Background

The idea of health promoting schools has been around since the 1990s. There have been several significant points in their development in Scotland, and these are described below.

The 1990s

• In 1990 the Scottish Health Education Group and the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum (now Learning and Teaching Scotland) published the document 'Promoting Good Health – proposals for actions in schools'. As a result, many schools, local authorities and health boards began working in partnership to consider ways of developing and integrating health related programmes into the curriculum and extra-curricular activities.
• Scotland became a member of the European Network of Health Promoting Schools in 1993. Since then it has actively contributed ideas and examples of good practice in health promotion drawn from Scottish schools. The European Network of Health Promoting Schools says that the health promoting school as being based on a social model of health which emphasises the entire organisation of the school as well as focusing upon the individual. At the heart of the model is the young person, who is viewed as a whole individual.
• The report 'Health Education and Health Promotion' (HMIE, 1994) noted that schools should have 'a clear statement of shared aims and whole-school expectations concerning health education and health promotion' and that there should be, 'involvement of staff and pupils and parents in developing provision for health education.'
• In 1995, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined a health promoting school as one in which:

  all members of the school community work together to provide pupils with integrated and positive experiences and structures, which promote their health.

• 'A Route to Health Promotion' (HMIE, 1999) stated that schools can:

  make a significant contribution to increasing the quality of life for their students, staff and wider community by becoming health promoting schools. Becoming a health promoting school provides a way for each school to listen to, and take account of the views of pupils, parents and staff. A positive, health promoting school ethos can influence health, attainment, achievements and expectations.

2000 and onwards

• In 2002, the Scottish Executive set a target that every Scottish school should become a health promoting school by 2007.
• 'Improving Health in Scotland: The Challenge' was published by the Scottish Executive in 2003. It identifies key actions that relate directly to pupils' health needs and well-being.
• In February 2004, following extensive national consultation, the Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit (SHPSU) produced a national framework for health promoting schools in Scotland , PDF file: Being Well – Doing Well (1033KB). Ministers commended Being Well-Doing Well as a foundation for planning, implementing and monitoring the development of health promoting schools.
• The National Health Promoting Schools Website was launched in 2004 to support health promoting schools development in Scotland with sections for Practitioners, Family and community, Young people and Children.