Scoil San Nioclás promotes healthy eating by growing organic vegetables in our vegetable garden!
Scoil San Nioclás is part of the Health Promoting Schools Initiative!
- Everyone in the school setting is valued
- Self-esteem is fostered
- Fairness and tolerance are evident
- People experiencing difficulties are supported
- Communication is open and transparent
- Effort is recognised
- Uniqueness and difference are respected
- Conflict is handled constructively
- Initiative and creativity are encouraged
- Social, moral and civic values are promoted
- Students’ emotional, psychological and physical wellbeing is promoted.
There is a strong evidence base for engaging in the HPS process:
- Better learning outcomes for students
• Improved staff wellbeing
• A more co-ordinated approach to social, physical and environmental needs
• Increased student self-esteem
• Lowered incidence of bullying
• School environment is safer and more secure
• Better understanding of a school’s health aims
• Improved relationships within the school
• More involvement of parents
• Better use of external agencies.
Stages of the Health Promoting School process
Stage 1: Expression of interest.
Schools express an interest in becoming involved in the HPS process by contacting their local Health Service Executive (HSE) Health Promotion Office.
Stage 2: Meeting with principal and key staff.
A local Health Promotion Officer will arrange a meeting with the principal and other key staff. The purpose of this meeting is to outline what is involved in developing as a Health Promoting School.
Stage 3: Whole-staff presentation.
A whole-staff presentation is given by a local Health Promotion Officer to introduce and explain the HPS initiative to the rest of the staff.
Stage 4: School agreement and appointment of co-ordinator.
The school decides to proceed with the HPS process and nominates a HPS co-ordinator from within the school community.
Stage 5: Health Promoting School team established.
The HPS co-ordinator will establish a HPS team from within the school community to support, plan and develop the initiative.
Stage 6: Raising awareness and consultation.
Participation of the whole-school community in the HPS process is encouraged and awareness raising activities are organised. The school undertakes a consultation process to get the views of the whole-school community and to record what is working well and what needs attention in relation to health.
Stage 7: Setting priorities and developing an action plan.
The HPS team will identify themes for action from the results of the consultation process. Evidence of best practice in relation to identified themes will be researched and these themes will then form the basis of a HPS action plan.
Stage 8: Implementing action plan.
The action plan is implemented over an agreed timeframe and is assessed and monitored on an ongoing basis by the in-school HPS team.
Stage 9: Application for HPS recognition.
At the end of an agreed timeframe, the HPS team completes an application form for recognition as a Health Promoting School.
Stage 10: Recognition and celebration.
The HSE formally recognises the school as a HPS and the school celebrates its achievements.
Stage 11: Reviewing and planning for next phase.
The HPS team carries out a review of the process and the cycle of work continues. There is no single end point to the Health Promoting School process but rather a cycle of review-plan-do-review that enables participating schools to reflect, sustain and build on earlier work.