Healthy Living: Outdoors Learning at School Grounds

1. Schoolgrounds-UK Advice Sheet
Healthy living
The programmes and of the Environmental Curriculum
initiatives detailed below Centre in Eltham (south east
include reference to how London) and Birmingham
Schoolgrounds-UK is
one of the subscription school grounds can support Botanical Gardens. They are
services from Learning available to visit to gain
healthy living. The text used
through Landscapes, inspirational ideas on developing
the UK’s national school is largely taken from the a garden space within the
grounds and early years websites quoted. grounds of your school. Please
outdoor play charity.
contact the Environmental
Curriculum Centre or Birmingham
For more information Growing Schools Botanical Gardens respectively to
about subscriptions, www.growingschools.org.uk book a visit.
call 01962 845811.
Growing Schools is a government Healthy Schools Initiative
programme which aims to www.healthyschools.gov.uk
harness the full potential of the
outdoors by encouraging, The National Healthy School
supporting and inspiring all Standard (NHSS) is jointly funded
schools to use the outdoor by the Department for Education
classroom, both in and beyond and Skills (DfES) and the
The Schoolgrounds-UK the school grounds, as a context
Advice Line is open Department of Health.
Monday to Friday all for learning across the
year round. Contact curriculum. It is part of the government's
our specialist team for
advice on using,
drive to reduce health
It focuses in particular on food, inequalities, promote social
designing or managing
your space: farming and the countryside, on inclusion and raise educational
ensuring pupils are given first standards.
Tel: hand experience of the natural
01962 845811 world around them and that A healthy school is one that is
Email: outdoor learning activities are successful in helping pupils to do
member@ltl.org.uk integrated into every day teaching their best and build on their
practices. achievements. It is committed to
Web:
www.ltl.org.uk ongoing improvement and
The Growing Schools website development. It promotes
supports teachers in using the physical and emotional health by
‘outdoor classroom’ as a resource providing accessible and relevant
across the curriculum. The site information and equipping pupils
includes case studies, schemes of with the skills and attitudes to
work, lesson plans, learning make informed decisions about
materials, sources of funding and their health. A healthy school
support and other materials. understands the importance of
Training information with a range investing in health to assist in the
LTL accepts no of programmes on offer including process of raising levels of pupil
responsibility for the sessions on outdoor education, achievement and improving
quality of goods or horticulture, garden construction,
services provided by standards. It also recognises the
any companies listed. health and safety issues, animal need to provide both a physical
husbandry and how to secure and social environment that is
This Advice Sheet offers funding. The site has been conducive to learning.
a selection of contacts designed so teachers can search
to try – always try your
local Yellow Pages or by subject and key stage and will
Thomson Directory, and soon feature a ‘schools network’ Eco Schools
an internet search offering teachers the opportunity www.eco-schools.org.uk
engine such as to tap into local community
www.google.com as
well. expertise and knowledge. Eco Schools is a programme for
promoting environmental
There are two Growing Schools awareness in a way that links to
Gardens, located in the grounds many curriculum subjects,
JM: 09-10

2. Schoolgrounds-UK Advice Sheet
Healthy living
including citizenship, personal, incorporates a plant finder / plant
social and health education (PSHE) selector service. Other useful
and education for sustainable information, available from the
Schoolgrounds-UK is
one of the subscription
development. It is also an award Education Department at the RHS
services from Learning scheme that will raise the profile garden in Wisley, includes advice
through Landscapes, of your school in the wider on compost creation and health
the UK’s national school community. The Eco Schools and safety when working outside
grounds and early years
outdoor play charity.
process is holistic. It works by in the school grounds.
involving the whole school
(pupils, teachers, non-teaching
For more information staff and governors) together with Thrive
about subscriptions,
call 01962 845811.
members of the local community www.thrive.org.uk
(parents, the local authority, the
media and local businesses). It Thrive is a horticultural charity
will encourage teamwork and help specialising in gardening for
to create a shared understanding people with special needs. Visit
of what it takes to run a school in their website or call for advice on
a way that respects and enhances the ideal dimensions for planters
the environment. and raised beds, along with
The Schoolgrounds-UK
specialised tools, advice on
Advice Line is open sensory planting etc.
Monday to Friday all Whole School Food Policies
year round. Contact www.nutrition.org.uk
our specialist team for
advice on using,
Garden Organic (formerly
designing or managing The British Nutrition Foundation HDRA)
your space: website (contains information www.gardenorganic.org.uk
about the development of a whole )
Tel:
01962 845811
school food policy. The guide has This national charity provides
been written to help schools tailored training for schools in all
Email: develop, write and implement a aspects of gardening and growing
member@ltl.org.uk Whole School Food Policy. It is and produces a wide range of
Web:
designed to be easy-to-follow and publications including free
www.ltl.org.uk based firmly in the context of real leaflets on crop rotation, compost
school life. Food has a significant making and green manures. Their
role to play in determining health Cook’s Garden Planner contains a
and well being, establishing social calendar of vegetables (with
roles and reflecting and shaping sowing and harvesting times). The
the school's ethos and individuals' website includes a site called
values. A Whole School Food Organic Gardens for Schools – a
Policy can benefit pupils, staff, free schools membership scheme
parents, caterers and others with a newsletter, dedicated
associated with a school. advice and support hotline,
LTL accepts no schemes of work and curriculum
responsibility for the
quality of goods or
links, with information updated
services provided by Royal Horticultural Society on a termly basis regarding the
any companies listed. www.rhs.org.uk activities that need to take place
in the garden at that time of year.
This Advice Sheet offers
a selection of contacts
The Royal Horticultural Society
to try – always try your (RHS) run a free school
local Yellow Pages or membership scheme including an The Federation of City Farms
Thomson Directory, and advice line, regular newsletters and Community Gardens
an internet search
engine such as
and free seeds, plus the (FCFCG)
www.google.com as Campaign for School Gardening www.farmgarden.org.uk
well. programme. This national charity
also offers an annual INSET This national charity encourages
programme for schools all over and supports community farms
JM: 09-10 the country and the website and gardens across the country,

3. Schoolgrounds-UK Advice Sheet
Healthy living
including those within school  Reduce diet-related
grounds. There is a network of inequalities in childhood
forty-nine sites across London, through food education and
Schoolgrounds-UK is
one of the subscription
many of which offer educational school based initiatives.
services from Learning links, resources and advice.  Improve food skills through
through Landscapes, food education, and school
the UK’s national school and community initiatives.
grounds and early years
outdoor play charity.
Common Ground The aims of the Trust are being
www.commonground.org.uk recognised as increasingly
Tel: 01747 850820 important. There is a body of
For more information evidence which links children’s
about subscriptions,
call 01962 845811.
Common Ground is diets to their immediate and long-
internationally recognised for term health, whilst experience
playing a unique role in the arts from schools suggests that when
and environmental fields, children eat a balanced diet they
distinguished by the linking of find it easier to concentrate in the
nature with culture, focussing classroom and their behaviour is
upon the positive investment significantly improved. Diet is
people can make in their own increasingly being seen as central
The Schoolgrounds-UK
localities and by inspiring to unlocking the potential of
Advice Line is open celebration as a starting point for children as well as being critical
Monday to Friday all action to improve the quality of to their health. Improved nutrition
year round. Contact our everyday places. They offer and food habits can play a part in
our specialist team for
advice on using,
ideas, information and inspiration enhancing well-being and
designing or managing through publications and projects emotional welfare, and are an
your space: such as Field Days, Parish Maps, important part of addressing the
Flora Britannica, Apple Day, need to reduce the number of
Tel:
01962 845811
Community Orchards, Tree overweight and obese children.
Dressing Day and the campaign Since poorer eating is regularly
Email: for Local Distinctiveness. associated with low income,
member@ltl.org.uk improving food in schools can
Web:
School Food Trust help address children’s poverty.
www.ltl.org.uk www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk
The School Food Trust Board and
staff believe that eating well
during the school day is crucial to
a number of government, societal
and parental objectives, including
improving the health, well being
and academic performance of
children and young people. The
LTL accepts no Trust is charged with helping all
responsibility for the
quality of goods or
stakeholders to ensure that young
services provided by people eat better food at school,
any companies listed. and has set for itself four broader
objectives to achieve this agenda.
This Advice Sheet offers
a selection of contacts
Established at the outset, these
to try – always try your are reviewed each year to ensure
local Yellow Pages or they remain relevant.
Thomson Directory, and  Ensure all schools meet the
an internet search
engine such as food based and nutrient based
www.google.com as standards for lunch and non-
well. lunch food.
 Increase the take-up of school
meals.
JM: 09-10