Lincolnshire Healthy Schools

• to raise achievement 
• to reduce health inequalities 
• to promote social inclusion 
• to support children and young people to develop healthy behaviours

Healthy Schools promote the health and wellbeing of pupils' parents and staff using a whole school approach to ensure the curriculum is planned to meet young people's needs and is supported by an environment that supports safety, learning and healthy lifestyle choices.

The Healthy School Team support schools to achieve Healthy School Status, quality assuring policy and practice against rigorous national standards. Schools must develop good practice in Personal Social Health Education (including Sex and Relationships and Drug Education), Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Emotional Health and Wellbeing using a whole-school approach.

We have done exceptionally well and now have 99.9% of schools engaged with us and 82% of county schools have already gained National Healthy School Status and have plaques and certificates recognising their achievement proudly on display.  These schools are now completing an annual review ensuring that the quality standards are maintained.

We have now launched the enhancement model allowing schools with Status to continue to develop and extend their work on health and wellbeing.  Each school will identify two priorities one of which must match one in Lincolnshire's Children's Plan or Local Area Agreement and one which will be specific to the school and reflect local data and the results of consultation and needs assessments with staff, parents and young people.  We will help schools through the processes of needs analysis, priority setting and planning their interventions and activities that will lead to the meaningful outcomes that will make a real difference to the health and wellbeing, aspirations and self-esteem of their pupils.  There are currently 85 schools working on Enhancement.

We have led on the National Accreditation in the Teaching of PSHE for teachers and school nurses and other professionals who go into schools to work with children. We currently have supported 314 teachers and TAs and 30 nurses to gain this qualification - the best results for the whole country!

We run a number of additional programmes and training events which impact on young people's wellbeing including packed lunches, tuck shops, peer-mediation, Protective Behaviours, raising self esteem, anti-bullying etc. We deliver the Pyramid Programme and have supported over 1000 Year 3 children with low self-esteem and poor social skills through a ten week programme delivered by trained volunteers.  We have extended this project to include a course for parents of these children and additional transition programmes spanning Year 6 and 7.  Last year we ran the first Pyramid Club in a special school which evaluated extremely well.  This year we are piloting a programme with Year 8 students in secondary schools..

We have an extensive Peer Mediation programme providing training for school staff and groups of young people aiming to develop negotiating, counselling skills enabling students to mediate and resolve difficulties between others making playgrounds and schools peaceful and safer places to be.  This is part of our broader Peer Support work.  We have launched a School Council Award recognising good practice in participation, inclusion and outcomes.  More than thirty schools are engaged and five schools have achieved bronze, two silver and one school has submitted evidence the gold standard.

The Healthy Early Years Award is gaining steady momentum and is now in Boston, South Holland, Lincoln and Gainsborough.  We hope to extend this to Grantham and East Lindsey soon.  There are twenty four nurseries and pre‑school groups working with us.

We work with a wide range of partners, advisors, consultants and trainers to use their expertise to benefit schools and work with other strategies eg the Teenage Pregnancy, Drug and Alcohol and Birth to Five teams to provide enhanced support to targeted schools.