Health Promoting School Policy Feb 2008

Draft

Rationale

Health and wellbeing are positive and dynamic concepts that embrace physical, emotional and social dimensions. Our physical, emotional and social health is inextricably linked to the quality of the environment in which we live. Lifestyle factors play an enormous part in influencing the health of the individual. For example, healthy eating, exercise, relationships with others and the use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs all influence our health. However, wider influences such as heredity and environmental factors, for example, housing and employment, are also known to impact on health.

At Elmvale we recognise the importance of these influences. We aim to be a health promoting school by emphasising the importance of:

Health education as an integral part of both formal and informal curricula
School ethos, policies and extra curricular activities
Relationships with the community, involving parents as partners and also health services and other agencies

We recognise that the responsibility for improving health does not lie solely with the individual but is a responsibility shared among all members of the health promoting community.

Aims

To promote the physical, social, spiritual, mental and emotional health and well-being of all pupils and staff
To work with others in identifying and meeting the health needs of the whole school and its wider community.

Objectives

To provide effective working procedures that are well understood by pupils and staff
To ensure a safe, supportive and challenging atmosphere
To value and care for all pupils, their families and staff
To encourage a sense of belonging and to promote self-esteem and respect among all pupils and staff
To work in partnership with the home, the wider community and key agencies
To use the curriculum effectively to enable all pupils and staff to:

a) enjoy, explore and succeed in a range of educational, social, emotional and cultural experience

b) make informed choices and decisions that help to develop personal and interpersonal skills & to ensure a healthy lifestyle

c) make positive contributions to the well-being of the school and the wider community

To use every opportunity to improve the environment, resources and facilities of the school.

Leadership & Management

In Elmvale Primary leadership is not confined to the Head Teacher and promoted staff. There is a leadership style at all levels that is committed to, and enthusiastic about, health promotion. Leadership activity actively seeks to involve the whole school community in developing the school’s health promoting credentials. Leadership demonstrates good interpersonal skills and is marked by a willingness to listen actively and to value the ideas and contributions of others. We promote discussion and debate and seek shared values and aims about health promotion within and beyond the school. We encourage courtesy and patience and demonstrate respect for others. We delegate and share leadership. In working with partners outwith the school we know when to take the contributory, supportive role.

We have sound arrangements for identifying and sustaining good practice in relation to health promotion and for seeking continuous improvements. We are willing to take appropriate and timely action on health promotion issues even when that action may be difficult or unpopular.

We do all the above via a variety of activities as listed below;

Whole staff meetings
Department meetings
Liaison with outside agencies as and when appropriate eg school nurse
Jst meetings
Primary/nursery health programme
NLC meetings
Consultation with parents eg questionnaires, leaflets, booklets etc
All staff are members of the various Working Parties linked to our Self Improvement Plan
All staff contribute to health education and promote issues within the school eg healthy tuck etc
Pupil council
Eco committee
Planned Health Week for our school
Annual PRD’s to audit staff development needs
Parent council

Ethos

At Elmvale we have an inclusive ethos that

Values and cares for individuals, is fair and promotes respect and concern for self, others, the wider community and the environment. We try to encourage a positive ethos. We have a strong sense of community. We are developing more effective arrangements for providing pastoral care for all members of the school community & try to foster good interpersonal relationships.
Promotes responsibility in individuals for their own actions, health-related behaviour and lifestyle. We teach decision-making skills.
Encourages all members of the school community to give of their best and to build on their achievements. High but realistic expectations are set for all & are done so in ways that celebrate success. Our ethos is such that it promotes a sense of achievement, self-worth and enjoyment. It creates a basis for participation in lifelong learning.

Partnership Working

In Elmvale we seek to enhance and extend expertise and to contribute to the decision making process that leads to the development of school policies and practice. We encourage pupils to participate in all aspects of school life via a variety of activities as listed below;

Pupil Council
JRSO meetings
ECO committee meetings
Enterprise activities
Buddy programmes eg playground games, paired/shared reading
Monitors
Extra curricular activities
Strongly encourage at all stages, the reporting of playground incidents. These are discussed and resolved
Ample opportunities for class discussions via a variety of activities
Weekly assemblies
Health Committee
Newsletters

Staff

All staff participate in a Working Party related to the School Improvement Plan

Hold regular whole school meetings
Constant monitoring/evaluating all aspects of our work throughout the session
CPD arrangements in place
Policies and guidelines in process of development
Primary/Nursery/Secondary liaison meetings
Staff member of the new parent council
School Health Week
SLC Health Coordinators’ meetings

Parents, Parent Council and the Community

Parents kept informed of any concerns/problems with may arise
Parent Council
P1-7 open afternoons
Annual questionnaire issued to families
Parents’ evenings held twice a year
Involvement in fundraising activities
School Health Week
School Nurse
Community Police
Care for the elderly – Harvest, Tea Dance, Carol Singing
Business links via Enterprise
JST meetings
Dental nurse
Primary/nursery transition
Primary/secondary Health Fair or Careers Fair
Local ministers involvement
Annual involvement to attend a residential outdoor centre/activity

Curriculum Learning & Teaching

At Elmvale, all staff believe that teaching and learning experiences should develop young people’s skills and we aim to provide opportunities to explore beliefs, attitudes and values. This requires teaching to be as interactive as possible. We strive to encourage critical thinking and to promote responsibility and reflection on the part of the children.

All areas of the curriculum are planned with appropriate continuity coherence and breadth. All staff set high but realistic expectations for all children.

Achievements in all aspects of school life are celebrated. Pupil’s self-worth is constantly being reinforced by all adults.

Pupil of the Week certificates
Wide variety of reward systems
Good to be Green traffic lights
Pupils taking part in weekly assemblies

Staff are vigilant in identifying vulnerable children and referring these children to management. Referral procedures are in place for children with academic or possible psychological difficulties.

Health Education, which includes Personal and social Development, is taught incorporating all Glasgow guidelines. These have been incorporated onto 1 grid per stage.

Opportunities are offered for children to be involved in activities within and outwith school wherever and whenever possible in order for chidren to develop personal social skills and to use health knowledge to make informed choices.

Pupil Council
Eco Committee
Enterprise Activities
P7 visits to Choices for Life
Playground Buddies

Personal Social and Health Education Programme

Our programmes of study for health education and PSD are linked and targeted to pupils’ needs. They are central to the whole formal & informal curriculum and to the ethos of the school. They are based on national and local authority advice and provide a sound basis for pupils to explore all the key issues that have a bearing on their health and well-being. They help pupils establish values, attitudes, knowledge and skills that will enable them to make well-informed decisions about their lifestyles.

Our health and PSD programmes rely on:

Staff interest in pupils and their knowledge of pupils’ needs, families, their abilities and progress in learning
Our involvement of all non-teaching staff
Working in partnership with parents
Daily discussion and resolving of playground incidents
Child protection statement
Valuing pupils’ views and opinions eg pupil council

Health Programme

Is based on ‘Glasgow’s Health’ but includes lessons from the ‘Drug, Alcohol & Tobacco’ pack, the ‘Citizenship and the Law’ pack, and the ‘Safety’ pack & includes lessons based on ‘All about Me’, ‘Keeping me safe’ and ‘My Relationships’ at every stage
Is progressive from Primary 1 to Primary 7
Includes visits and input from the Police, Fire Service, and the School nurse
Includes links with Springburn Academy eg Healthy Transitions programme
Includes visits out of school, particularly in Primary 7
Includes major themes on decision making, vandalism and anti-bullying
Is specifically taught as lessons/discussions, and links with all the other activities that go to make up our Health Promoting school

Personal and Social Education Programme

This is partly covered by our Health programme, but also includes many other activities which are described in more detail in the following statements:

PSD statement
Promoting Positive Behaviour Statement
Anti-Bullying statement
Child Protection statement

Like our health programme, elements of our PSD programme are specifically taught, but it also permeates every aspect of our school, including our expectations of children, celebration of success, our ethos, our formal and informal curricula and our care for the environment and others in the community.

Environment, resources and facilities

At Elmvale we foster stimulating, safe and healthy conditions for the life and work of the whole school community. We believe that this leads to better learning and better interpersonal relationships. In addition to developing the emotional and social environment as part of the school ethos we think carefully about the effect of the physical environment and the school’s facilities and resources support and encourage healthy lifestyles and offer pupils and staff opportunities to make healthy choices. We value all individuals equally and welcome them to the community of the school recognising that each has unique needs and abilities. We make appropriate provision for all pupils and staff, when necessary, who have support needs. Through partnership working we actively pursue opportunities to become an important resource that is open to the wider community.

We do this through a variety of activities;-

All children’s work is displayed throughout the school
All children have achievement folders
Murals have been added to the playground
Eco group & playground garden
All staff are aware of health and safety issues
All classrooms are bright and stimulating
Appropriate programmes of work are in place in every classroom
Vigilant janitor and PSAs in playground
Good catering and cleaning staff
Outside agencies are invited into help when appropriate eg Active Schools Coordinator
Regular JST meetings
Children are offered a wide variety of extra curricular activities
All children are encouraged by all staff to make good choices for their own and others well being via a variety of activities
Health friezes created by pupils and changed termly
Effective arrangements for First Aid in case of illness or accidents
Effective Child Protection procedures in place