Healthy Living

Every Child Matters

Primary

Allegra McEvedy helps a primary class make healthy food

Founder of the Leon healthy fast-food-chain and author of Economy Gastronomy; Allegra McEvedy MBE, introduces a wary group of primary school children to the joys of bran. Having trained dozens of young cooks in restaurants over the years, Allegra and teacher Sally Keck make a batch of banana muffins with the schools cookery club. The muffins contain bran, a healthy ingredient that might prove unappetising to children, but instead Allegra gets the class cracking eggs, mashing bananas, and creaming butter and sugar. The bran is just another ingredient, and class are swept along with Allegra's friendly, attentive teaching and her energetic pace. Finally, Allegra gives her closing thoughts on getting children to eat healthy food at a young age.

Allegra McEvedy

Diane Elithorn shares the benefits of yoga with her pupils

Dianne Elithorn at Lowercroft Primary is mad about yoga and, since qualifying to teach it to children, has introduced it throughout the school. Diane believes that the non-competitive exercise can help to improve both the physical health and mental wellbeing of children which can help with learning. Dianne works with Janine Hurley from YoYogis who teaches yoga through storytelling for younger children. They weave a story together using traditional yoga poses based on animals to ignite the pupils' imaginations. Both Diane and Janine believe that yoga fits all the criteria of the healthy schools and the every child matters initiatives as it works on so many different levels, and Lowercroft fully embraces it.

Anyone for Yoga?

A personal insight into living with Asperger's Syndrome

Troubled Minds is a series of four short animated films, narrated by young people who have been real-life sufferers from a range of psychological illnesses and syndromes. In this video, a seemingly well-behaved and well-performing school student, describes the emotional distress he felt as his Asperger's syndrome caused him to struggle socially at school.

Asperger's Syndrome

A look at how young children are eating more healthily

School food is getting tastier and healthier. New government standards mean more fruit and veg and more fresh food, less deep-fried chips and unhealthy snacks. This programme looks at how young children across the country are already taking up the challenge to eat better and do better. At St Peter's Primary in Nottingham, the children organise a lunch club for senior citizens, and help to put on a healthy menu. They also visit a local farm shop to learn about where food comes from. At St Gregory's in Smethwick, pupils and teachers have come up with a clever way of learning about food - meet animated character Charles Chickens and his friends. And at Childs Hill Primary in London, the children are getting creative with food by writing poems about healthy eating, and preparing and making a tasty vegetable soup.

Children

How can school cooks help to encourage healthy eating?

In this programme, we focus on the role of the school cook. With new food standards making their way into the kitchen, how can cooks help improve the health of pupils? Hundreds of cooks throughout the country are already working towards a healthier nation. School by school they are encouraging children to take the healthy option and eat more nutritious food. Molly Parker cooks at a flagship primary school in east London. She explains why food education is a vital part of her school's lunch experience. Elsewhere, Maureen Blodywn from Warley High demonstrates how school lunches have moved on from the days of soggy cabbage and semolina.

Cooks

A girl talks about her eating disorders

Troubled Minds is a series of short animations narrated by young people who have suffered from a range of psychological illnesses and syndromes. In this programme, recovered annorexic Nicole describes the dangerous eating disorders that once threatened her life. Nicole talks openly about her feelings of not belonging and the challenges she faced in deciding to overcome this disorder.

Eating Disorders

Thinking about the scientific link between health and diet

Food adventurer Stefan Gates gets pupils thinking about the science linking their health and diet by preparing a crispy worm salad, in a video designed for use in Key Stage 2, 3 and 4 science and PSHE lessons. Gastronuts presenter Stefan Gates prepares and eats a salad using crispy worms, jellyfish and giant ants. Stefan makes the point that although people may eat very different foods around the world, they still contain essential nutrients like protein and vitamins. Stefan then explains how some foods are healthier than others, and he wonders if there's ever any reason why certain foods should be banned. This introduction to the idea of choice and restriction of food, and how diet and nutrition are linked to health, can be used to encourage primary and secondary pupils to think about healthy and unhealthy foods and to debate how much control there should be over the food we eat.

Eating Whatever You Like?

Four very different stories of psychological illnesses are brought together

Troubled Minds is a series of short animations narrated by young people who have suffered from a range of psychological illnesses and syndromes. This programme brings together four different stories: on eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, Asperger's syndrome and self-harm. Awards for this video: <ul> <li>Winner, Best Schools Programme for 14-19 year olds, Royal Television Society Education Awards 2008</li> <li>Winner, Young People's Media Award, Mind Mental Health Media Awards 2009</li> <li>Winner, Secondary Learning Award, BAFTA Children's Awards 2009</li> </ul>

Four Stories

A school promotes healthy eating throughout the curriculum

A primary and nursery school demonstrates how it encourages healthy eating amongst pupils, staff and parents. When Marcelo Staricoff became headteacher of Hertford Infant and Nursery School two years ago, he decided to incorporate healthy living throughout the curriculum. Pupils aged three to seven regularly take part in environmentally-friendly projects, such as cycling or scooting to school, recycling cooking oil to run the school bus, and creating cook books. Charities and parents help the children to grow, cook and eat their own food. The pupils also exercise regularly and enjoy the environment, with help from the local community. One of the school's greatest achievements is involving families by inviting them to share their ideas on a blackboard shed and cook in class alongside their children. Involving the staff at every level of the school and adopting help from enthusiastic parents has meant that being eco-friendly has become a way of life for the school and surrounding community.

Healthy Living Throughout the Curriculum

How one headteacher improved vitality and stamina in her school

Julie Bradley became headteacher of St Leonard's Primary School in 2000 and - having noticed a lack of energy in her students - quickly set about trying to improve their vitality and stamina. Together with her staff at the Burnley school, she re-jigged the timetable, ensuring that the school day followed a rhythm of energetic and quiet times and that PE was placed high on the school's agenda. As a devoted fan of Burnley FC, Julie knew that physical education and sport could help her pupils find a new focus. Regular breaks for classroom aerobics and mental gymnastics were introduced to help keep pupils alert and focused on their work. Provision of food and drink was also addressed, with water bottles standard for all pupils and healthy eating at breakfast time, snack time and lunch time. All the hard work is now paying off in the children's improved energy and self-esteem, not to mention a shared passion for Burnley FC.

Professional Development for Quality Teaching

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