Healthy Norfolk Schools Newsletter Summer Term 2016 — Issue 33 ongratulations to the following Colman Junior for SMSC and C schools who have all achieved promoting British Values Enhanced Healthy School Status since the Ormiston Victory Academy for focused work on the topic of Spring Term issue of our newsletter Extremism Sparhawk Infant and Nursery for embedding Fundamental British Values Mile Cross Primary for developing outside learning Little Plumstead Primary School for developing outdoor learning Bignold Primary and Nursery for Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies, Healthy School Examples of work from pupils at Colman Junior ongratulations to the following schools who have recently C renewed Healthy School Status Alderman Peel High Heather Avenue Infant Bignold Primary & Nursery Hobart High Cromer Junior North Walsham Infant Eastgate Academy North Walsham Junior East Ruston Preston Primary Fairhaven Primary Reepham High & College Falcon Junior St Michael’s (Aylsham) Nursery & Infant Garrick Green Infant Suffield Park Infant & Nursery Little Plumstead Primary Thorpe St Andrew School & 6th Form Langham village School School News Spotted recently at Nightingale First School: a wonderful display entitled: Minion Reasons to be Healthy (below right) Mile Cross community Primary recently entered a national competition for ‘Muddy Faces Build a Shelter Competition.’ The school submitted a photo (above left) of their shelter and won £150. The plan is to use the prize money for resources and further development of their outdoor learning site. Our very own Liam Miller had a hand in building the prize-winning shelter during a recent visit to the site. Fred Nicholson School gets a mention in the new Stonewall guidance: Ten Steps to Tackling Homophobic, Biphobic and working in partnership with Healthy Norfolk Schools, Transphobic Language in Your School Fred Nicholson School devised a questionnaire on homophobic, biphobic and transphobic language for pupils. Pupils selected a feeling face in response to statements including ‘It is OK to like different things to other people’ and ‘I use the word ‘gay’ to mean that something is rubbish’. Following survey responses, the school developed a targeted whole-school approach including reviewing a number of policies, promoting pupil voice, ensuring inclusive resources are in the library and classrooms and training for all staff. The school also made tackling homophobia, biphobia and transphobia the focus of Anti-Bullying Week, with all pupils and staff sending positive messages around a human chain of support. Congratulations to our two new Two New PATHS Model Promoting Alternative Thinking Schools in Norfolk! Strategies (PATHS) Model Schools in Norfolk. Ashleigh Primary in Wymondham and Raleigh Infant in Thetford were approved by PATHS Education Worldwide (PEW) in May. We now have four Model Schools in Norfolk: Ashleigh Primary, Freethorpe Primary, Raleigh Infant and Whitefriars Primary Academy. For more information about PATHS please contact Anna Sims or Alice Ndiaye Ashleigh Primary receiving their plaque Healthy Norfolk Schools, Lawson road Health Centre | Lawson Road | Norwich NR3 4LE Page 2 Staff Wellbeing As schools are being increasingly encouraged to focus on the importance of promoting mental health and wellbeing, Healthy Norfolk Schools are pleased to be supporting schools to adopt a whole-school approach to improving mental health and wellbeing for the entire school community. Teaching is the most stressful profession in the UK, with 41.5% of teachers reporting themselves as ‘highly stressed’ at some point in their teaching career; Health and Safety Executive research, 2000. Pete Balmforth, an experienced teacher at Marshland High School shared his account of the stressful nature of teaching, the impact that this has had on his professional and personal life and the strategies he has adopted to help create a healthier balance between work and life, including the installation of specialised lighting within his classroom, aimed at reducing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). “The light given out is a ‘cooler’ white light which looks different to the standard ‘warm’ lighting of normal fluorescent tubes. Everything appears to be clearer to see; pupils seem calmer and like being in my room. Most people coming into my room notice ‘something’ different, and really like it. SAD lighting doesn’t instantly make you happy but it does contribute positively towards the variety of strategies I use to help my condition therefore helping me deal with day to day life.” Pete Balmforth in his classroom at Marshland High Visit NHS Choices for more information on SAD Pupil Wellbeing ereham Neatherd was the first school in Norfolk to D focus on ‘Improving Mental Health Awareness for Silver Enhanced Healthy School Status: I will try and think about my friends The most rewarding aspect was realising more. Sometimes people look sad for a just how easy it was for young people to reason, and we should be more kind to talk about their own mental health and how them open they were Year 7 student Nick O Brien, Assistant Head Teacher Public libraries nationwide celebrated the launch of Reading Well for young people in April. This new scheme is running in Norfolk’s libraries and Public Health services for young people dealing with mental health issues. Shelf Help is a list of 35 books, selected by mental health specialists and recommended by young people for their ability to help cope with the pressures of life, feel better and boost confidence. The scheme is an extension of the successful Reading Well/Books on Prescription scheme for adults with mental health issues and people with dementia and their carers. All the Shelf Help books are now available and can be borrowed by young people, their friends, parents or carers, from all of Norfolk’s libraries. Health professionals, like GPs and school nurses can also prescribe or recommend the books as an alternative way of treating or supporting young people experiencing pressures in their day to day lives. Find out more at Reading Well Healthy Norfolk Schools, Lawson road Health Centre | Lawson Road | Norwich NR3 4LE Page 3 A Mile a Day in Norfolk You may have read in the national press about St Ninian’s School in Stirling where all pupils were encouraged to walk or run a mile each day. The aim was to make this part of the daily routine with no special kit or equipment. They found that the Daily Mile had a massive impact on both children’s fitness levels and their concentration in lessons.. It’s a common sense approach to children’s fitness which is free and easy to implement and the most important thing was that children loved taking part. Trowse Primary School has become the first in the region to complete the Daily Mile Marathon. Staff members and 106 pupils have each run a mile a day and completed their 26th mile to make it the distance of a marathon. Head teacher Stuart Odell said: “After hearing about how positive the initiative has been in Scotland, it was something I wanted us to try. “Teachers and support staff have joined in the running too, making it a real community event.” He added that as well as the health benefits, teachers had reported pupils were concentrating better in class after their run. Local partnership Healthy Norwich, Active Norfolk, Norwich School Sports Partnership and Healthy Schools, is working to engage with a group of schools in the Norwich area initially, to help to implement A Mile a Day as part of their school routine. If are interested to know more or to think about starting this in your school soon, contact Liam Miller Led and supported by the Royal Horticultural society (RHS), the Green Plan It Challenge is an exciting opportunity for year 8/9 students to engage in a ten week project where they rethink the role of green space and develop solutions to a horticulture-related challenge. Benefits include: Free welcome pack of seeds and gardening equipment Teaching resources to take you from beginner to expert Inspiring and practical school gardening training days Free rewards through the School Gardening Awards scheme Latest news and regular e-newsletters High profile competitions offering fantastic prizes For more information, visit RHS School Gardening Healthy Norfolk Schools, Lawson road Health Centre | Lawson Road | Norwich NR3 4LE Page 4 Page 4 Updates e-Bug is a free educational resource for classroom and home use and makes learning about micro-organisms, the spread, prevention and treatment of infection fun and accessible for primary and secondary pupils. Visit e-Bug to find out more. Public Health England has launched a refreshed version of the UK’s healthy eating model which replaces the Eatwell Plate. The Eatwell Guide has been developed from evidence-based nutrition advice and is designed in pictorial form to help the communication of a healthy, balanced diet to consumers. Diabetes E-learning module for schools: The regional paediatric Diabetes Network has launched an e-learning module for schools. This tool can be used to compliment the education that your staff will receive from the child’s family and their diabetes team. The tool is made up of two modules: Module 1 is aimed at raising awareness of type 1 diabetes and its treatment and is suitable for all members of staff in a school attended by a child with type 1 diabetes Module 2 is aimed at those members of staff that have direct responsibility for providing support to a child or young person with diabetes. This module should take 30 minutes and goes into more depth on topics such as blood glucose testing and injection technique This e-learning tool has been developed by teams from the East of England, the North West and Thames Valley Children and Young People’s Diabetes Networks and is supported by JDRF, the type 1 diabetes charity.