Healthy Schools Scheme

The Vale of Glamorgan Healthy Schools Scheme is part of the Welsh Network of Healthy Schools Scheme. It aims to promote and protect the physical, emotional and social health and well-being of children and young people in the Vale of Glamorgan. The scheme covers 7 topic areas:

• Food and fitness
• Mental and Emotional Health and Well Being
• Environment
• Safety
• Hygiene
• Substance Misuse
• Personal Development and Relationships

Within each of these areas, schools are required to demonstrate they have reached high standards of practice. The National Quality Award of the Welsh Network of Healthy Schools Scheme is awarded to schools that have achieved the highest standards in all seven areas.

All maintained nursery, primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units as well as Headlands Action for Children School participate in the Vale of Glamorgan Healthy Schools Scheme.

The underlying principles of the scheme are:

• The importance of pupil participation in core areas of school life which affect health and well-being.
• The importance of the understanding and commitment of the whole school community.
• A positive approach to health.

Schools are supported to deliver activities and programmes that reflect national priorities set within a framework of:

• Leadership and communication.
• Curriculum.
• Ethos and environment.
• Family and community involvement.

Current project initiatives

Working in partnership, the Vale of Glamorgan Healthy Schools Scheme offers a range of opportunities for schools, to benefit both pupils and staff. Here are a few examples:

Food and Fitness

We promote healthy eating based on the ‘Eatwell Guide’. Schools are encouraged to participate in a variety of programmes to encourage physical activity such as the ‘Daily Mile’ which encourages children to run for a mile each day. We strongly encourage children and families to travel to school in an ‘active’ way, perhaps by walking or cycling. Eligible schools are supported to sign up to the School Holiday Enrichment Programme – a programme of activity delivered by our partners that takes place in the Summer holidays and has a strong emphasis on healthy eating.

Mental and Emotional Health and Well Being

The scheme links closely to another programme, the ‘Whole School Approach to Mental and Emotional Health and Well Being’ which provides an organised way in which schools review what they offer in this area, and identify and fill any gaps. Issues such as bullying and exam stress come under this area.

Hygiene

Using resources such as E Bug which is an internationally recognised programme for teaching children and young people about microbes, infection prevention and control, vaccination and antibiotics, schools are enabled to deliver lessons in this important area. The information is conveyed in a fun and interesting way, but with a simple message such as to promote handwashing.

Personal Development and Relationships

Schools receive information and training on areas such Relationships and Sexuality Education and how to recognise and maintain a safe and supportive relationship with others.

Environment

Spending time outdoors has multiple benefits. We help schools develop their outdoor spaces, set up gardening projects, and generally make the most of the outdoor resources they have.

Advice

The advice we give to schools is based on current research and guidance. Here are a few examples:

Work to promote good mental health for pupils and staff is based on a document produced by the Welsh Government called ‘Framework on embedding a whole-school approach to emotional and mental well-being’.

Our advice in relation to physical activity is based on the Physical Activity Guidance for Children Aged 5-18 years.

We encourage healthy eating based on the ‘Eat Well Guide’ which shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet.

Many schools and families find the following websites useful:

• Designed to Smile is a national programme to improve the oral health of children in Wales.
• Nutrition Skills for Life aims to help people have the skills, opportunity and confidence to access healthy affordable and sustainable food for themselves, their families and communities.
• Move More Eat Well offers ideas, tips and local opportunities to make positive lifestyle changes and make the healthy choice the easy choice.
• Cooking Together provides hands on ‘healthy cooking’ experiences within preschools, schools and communities across Wales.
• The Cardiff and Vale University Health Board Children and Young people Family Health Services aims to ensure that all children and young people are able to reach their full potential and be physically and emotionally healthy.
• The Anna Freud Centre for Mental Health aims to create a world where children and families are supported to build on their strengths and to achieve their goals in life. Having good mental health is vital for this.
• The Every Child Wales initiative provides tips and ideas to help every child have a healthy future.
• Vale of Glamorgan Family Information Service provides information on childcare, activities and services for children and young people and family support in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Contact details

Kimberley Wilyman, Senior Health Promotion Specialist: kimberley.wilyman@wales.nhs.uk

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