Healthy Schools and Well Being

At Sholing Juniors we understand the importance to teach and promote Healthy Living and Wellbeing. To support, develop and encourage the children to understand the importance of health and wellbeing and to make healthy choices we follow the Healthy Hi 5 award, NHS Solent. These are five achievable elements that have a genuine impact on the health and wellbeing of individual students.

Amazing Modeshift STARS news!

Sholing Junior School have won Regional School Award 2021!

The school were awarded the highly acclaimed Gold STARS Award in 2019 and have not rested on their laurels since then.  The team of 34 Junior Travel Ambassadors led by their amazing School Travel Champion, Angela, put active travel at the heart of the school’s ethos.  Many congratulations to them. The School have now been invited to attend the Modeshift STARS National Awards. Read more about what the school has been up to on our website.

Daily Mile

-Within 4 weeks children who do The Daily Mile become fitter.

-Helpful in reducing childhood obesity.

-Children bring the benefits home, eating and sleeping better and encouraging families to be active together.

-It improves their perception of exercise and propmotes self care.

-The fifteen minutes from lessons is invigorating and leaves them focused and ready to learn.

-Time outside in all weathers helps them engage with the outdoors and aware of nature.

-Its fully inclusive

-Builds self esteem

-It’s a social occasion to facilitate communication.

- builds relationships

-Childhood obesity: A plan for action (2017) states 30 minutes of physical activity should be delivered everyday by schools.

Action

As a school we take part in the Daily Mile 4 times per week.

Alternative physical activity can be offered in extreme/unsuitable weather conditions.

Access to water

Hydration is particularly important for children as they have higher water requirements in relation to their body weight than adults. Children should aim to hydrate with plain natural drinks that are free from additives. Drinking water as opposed to other drinks can help prevent tooth decay.

Action

All children are to be given a water bottle at the beginning of the academic year.

It is their responsibility to take it home daily to clean and return filled the next day. It is kept in class. There are water fountains around school for extra access.

Water jugs and cups are provided at lunch.

Nurture Nature

There is evidence that food and plant growing in school in schools is an important learning opportunity. It encourages, facilitates learning, and is particularly relevant to science and emotional health. It is an activity that helps build life skills, encourage enterprise, employment related and horticultural skills. It can improve awareness and understanding of the natural environment and its importance to us. Being aware of nature and our surroundings promotes health and wellbeing, particularly in relation to diet and nutrition.

Action

All children to be provided with a packet of cress seeds to be taken home and grown then used within a meal.

Around the school are a variety of indoor plants to be cared for by The Plant Monitors.

Healthy Lunch, breakfast and After School Clubs

Childhood obesity and excess weight are significant health issues for individual children, their families and public health. They can have serious implications for the physical and mental health of a child, which can then follow on into adulthood. The numbers of children who continue to have an unhealthy and potentially dangerous weight is a national public health concern.

Action

Children are encouraged to bring in either fruit or vegetables to eat at break.

Children are not given sweets or chocolates as a reward.

Food served in school meet the school food standards so the children have healthy, balanced diets.

The school food standards apply  and we provide:

-high quality meat, poultry or oily fish

-fruit and vegetables

-bread, other cereals and potatoes.

They do not include:

-drinks with added sugar, crisps, chocolate or sweets in school meals

-more than two portions of deep fried, battered or breaded food in a week.

Mindfulness Minute

The practice of mindfulness means to focus on ”now”. Growing evidence behind the practice shows it helps to develop concentration, increase focus and relaxation.

Action

Children to have the opportunity to practice a Mindfulness Minute 4 times within a school week. This can be within classroom, outside or as an element of a whole school assembly.

Active Travel and the Junior Travel Ambassadors

To promote and encourage active travel outside of school we encourage children and their families to walk, scoot, cycle or take  public transport to and from school. This not only improves physical fitness and mental wellbeing but also helps reduce pollution within our over polluted city so improves the air that we breath,reducing the health issues that are connected to air pollution. Alongside the Healthy Hi 5 we have the Junior Travel Ambassadors (JTAs) and Junior Road Safety Officers(JRSOs).  These children meet weekly to organise events to continue to promote active travel within our school community.