The health-promoting school: organisation and policy development in Welsh secondary schools

Abstract

THE Welsh Heart Programme was established in 1985 as a national demonstration project to promote health, and to reduce the risks of cardiovascular dis ease among the population of Wales. The develop ment of a youth health project has been an important element, and to provide information for planning, monitoring and evaluation, two surveys were under taken in 1986. The first provided information on children's health behaviour, knowledge and attitudes. The second, reported here, investigated curriculum development for health education, the school environment, and family and community links. From a random sample of 81 secondary schools, 75 responded to the survey by means of a self-com pletion questionnaire. More than three-quarters reported having a planned health education pro gramme, but the results suggest that many pupils are either receiving disjointed programmes, or no health education at all. Most of the schools with planned programmes reported having a designated member of staff as health education co-ordinator, most of whom had received in-service training. The results suggest that a reasonable base exists for the development of health promotion strategies aimed at young people, although there is clear scope for further development. Priority issues are attention to the timing of health education programmes, teaching methods, and continued in-service support for teachers. The wider development of supporting school policies, as well as closer and more active links with families and local communities are also advocated.

An examination of Health Promoting Schools in Ireland

“…There are generally three approaches set out by the literature that are characteristic of the HPS approach (Deschesnes et al 2003): 1) the formal curriculum 2) the school environment 3) the school/community interactions (Nutbeam et al, 1987;Parsons et al, 1996). Of the three domains, the most focus is generally placed on the health related curriculum (Lynagh et al, 1997).…”

Promoting Resilience in Hong Kong School Children: A Critical Reflection

“…The Health Promoting School (HPS) approach, initiated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the early 1980s, promotes healthy development for students (Nutbeam, 1987; The Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion, 2005) and organisational change such as improving a school's physical and social environment, its curricula, teaching and learning methods (Parsons et al, 1996;.…”

Teachers as Facilitators of Student Participation in School Mental Health Promotion

“…The notion of the 'health-promoting school' has gained considerable interest, as a comprehensive whole-school approach to meeting the health needs of young people (Hurrelmann & Klocke, 1997;Nutbeam et al, 1987;Rowling, 1996;St Leger, 1999). The Norwegian network is part of the European Network of Health Promoting Schools established by the European Union, the European Council and the World Health Organization in 1991.…”