Further Education

The National Healthy Schools Programme is keen to see young people continue to make healthy lifestyle choices as they approach adulthood.

There are also a number of particularly vulnerable groups of young people who are catered for in education after normal school leaving age. Serious thought is therefore being given to identifying appropriate ways of involving Further Education Sector in the healthy schools agenda. This section will contain information on initiatives already taking place in this sector.

With 97% of schools now working with the National Healthy Schools Programme and 57% at Status, this joint DH and DCSF initiative has proven one of the most popular non-statutory initiatives in schools today.

But does our responsibility to a child's physical health, social development and emotional wellbeing stop once they move into FE? When DH's 'Choosing Health' (2004) introduced the NHSP as a national standard for schools, it also stated that we should 'extend the principles of the NHSP to institutions providing education to an older age group'.

In summer 2007 a consultation exercise was undertaken amongst colleges which highlighted a clear demand for a consistent, national quality based minimum standard for FE.

Sam Mellor, Head of the NHSP says; "The consultation report showed very strong support amongst colleges and FE bodies for a national healthy colleges scheme. We must now sit down with colleagues in DH, DIUS, DCSF, and Ministers and senior officials, to see if there is enthusiasm to provide the leadership and resources to make this a reality. We should know the outcome shortly."