Health Policy
The Berwickshire High School is a Health Promoting School.
Promotion of Healthy Food Choices
THE ETHOS OF THE SCHOOL
Three of the Key Aims of the school are to:
- Equip students with the skills for adult life
- Provide a caring environment for all students and staff
- Foster positive and responsible values and attitudes
In terms of the promotion of healthy food choices, much has been done. This includes:
- The establishment of a School Nutrition Action Group (SNAG)
- Refurbishment of the canteen
- Vending machines with healthy choices
- Water fountains
- Promotion of drinking water throughout the day
- Reduction of queues by establishing S6 express, making a new door, grab and go etc
- Removing sweets, fizzy drinks and high fat/high sugar products from sale
- Improved cooking methods
- Improved menus, including soup and salads
- Provision of breakfast
- Healthy eating events for students and for staff
- Sponsorship (fruit etc)
- Becoming a Hungry for Success pilot school
- Consultation by means of questionnaires etc and evaluation of progress made
STATEMENT OF INTENT
The school will continue to promote the benefits of healthy eating, provide healthy food and drink choices and encourage both staff and students to eat well.
This will be achieved through the work of:
- The Home Economics Department
- The SNAG
- The School Health Co-ordinator
- The Health Promoting School Forum
- Individual members of staff
Work in this area will be evaluated as appropriate. The Health Promoting School Forum will receive progress reports at each meeting.
Promotion of Physical Activity
THE ETHOS OF THE SCHOOL
Three of the Key Aims of the school are to:
- Equip students with the skills for adult life
- Provide a caring environment for all students and staff
- Foster positive and responsible values and attitudes
In terms of health promotion and physical fitness in particular, much has become an integral part of the school community. This includes:
- The promotion of physical activity in the PSE programme in the healthy lifestyle units
- the PE Department’s long standing focus on health, fitness and enjoyment. They have introduced aerobics, dance, the use of a local private gym and many other activities which broaden the appeal of PE and increase the uptake
- Extra curricular activities. There is a long list of these, many organised by the School Sports Co-ordinator
- Developing Leadership Capacity . This is a major project where senior students teach primary school pupils to swim, develop their fitness etc.
- Staff are encouraged to participate in tai chi, step aerobics, hill walking and other physical activities. Despite the poor facilities at present, a number of staff run regularly before school or at lunchtime. Uptake is generally good, with, for example over 20 staff attending hill walking weekends. The Staff Support Group remind staff at regular intervals of the benefits of physical activity in reducing the harmful effects of stress.
STATEMENT OF INTENT
The school will continue to promote the benefits of physical activity, provide opportunities for this and encourage both staff and students to participate.
This will be achieved through the work of:
- The PE Department
- The School Health Co-ordinator
- The Health Promoting School Forum
- The Staff Development Group
- The Staff Support Group
- Individual members of staff
Work in this area will be evaluated as appropriate. The Health Promoting School Forum will receive progress reports at each meeting.
