Healthy schools

The Essex Healthy Schools Programme is a school health improvement strategy which builds on the commitment within Essex schools to better the health and wellbeing of children and young people.

We provide a strategic framework for schools to reflect on the relationship between health and achievement. This maximises the potential for development and innovation at a local level to improve health and wellbeing.

Creating a new social norm

We are proud that most of our schools have been engaged with the Essex Healthy Schools Programme and we know that all schools are clear about their commitment to the health and wellbeing of their children. Our vision now is to create a new social norm for Essex in which it is accepted that all ESSEX SCHOOLS ARE HEALTHY!

Our approach is based on an individualised multi-disciplinary pathway and development plan for each school and its community. Built around 6 key expectations that identify opportunities for success, support and collaboration we will work with schools to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for children and young people. Our model will include awards that celebrate best practice in these specific areas of public health.

Healthy Schools expectation document

We have produced a document, with links to helpful guidance and resources, to help schools ensure that they are achieving the expectations. Each school will continue to have an allocated Healthy Schools Engagement Worker (HSEW) to offer support and advice to schools who feel they are not achieving the expectations. The expectations will be publicly accessible to facilitate greater understanding of what it means to be a healthy school. We hope that pupils, parents, partner agencies and services will continue to share good practice and raise concerns if they need to.

If you would like to understand the expectations within Healthy Schools more, please contact us or log into our Healthy Schools portal via the link in the banner at the top of this page.

Healthy Schools profiling visits

The Healthy Schools Engagement Workers will contact schools to arrange a date for their annual Healthy Schools Profiling Visit. This will provide school with the opportunity to discuss the requirements along with any health and wellbeing concerns identified within the school community. Visits will also provide an opportunity to share good practice and success. A tailored report will be provided to each school with a programme of support to help address concerns following each Profile Visit.

Healthy Schools projects

Schools will be actively supported in the planning and delivery of needs led, outcome-based health and wellbeing projects. The projects aim to address a particular need identified by the school, by improving outcomes for children and young people. At the end of the project, schools will complete a short document explaining the aims of the project and the actions they put in place to achieve those outcomes. All successes will be celebrated.

Schools can also nominate themselves for a ‘Healthy Schools Best Practice Award’, from a specific category in the Healthy Schools Expectation Document.

Celebrating Success

We will continue to celebrate success and awards at our annual events to showcase all the amazing work Essex schools are doing!

If you are a school looking to gain some support from your Healthy Schools Team please contact us here or log-in to our Healthy Schools Portal via the link in the banner at the top of this page.