Gloucestershire’s schools have reached their Healthy Schools target three months early, with 93% of schools awarded Health Schools status. Twelve primary schools, one special school, four secondary schools and the Hospital Education Service in Gloucestershire will receive their Healthy Schools Commendations at the Gloucestershire Healthy Schools Celebration on Wednesday (2nd December). All of the schools have been assessed against National Healthy Schools criteria in key areas of citizenship, drug education, emotional health and well-being, healthy eating, physical activity, and sex and relationships education. The celebration ceremony will take place at the Hatherley Manor Hotel on Wednesday 2nd December. Representatives from the schools will receive certificates from Peter Bungard, Chief Executive of Gloucestershire County Council, Linda Uren, Director of Commissioning & Partnerships at the county council and Shona Arora, Director of Public Health NHS Gloucestershire.

Jan Urban-Smith, County Children’s Health and Wellbeing Team Manager, said: “Congratulations to all of our schools and partners who have worked so hard to ensure that the county reaches this target. Concerns about healthy eating, physical activity, and emotional health and well-being are at the forefront of most parents’ and teachers’ minds, as well as being constantly in the news. I’d like to congratulate the schools here today for their commitment to being healthy schools and I look forward to seeing examples of their good work.”

Each school will have a market stand at the celebration event to display how they have achieved healthy school status and their plans for the future.

The celebration event is being funded by the NHS.

The three year agreement with the South West region was for 93% of the county’s primary secondary and special schools to achieve National Healthy Schools status by March 2010. The following schools will receive Healthy Schools Commendations: · Archway School · Bream C of E Primary School · Central Technology College School · Coaley C of E Primary School · Down Ampney C of E Primary School · Gloucestershire Hospital Education Service · Kemble Primary School · Lakeside Primary School · Linden Primary School · Longborough C of E Primary School · Mickleton Primary School · Naunton Park Primary School · Newnham St. Peter’s C of E Primary School · Ribston Hall High School · Sandford School · St. Matthews C of E Primary School · The Crypt School · Uley C of E Primary School The Healthy Schools Partnership provides a framework for good practice, against which schools can set their own targets. The Partnership aims to address the needs of all children by adopting a whole-school approach that is sensitive and responsive to school needs and priorities. It enables schools to not only receive recognition for the good work currently taking place, but also to set higher targets and further develop their future programmes.

For further information about the Healthy Schools Partnership go to www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/healthyschools