Schools from across the borough have celebrated their healthy credentials at an awards ceremony at Hendon Town Hall.
Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, Councillor Helena Hart, and Chairman of the Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee, Councillor Reuben Thompstone, presented staff from seven primary schools with their Bronze and Silver awards at the Barnet Healthy Schools Celebration Event on 16 July.
The Worshipful the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Mark Shooter, also attended the event and gave a short address congratulating the award winners.
In total 76 Barnet primary and secondary schools are now registered with the Healthy Schools London Programme.
Barnet is now one of the leading boroughs across London in the Healthy Schools London award tables with 34 having reached a Bronze award, 12 with a Silver award and five working towards their Gold award.
Healthy Schools London is an award scheme sponsored by the Mayor of London which recognises and celebrates schools that are making a difference to their pupils’ health.
To be eligible for a Bronze award, schools have to demonstrate they have introduced a whole school approach to improving their pupils’ health and wellbeing.
For the Silver award, schools must focus on assessing the need within a particular area, for example healthy eating, and then developing a plan to make improvements in that area.
To qualify for a Gold award, each school has to implement their Healthy Schools London Silver action plan and then evaluate their success.
Barnet Council is supporting schools to focus on health and wellbeing through its schools wellbeing programme which provides training and support for staff to create an environment where pupils eat healthily, are more active, consider their emotional wellbeing and are able to make safe decisions about their health.
Ways in which schools are doing this includes making the food available in school healthier and more tempting for pupils; educating children about food and where it comes from; getting them involved in food growing and cooking; and encouraging inactive as well as active pupils to walk and cycle, as well as participate in PE and playground games.
Schools are also supported with training and support around smoking prevention, Sex and Relationships Education, and alcohol and substance misuse.
Councillor Helena Hart, Chairman of the Barnet Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “I am delighted that so many of our schools are playing their part in giving our children a healthy start in life.
“Whether it is encouraging children to be active on their way to school, or providing healthy food choices at lunchtime, schools can be a major influence on the way children lead their lives.
“As well as improving children’s health and wellbeing whilst they are in school, the benefits go well beyond the classroom and into their future lives.”
For more information visit the Healthy Schools London website.