Information for schools

Medway Healthy Schools is a partnership between Medway Council as the Local Authority (LA) and the National Health Service Medway Primary Care Trust. This partnership also involves many local agencies. Medway Healthy Schools works with schools to encourage the whole school community to work together to develop an environment that promotes health and well-being in line with the National Healthy School Standard (www.healthyschools.gov.uk).

The aims of the National Healthy Schools Programme (NHSP) are:

• to support children and young people in developing healthy behaviours;
• to help to raise pupil achievement;
• to help to reduce healthy inequalities
• to help promote social inclusion.

Medway Healthy Schools recognises that every school has different needs and priorities. Schools are asked to demonstrate evidence in the core themes using a whole-school approach involving the whole school community:

• personal, social and health education;
• healthy eating;
• physical activity;
• emotional health and well-being (including countering bullying).

Schools that are involved must:

• register school details on national database (www.healthyschools.gov.uk);
• appoint a Healthy Schools co-ordinator and designated governor;
• conduct a whole school health and education audit;
• establish a working party that represents the whole school community;
• develop an action plan.

Medway Healthy Schools provides:

• full induction and audit training;
• analyses of the audit to produce an individual school report;
• specific training, resources and support to help the school implement its action plan;
• a certificate and plaque for schools in recognition of their commitment to becoming healthy schools;
• a support worker to attend the school working parties;
• the National Healthy Schools logo to schools when they reach stage one of accreditation;
• parents evening, healthy week launches and activity days.

If you would like to find out more about Medway Healthy Schools and what it involves please contact the team using the telephone number given below or by email to: healthyschools@medway.gov.uk.

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