Healthy Schools Award
Criteria for the Healthy Schools Award
1. Personal, Social and Health Education The school must be addressing Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) issues within their planned curriculum. Checklist of evidence (essential)
❑ The name of the PSHE Co-ordinator must be included.
❑ The name of the nominated Governor for PSHE/Healthy School must be
included.
❑ A PSHE Policy that addresses issues of inclusion must be in place. It must
include the date when Governors approved the policy and the date for review.
❑ A PSHE Scheme of Work for each year group with a termly overview of the
curriculum content that demonstrates continuity and progression must be in place.
2. Citizenship
The school must have a programme for Citizenship that provides opportunities for
pupils to make a positive contribution to society enabling them to grow into
informed, responsible adults.
Checklist of evidence (essential)
❑ A written policy for Citizenship must be in place with a date when Governors
approved it and a date for review. It may form part of a PSHCE Policy.
❑ A written Scheme of Work for Citizenship must be in place. The outline
Scheme of Work may form part of the PSHCE programme.
❑ There must be a School Council or Pupil Forum. There must be clear
evidence of how the school responds to the views of young people (for example, buddy bench or peer mediators).
3. Involving the Whole School Community
The school must demonstrate a commitment to health in the wider community.
Checklist of evidence (essential)
❑ There must be clear evidence of partnership work with external support
agencies and the wider school community (for example, School Health Advisers or Public Health Nurses (Children and Young People), Police and Road Safety Officers).
4. Sex and Relationship Education
The school must be addressing Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) issues
within their planned curriculum.
Checklist of evidence (essential)
❑ A copy of the Sex and Relationship Education Policy is required with the date
agreed by Governors and a date for review.
❑ There must be a Scheme of Work for Sex and Relationship Education. It must
address issues of relationships, sexuality, parenting and responsibility as well as providing factual information, skill development and an exploration of attitudes. (This may form part of the PSHE programme.)
❑ In secondary schools, age-appropriate information must be available for young
people about the sexual health services that they can access.
5. Emotional health and well-being
The school must promote positive emotional health and well-being for pupils and
staff.
Checklist of evidence (essential)
❑ An Anti-Bullying Policy or a Behaviour Policy that addresses bullying is
required with the date agreed by Governors and the date for review. When next reviewed, the policy must address homophobic bullying.
❑ Evidence about the methods that are used to raise the self-esteem of pupils
must be included (for example, rewards system, circle work, buddy schemes or smart-card systems).
❑ Evidence about an initiative/strategy to promote staff well-being must be
included, for example, stress management and well-being training for staff, access/sign-posting to a free and confidential telephone counselling helpline, or one-off relaxation session (for example, acupuncture, aromatherapy).
6. Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco
The school must be addressing issues of Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Education.
Checklist of evidence (essential)
❑ A copy of the Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Education Policy written in line with
quality standards must be provided with the date agreed by Governors and a date for review.
❑ A copy of a policy for managing or dealing with drug-related incidents must be
provided with the date agreed by Governors and a date for review.
❑ A copy of the Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Scheme of Work must be provided
which considers attitudes, develops skills and incorporates knowledge and understanding. (This may form part of the PSHE programme.)
❑ The school must have a written No-Smoking Policy with the date agreed by
Governors and a date for review. If not already smoke-free, the school must achieve smoke-free status within twelve months (i.e. whole school site, buildings and grounds). The policy must be implemented consistently.
❑ ‘No smoking’ signs must be clearly displayed within the school boundaries.
7. Healthy Eating
The school must actively promote healthier choices at breakfast, lunch, break times and out-of-school. As far as possible, schools must ensure that food is presented attractively. Checklist of evidence (essential)
❑ A copy of the curriculum which demonstrates that the school is addressing
balanced eating, nutrition, basic food safety and hygiene in the Schemes of Work must be provided.
❑ Written examples where healthier food choices are available at breaks, lunch
times and in breakfast or out-of-school clubs must be provided. 8. Physical Activity
The school must promote and provide opportunities for physical activity encouraging pupils to reach the recommended minimum of one hour per day.
Schools accredited with Active Schools Awards have achieved the standard for
this component of the Healthy School Award and require no further evidence.
Checklist of evidence (essential)
❑ A copy of the timetable to demonstrate that all pupils receive a minimum of
one hour physical activity a week must be provided.
❑ A copy of the extra-curricular programme demonstrating a whole-school
approach with a broad range of activities must be provided. 9. Safety
The working and learning environment must be safe, clean and supportive of the various activities of young people, staff and visitors. Checklist of evidence (essential)
❑ Evidence must be provided which demonstrates aspects of the curriculum
relating to risk assessment skills (for example, road safety, safety with medicines, personal safety). (This may form part of the PSHE Scheme of Work.)
❑ There must be a nominated Governor for child protection (not the
Headteacher).
❑ A list of qualified first-aiders must be provided.
❑ The school must be clean. Toilets and shower areas must have soap and
hand-drying equipment. These issues will be addressed on a visit to school. 10. School Priority
The school must be actively involved in one health promotion initiative each year that reflects local or school priorities in health. The school is free to choose an initiative that supports their aims, objectives and priorities for health promotion. This may involve a class, year group or may be the whole school. A different initiative must be selected each year. Checklist of evidence (essential)
❑ The school must provide evidence of the initiative, which may be in the form of
photographs, videotapes or audio-tapes, pupils’ work, computer-based evidence or a written report.