Criteria For a Health Promoting School

1. The Health Promoting School should provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment, which encourages pupils to be health and safety conscious, both in and out of school.

2. The Health Promoting School should actively promote pupils’ self-esteem and self-confidence through the provision of opportunities to contribute widely to the life of the school, successfully enabling pupils to take initiatives, make choices and exercise responsibility for their own health and that of others.

3. The Health Promoting School should create a climate throughout the school in which good relationships, respect and consideration for others flourish, encouraging individuals to make a valuable contribution through their respective skills and personal qualities.

4. The Health Promoting School should formulate, implement and review regularly a range of health-related policies for staff and pupils which are in accord with the school aims, e.g. policies addressing issues such as nutrition, physical activity, substances misuse, bullying and smoking.

5. The Health Promoting School should plan and implement a coherent health education curriculum, which complies with the statutory requirements and is accessible to al pupils.

6. The Health Promoting School should provide stimulating challenges for all pupils through a wide range of physical, academic, social and community activities.

7. The Health Promoting School should develop good liaison with parents/those with parental responsibility, other schools and the local community on a range of health-related issues.

8. The Health Promoting School should make effective use of appropriate and qualified outside agencies and specialists to advise, support and contribute to the promotion of health, directly or through the curriculum.