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School food

National Healthy Schools

Healthy Schools|
The National Healthy Schools Programme web site.

A healthy school promotes the health and well being of its pupils and staff through a well planned, taught curriculum, in a physical and emotional environment that promotes learning and healthy lifestyle choice.

The National Healthy Schools Programme has four principal aims:

1. To support children and young people in developing healthy behaviours.
2. To help raise pupil achievement.
3. To help reduce health inequalities.
4. To help promote social inclusion.

The programme has been running successfully in Calderdale since 1999. All schools in Calderdale have signed up to work towards gaining National Healthy School Status, which covers four areas:

1. Personal, social and health education.
2. Healthy eating.
3. Physical activity.
4. Emotional health and well-being.

Schools need to demonstrate that they are reaching a minimum standard using a range of criteria as a guide.

In the area of healthy eating, schools need to ensure that they are meeting the following criteria in order to be awarded National Healthy School Status (new status came into operation in January 2006)

• Has an identified member of the senior management team to oversee all aspects of food in schools.
• Ensures provision of training in practical food education for staff, including diet, nutrition, food safety and hygiene.
• Has a whole school food policy – developed through wide consultation, implemented, monitored and evaluated for impact.
• Involves pupils and parents in guiding food policy and practice within the school, enables them to contribute to healthy eating, and acts on their feedback.
• Has a welcoming eating environment that encourages the positive social interaction of pupils.
• Ensures that breakfast clubs, tuck shops, vending machines and after school food services (where available in school) meet or exceed current Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) school food standards.
• Has a school lunch service that meets or exceeds current DCSF standards for school lunches.
• Monitors pupils’ menus and food choices to inform policy development and provision.
• Ensures that pupils have opportunities to learn about different types of food in the context of a balanced diet (using the Balance of Good Health), and how to plan, budget for, prepare, and cook meals, understanding the need to avoid the consumption of foods high in salt, sugar and fat, and increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables.
• Has easy access to free, clean and palatable drinking water, using the Food in Schools guidance.
• Consults pupils about food choices throughout the school day using school councils, Healthy School task groups or other representative pupil bodies.

For more information about the whole school approach to healthy living please contact the Healthy Schools Team on 01422 394057.

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