Health Promoting

Primary Schools

What is a health promoting primary school?

A health promoting school is a place where all members of the school community work together to provide students, teachers, parents and carers with integrated and positive experiences and structures which promote and protect their health.

This includes:

• the formal school curriculum

• the school ethos/environment/informal curriculum

• community partnerships such as the family, health services, Police etc.

Acknowledgment: HPS Making it Happen HPS (NSW)

Health Promoting Schools is about bringing together all of the different policies, practices, programs and structures within a school community that impact on health, and providing a mechanism for future planning.

The Central Coast Health Promotion Unit aims to support all local schools in being more health promoting. Support is offered through;

• Consultancy on a variety of health issues utilising the Health Promoting School framework.

• Workshops on a variety of topics for teachers & parents.

• A wide variety of resources including videos & brochures

• Network meetings for canteen workers

• Health Promoting School Newsletter

• Contacts with other health departments & organisations

• Directory of contacts available.

• School newsletter inserts

• Loan of the breathaliser for student or staff functions.

Local Initiatives

Lisarow Public School - Nutritious Foods

“Save the worms” A project which promotes the eating of Fruit and Veg. The scraps along with the canteen scraps are given to the worms. The children “feel unreal, for giving up their peel”

Warnervale Public School - Physical Activity

“Dads Play Day” - for the last three years fathers, carers, grandfathers and male friends are invited to join in a day of sporting activities. Teachers also join in to be active role models.

Holgate Public School - Mental Health

“Free Play Award” Teachers issue awards to children seen doing caring things in the playground. Awards are collected once a week and children may play for an extra 15 minutes.