Healthy Schools

‘Healthier children do better in learning and in life’

Research  shows that education and health are closely linked with healthier children more likely to do better at school, academically, socially, emotionally and physically.  It is important to form healthy habits from childhood because they make a difference to the health and wellbeing lifestyle choices children and young people make as they grow up.  Schools can help pupils have a healthier lifestyle, such as choosing not to smoke when they are older, eating healthy food and getting plenty of exercise.

Schools, parents/carers and communities all play an important role in helping children to lead healthy lifestyles. The Newcastle Healthy School Programme  contributes to this work.

A healthy school promotes the health and wellbeing of its pupils and staff through a well-planned, taught curriculum within an environment that promotes learning and healthy lifestyle choices. The Newcastle Healthy School Programme  supports schools to be more health promoting.   A whole school approach is taken to support and influence children and young people’s health, helping them to reach their full potential.

The programme is made up of two strands:

Newcastle Healthy School Status

Newcastle Healthy School Status provides schools with a set of minimum standards they must meet to support them to continuously improve their health and wellbeing work. It is the foundation stage of the Newcastle Healthy School Programme.

Healthy School Plus

Newcastle Healthy School Plus is a long term, practical programme which helps schools to prove that they are making a difference to their pupils’ health and wellbeing.  The programme helps schools to improve the work they do to help children and young people live healthier lives.  For example; schools have been able to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables children eat each day, the amount of exercise taken and the number of pupils who regularly brush their teeth twice a day.  They have also looked at ways to help pupils feel happier and be able to cope with pressure at school.

Children and young people are at the heart of the programme and their views are listened to and acted upon.

All schools who have Healthy School Status or Healthy School Plus receive an award at an annual celebration event and they also receive a logo to use.

Contact Information

Newcastle Healthy School Programme

Contact email address

healthyschools@newcastle.gov.uk