Why should schools be health promoting?

Health promoting activities have important educational benefits. This is the key message behind the title of the national framework for health promoting schools in Scotland PDF file: Being Well - Doing Well (1033KB).

The links between the health and well-being of pupils and their capacity to benefit from educational opportunities and reach high levels of attainment have been established for many years. Health improvement also narrows the opportunity gap and has a significant impact on personal, social and educational achievement.

The Challenge

Health promoting schools have a vital role to play in improving Scotland's poor health record as identified in the Scottish Executive framework strategy Improving Health in Scotland: The Challenge (2003).

The Challenge outlines some key actions relating to pupils. These actions will:

• have an 'impact on child health and well-being that will result in better health and will last into adult life'
• help to transform children's lives, including their experiences at key transition stages, 'in such a way that all pupils are engaged in a spectrum of positive, life-enhancing activities'. 

Whole school approaches

Whole school approaches to health behaviours that address the many different areas of school life for pupils, staff, families and the wider community are an effective way of addressing issues like diet, exercise, mental health, smoking, alcohol and drugs enabling everyone to make informed choices.

Key to the success of a whole school approach is the development of supportive relationships involving pupils, teachers, support staff, parents, families and the wider school community.