Boosting Health & Wellbeing in Schools: New Toolkit Launched Across Cornwall

Schools across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have been equipped with a new resource aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of pupils and their families. The Healthy Schools Toolkit, developed by Healthy Cornwall alongside various partner organisations, provides a wide range of ideas, tools, and lesson plans for educators. The toolkit, available here, is designed to support all educational settings, including special schools and home education.

Six Key Areas of Focus

The toolkit centres around six key themes to help schools enhance both the physical and emotional health of students:

• Food, Nutrition & Dental Health: Includes activities such as school-based cooking and gardening, and promoting good oral hygiene.
• Physical Activity: Encourages ‘active travel’ like walking and cycling, and fostering active environments within schools.
• Emotional Health & Wellbeing: Focuses on building positive relationships and developing trauma-informed practices across schools.
• Health Protection: Promotes hygiene measures like handwashing and awareness of local and national public health campaigns.
• Environment, Community & Responsibility: Supports understanding environmental sustainability and developing biodiverse habitats in schools.
• Workforce Wellbeing: Prioritises the wellbeing of staff through policies and school-wide activities.

Schools are encouraged to sign up for regular updates from the Healthy Cornwall team, ensuring they receive the latest resources, training, and campaign information, helping them work towards becoming a ‘Healthy School.’

Official Launch at Heamoor Primary School

The toolkit was officially unveiled at Heamoor Primary School in Penzance on Saturday, October 19, during a community ‘Big Dig Day.’ The event, which was supported by Healthy Cornwall and local partners, gave staff the chance to showcase ideas from the toolkit, many of which had been incorporated into the day’s activities.

Cllr Barbara Ellenbroek, cabinet member for children and families at Cornwall Council, praised the effort and creativity behind the toolkit, saying: “It is jam-packed with great tips and ideas about how to make sure health and wellbeing is prioritised in all our education settings which can then have a ripple effect on families and the wider community.”

Rachel Wigglesworth, director of public health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, expressed her pride in the project, adding: “Having a learning environment that prioritises pupils’ health and wellbeing is vital if we want to help them to feel good about themselves and achieve their potential.”

For more information on the Healthy Schools Toolkit, visit Healthy Cornwall.

Photo: The Healthy Schools Toolkit was launched at a Big Dig Day held at Heamoor Community Primary School in Penzance.