Healthy Living

Every Child Matters

Secondary

Two schools show how to give a physical boost to lunchtimes

In this programme, we see how two schools have transformed listless playtimes into positive physical experiences. The Deanes School in Essex has introduced a number of zoned areas within its playground, known as Activity City. The wide range of activities offered helps to develop skills in sport and PE. Some of these are specifically designed for SEN groups, and the gifted and talented. The Activity City is a very structured environment and, as well as getting the students active during lunch, the school has noticed a marked improvement in students' attitudes to study, post-lunchtime. The programme also features Rawmarsh Community School, near Rotherham. The school offers a range of lunchtime activities, the most unusual being a radio station that broadcasts music, requests and school announcements over a school system at break time and lunchtime. The students love having music to perform to, and levels of physical activity and engagement have increased since its introduction.

Active Lunchtime

An innovative special school rigorously promoting healthy living

Alderman Knight School in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, is a special school bursting with healthy initiatives. The school has embraced the National Healthy Schools Programme with a passion and children are encouraged to think about food, how to grow it, cook it and buy it. The school has introduced many schemes to create a healthier learning environment, including a thriving breakfast club. There are greater opportunities for play, sport and dancing, and partaking in extra artwork to help improve the emotional wellbeing of the pupils. The children are also given a "thought for the day", encouraging them to ponder moral, political and ethical questions.

Alderman Knight School

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

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

Using organic produce for school dinners and learning resources

An innovative programme that combines healthy school meals and environmental awareness education has blossomed in a Gloucestershire special needs school. When cook Pat Kendall started working at New Siblands, a special needs school, in South Gloucestershire, she was delighted to learn the administration wanted her to serve organic food. The school buys all produce locally, but Pat plans to turn the caretaker's flower plot into a market garden, with a little help from the Thornbury Horticultural Society. Not only will produce from her garden fill the school dinner pot, but pupils will be guided through the plot on field trips to learn about plant growth, complementing their lessons. Key points: <ul> <li>The school menu is adapted to reinforce what is being taught in the classroom - for Victorian Day, students tucked in to gruel!</li> <li>On her limited budget, Pat's scheme manages to both use more organic produce and serve less junk food</li> <li>Students participate in food preparation to gear up for careers in catering</li> </ul>

Dinner Granny

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

A KS3/4 video on how diet changes when following a fitness regime

Help secondary pupils explore the links between science and fitness in this Key Stage 3/4 classroom video for PSHE and science lessons, where food expert Stefan Gates meets a triathlete to discuss his training diet. The video is a useful scientific illustration of the effect of different foods on the body and how the amount of food we need to stay healthy can vary considerably depending on lifestyle. Gastronuts presenter Stefan Gates meets triathlete Matt Sharp to find out about the relationship between diet and fitness. A triathlon is a punishing combination of cycling, running and swimming, and Matt has to train at least thirty hours a week. Stefan is amazed by the amount Matt eats in a day but his diet is scientifically worked out to provide not only the necessary protein, calcium, fibre and vitamins to keep his body in peak condition but also the carbohydrate needed to provide the energy for so much intense exercise. The video fits into a detailed lesson plan for secondary science lessons at Key Stage 3 and 4 and should prompt discussion, based on scientific evidence, about the effects of diet on health.

Eating to Win

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

Healthly living resources are reviewed

Resource Review looks in detail at three resources to help promote healthy living. Rosemary Cairns recommends a grain website that promotes healthy living, Jan Wright suggests a CD-rom series of presentations for personal wellbeing, and Sarah Atkins advocates a DVD of physical activity to music. Staff from schools around the country comment on these resources, giving us their ideas on some of their favourite resources and ones you can create yourself.

Professional Development for Quality Teaching

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