Healthy Schools Scheme

The Flintshire Healthy Schools Scheme was launched in October 2000, and is a member of the Welsh Network of Healthy School Schemes. The Flintshire Healthy Schools Scheme is a co-operative project between Health and Education, which recognises that there are mutual benefits in young people’s health and attainments to be gained through partnership working. The Welsh Assembly Government accredited the scheme in March 2003.

The scheme is committed to supporting and encouraging the growth and implementation of the PSE Framework in schools in addition to ensuring that national health priorities are considered in the daily life of the school for pupils, staff and the wider community.

The scheme aims to provide support for school improvement through establishing a healthy school climate in which improved health and well being is reflected in raised educational standards and where each member of the community is valued and supported in their development. Health Promotion in schools is a combination of health education within the curriculum and all other actions a school takes to protect and improve the health of those within it. The wider community is involved in its planning, implementation, evaluation and celebration.

Why become a health promoting school?

The purpose of the scheme is to ensure that health promotion becomes an integrated part of the school curriculum, the organisation and the ethos of the school and that the wider community is involved in its planning, implementation, evaluation and celebration. The intended outcomes are that there will be measurable improvements in both health and education in the school and wider community. The Healthy Schools Scheme should not be seen as an added burden as much of what constitutes a healthy school is already taking place. Thus the work involved and changes that may need to be made would not be unmanageable. Involvement in the scheme means support from the authority in exchange for a commitment from the school to focus on areas for improvement, which have been identified. The scheme will assist schools in planning and delivering an effective programme of health education.

All Heads and teachers aim to raise standards in school but some would question what a healthy school has got to do with raising standards of education. A healthy school is a happy school. An effective school is a healthy school. It promotes physical, mental and emotional health not only by providing access to information about the factors which influence health, but also by equipping pupils with skills and attitudes to make informed choices. A healthy, happy person knows how to relate to others, is confident, has more energy and therefore misses less work. Also, work carried out through the scheme will enable schools to improve both the quality of teaching and learning and to enhance relationships between the school, its pupils, parents, staff, governors and external agencies.

PSE incorporates a range of experiences to promote the personal and social well being of children and enables them to develop a sense of self-worth and relate effectively to others. A school committed to providing a healthy environment would be fulfilling many of the aims of PSE.

For further information, please contact:

Healthy Schools Practitioner: 01352 704054