young people from birth to age 19. It places national outcomes for children and young people firmly at the centre of all policies and approaches involving children’s services.
The five outcomes for children and young people are:
- Be healthy
- Stay safe
- Enjoy and achieve through learning
- Make a positive contribution to society
- Achieve economic well-being
Every Child Matters expects organisations providing services to children and young people, including schools, to work together in more integrated and effective ways. It also encourages children and young people to have more say about issues that affect them as individuals and collectively.
There are direct links between the criteria for the National Healthy School Status and the five Every Child Matters outcomes, schools achieving National Healthy School Status can demonstrate how they are working to the five outcomes. In addition Local Authorities have to demonstrate through their Annual Performance Assessments and Joint Area Reviews their progress in helping schools achieve National Healthy School Status.
The Whole School Approach >