What are the benefits of being a Healthy School?
Over the last three years, the National Healthy Schools Programme (NHSP) has gone from strength to strength and Hampshire has proved to be one of the country’s leading counties for school involvement. Over 90% of Hampshire schools have attended training and over 50% have been successfully validated, many of which having achieved revalidation, proving an ongoing commitment to the principles of the NHSP.
There are four strategic aims of the NHSP:
- to support children and young people in developing healthy behaviours
- to help raise pupil achievement
- to help reduce health inequalities
- to help promote social inclusion.
Evidence given here: www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk/evidenceofimpact demonstrates that:
- schools can use the NHSP’s whole-school approach to bring about sustained school improvement
- schools with Healthy School status have better results for all Key Stage 1 assessments and Key Stage 2 science when compared with other schools
- schools involved in the NHSP are more inclusive
- pupils in Healthy Schools report a range of positive behaviours, ranging from diminished fear of bullying to reduced likelihood of using illegal drugs
- personal, social and health education (PSHE) provision is enhanced
- there is more effective liaison between home and school, and between school and external support agencies.