Health Promoting Schools Accreditation 2003

Following the visit and review of the school portfolio, Alness Academy was awarded Health Promoting Level 4 (Very Good)

Criterion 1 - A clear statement of the health promoting aims of the school
Health promotion is implicit in the school aims. The current school plan includes a comprehensive development project whose main aim is to achieve health promoting status.

Criterion 2 - Development of good relations within the school and active promotion of the self esteem of the whole school community
The ethos of the school is very good. The senior management team sets a very good example in its relations with staff, pupils and parents. Staff are supportive and encouraging, approaches which are genuinely appreciated by pupils. The Pupil Council is well run and takes its duties seriously: its members are articulate and confident. The school strives to ensure that all members of the school community who work hard to achieve are praised and rewarded. Award systems include prizes for effort and citizenship as well as academic achievement. There are supportive programmes for individuals and groups with particular needs including those with low self esteem and smokers. The school's `buddy' system is well integrated with mainstream PSE provision and its SAT group provides valuable support for those experiencing bullying. Staff could utilise the experience of former SAT group members to benefit others. The school's intranet system plays a key role in communication with linked sections about Staff News and Pupil News.

Criterion 3 - Development of good relations with home and community
Relations with home and community are very good. The school publishes a regular newsletter which is lively, attractive and very well received by parents and the community as a whole. Health matters are regularly highlighted. The School Board takes an active interest in school life and makes a significant contribution to the improvement agenda. Parents are frequently consulted about curricular and other maters through QIE questionnaire and special events such as the Paul Betts drugs misuse seminar. The community makes extensive use of school facilities and there are good examples of 'outreach' by pupils through work experience and links with senior citizens. Pupil progress reports are of high quality with opportunities for pupils and parents to comment. The Children's Services Worker makes a significant contribution to good relationships through home visits and other support.

Criterion 4 - Provision of a wide range of stimulating challenges for all pupils
Staff are very well aware of the need to challenge pupils at all levels and have high expectations of all within their care. They take pride in the school's improving record of achievement. Pupils report that staff are encouraging and fair. They especially appreciate the democratic approach adopted by some teachers. The school provides a very good variety of out-of-hours clubs and activities run by staff and by members of the local community. Peer education figures significantly through paired reading, maths support and a developing smoking cessation group.

Criterion 5 - Use of every opportunity to improve the physical environment of the school
Staff make every effort to improve the physical environment of the school to promote health and well being. Equal opportunity for those with special needs is assured. The environment is safe. A particular effort has been made in the dining area which is welcoming and attractive. Imaginative use has been made of posters and picture in all areas to create a positive area for learning. The school is making very good use of funding from Safer Routes to School to ensure bike security and the safety of bikers.

Criterion 6 - Partnership planning and delivery of a coherent health promotion strategy
Health education programmes conform to national requirements and individual subjects are encouraged to take account of health and well-being issues wherever possible. Inserts from outside agencies are well planned to enhance provision. Good attention is paid to local health needs when planning programmes. The school intends developing its partnership approach in this area to include a more active role for parents. Very good links have been established with most local partners and the school liaison group functions effectively .

Criterion 7 - Systematic arrangements for assessment that involve pupils reviewing their health needs and their levels of understanding
The school has made a good start in developing an approach which supports pupils to identify and achieve personal health targets. It needs now to formalise and extend this through liaison between Guidance and staff involved in organising and delivering activity (such as the School Nurse and Sports Co0ordinator). Similarly, those with responsibility for Health and PSE should consider more efficient ways of evaluating the effectiveness of individual elements of the programme.

Criterion 8 - Active promotion of the health and well being of school staff
The school health and safety policy ensures a secure, welcoming environment. the management team works hard to provide a very good variety of health opportunities for staff. The school nurse offers regular health checks and there is a systematic programme of support. The school has achieved a bronze Scotland's Health at Work award, the first in the Highlands so to do.

Criterion 9 - Staff awareness of their professional roles in health related issues
The school management team provides a very good model of professionalism in relation to health promotion and education. Staff expertise is articulated through the Health and Wellbeing Group and the Ethos Group.

Criterion 10 - School nutrition reflects and supports the health promoting school ethos
The School Nutrition Action Group takes a very active part in promoting healthy eating in the school. It exemplifies the partnership approach adopted to ensure improvement in this area of provision. School catering, through the very effective management of the school cook, had made very good progress in adopting the recommendations of Hungry for Success and had, indeed anticipated these to a large degree. Food is varied, of very good quality and appreciated by all members of the school community. There are clear signs that pupils are increasingly more conscious of eating healthily. The school has taken steps to ensure that items such as crisps and chocolate are removed from sale; it has already ensured that drinks conform to recommended specification. Good quality drinking water is available to staff and pupils through vending machine and fountains.

Recommendations

School management, Guidance and other appropriate staff should develop further the approach to personal health planning.
Staff with responsibility for the PSE and Health Education programme should, in consultation with pupils and parents, develop more effective assessment arrangements which ensure good quality feedback to pupils parents and teachers.
Staff should utilise the experience of former SAT group members as peer supporters.

In June 2007 Alness Academy was awarded the Scotland's Health At Work SHAW Gold award.

Links

Health Promoting Schools - www.healthpromotingschools.co.uk

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