Health Promoting Schools
What is a health promoting school?
The national framework for health promoting schools in Scotland, 
PDF file: Being Well – Doing Well (1033KB), was published by the Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit in February 2004.
Some of the main messages contained in Being Well - Doing Well are set out below.
Values
The values of health promoting schools recognise:
- Wisdom – that seeks understanding and takes action to bring about improvement
- Justice – that provides equality, participation and fairness of treatment for all
- Compassion – that ensures concern, care and respect for oneself and others
- Integrity – that ensures honesty, responsibility and good judgement.
Aims
Health promoting schools aim to:
- develop and support the physical, social, spiritual, mental and emotional health and well-being of all pupils and staff
- work in partnership with others to identify and meet the health needs of the whole school and the wider community.
Key characteristics
The key characteristics of health promoting schools can be considered under the following six headings.
Leadership and management
- Health promoting schools have leadership that takes a holistic view of health and is committed to improving the health and well-being of all pupils, staff and the wider community.
- Health promoting schools have management that ensures integrated action to identify and respond to the health needs of all pupils and staff and makes a positive impact on the well-being of the wider community.
Ethos
Health promoting schools have an inclusive ethos that:
- takes care of individuals, is fair and promotes respect for self, others, the wider community and the environment
- promotes a sense of responsibility in individuals for their own actions, health-related behaviour and lifestyles
- encourages and empowers pupils and staff to give of their best and to build on their achievements.
Partnership working
- Health promoting schools have a strong commitment to partnership working and collective responsibility that actively involves and reflects the views of pupils, staff, parents, the wider community and key agencies.
Curriculum, learning and teaching
- Health promoting schools have a curriculum and approaches to learning and teaching that provide appropriate challenge, participation and support for all pupils and have a positive effect on their health and well-being.
Personal, social and health education programmes
- Health promoting schools have approaches to personal and social development and health education that take account of pupils' health needs and of the range of factors that influence their values, attitudes, behaviour and health.
Environment, resources and facilities
- Health promoting schools provide a safe, supportive, accessible and well-resourced environment for all pupils, staff and the wider community, including appropriate provision for all who have additional support needs.
Useful websites
- The Scottish Executive
Information, news and publications from the government in Scotland. - HM Inspectorate of Education
Publications and inspection reports of Scottish schools. - European Network of Health Promoting Schools
Details of health promoting schools development across Europe.
