Healthy Setting
Selly Oak Nursery School is very proud of its achievement in gaining the award and we continue to maintain this standard!
What is a healthy setting?
A healthy setting is one that is successful in helping children to do their best and build on their achievements. It is a setting which has created an enjoyable, safe and productive learning environment. A healthy setting is committed to continuous development through self review and promotes an ethos of achievement; of valuing each member of the community; and supporting the development of all children to make the most of their gifts, talents and abilities.
Background
The government has recognised that schools and settings are the key place in which to improve both education and health. The National Healthy Schools Programme has been developed in order to facilitate this improvement.
The aims are:
To support children, parents and staff in developing healthy behaviours
To help raise children’s achievements
To help reduce health inequalities
To help promote social inclusion
The Early Years Healthy Setting Programme is a partnership between education and health in the city, and provides support for settings through a developmental process. The Early Years Healthy settings status is recognised across the region as an example of good practice.
The programme provides successful settings with an identified quality mark that is consistent across Birmingham. It sends a clear message to parents and the community as to its provision for, and commitment to, pupil’s physical and emotional well-being.
The Early Years Healthy Setting status requires settings to meet standards in four aspects using a whole setting approach involving the whole setting community. The four aspects are:
Personal Social and Health Education
Healthy eating
Physical activity
Emotional health and well-being (including bullying)
The activities which we address are intended to be embraced and emphasised across every curriculum area. The key messages are supported and emphasised in all facets of planning and learning.
The process of achieving Early Years Healthy Setting Status contributes to the five outcomes of Every Child Matters. The Governments’ aim is for every child, whatever their background or circumstances, to have the support they need to:
Be healthy
Stay safe
Enjoy and achieve
Make a positive contribution
Achieve economic well-being
Selly Oak Nursery as a Healthy Setting
At Nursery we encourage and promote being healthy, promote physical exercise, eating healthy, growing our own fruits and vegetables as well as a carefully planned curriculum and snack times.
PE sessions
Every fortnight we have a planned physical development session to further enhance and develop our gross motor skills. We dance, balance, climb, jump, catch, throw and learn a variety of new skills. It’s so important that your child joins in with our sessions, we think about how exercise can help us and keep us healthy and fit.
Lunch times
At lunchtimes the children are asked to bring a healthy pack lunch to Nursery. The staff speak with all parents in September to promote healthy eating in Nursery and we provide a leaflet with ideas for lunches. The weekly newsletter provides new ideas for lunch boxes.
We use lunch times as a learning experience and a Lunchtime Supervisor sits with each group while they eat. Children are encouraged to become involved in discussion about healthy eating. Lunchtime provides wonderful opportunities for children to be involved in learning important social skills.
We also have a healthy snack of fruit and vegetables and milk during each morning. Throughout the day children are able to access their water bottles which are kept inside cool boxes.