Tackling Obesity in England - National Audit Office

More documents

Recommendations

Info

TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDpart four404.37 The objective of personal, social and health education isto provide a foundation for the personal development ofyoung people in preparing them for adult life. Thissubject became part of the core curriculum for the firsttime in September 2000. In developing this subject, thecurriculum division within the Department forEducation and Employment liaised with the Departmentof Health, in part through the Medical Advisor, to definethe necessary elements that would provide a balancedcoverage of health issues. As regards obesity, thepersonal, social and health education curriculumincludes coverage of the components, such as diet andexercise, that constitute a healthy lifestyle, and of thehealth risks associated with a body weight which isabove or below the healthy range. Case Study 9provides an example of the benefits of personal, socialand health education in schools.v. Promoting a healthy school environment4.38 Beyond the formal curriculum, the Department forEducation and Employment also has a role in ensuringthat the environment in schools reinforces healtheducation messages by encouraging appropriate extracurricularactivities and promoting healthy living.4.39 The Department for Education and Employment and theDepartment of Health have worked closely to promotegood practice. In May 1998, Ministers from the twodepartments jointly launched the Healthy SchoolsProgramme, designed to encourage and promotehealthy lifestyles through the school culture andenvironment. They announced a commitment to workacross Government, the private and voluntary sectors, andwith local agencies and communities, to help schoolsbecome healthier schools through supporting thedevelopment and improvement of local programmes.Case study 9: Personal, Social and Health Educationacross the curriculum - Chapel Break First SchoolAt Chapel Break First School in Norfolk, acentral plank of its strategy to become a HealthySchool was to build its personal, social andhealth education into other curriculum areas.The reception class worked on a different healthrelatedtopic each term, including "me andlooking after my body".Over four years in which it worked towards theHealthy Norfolk Schools Award (achieved in1998), the school's academic results steadilyimproved. In Science, it attained the highestgrading compared with equivalent primaryschools nationally. Teachers felt the boost inresults, particularly Science, was thanks tointegrating health issues into the curriculum.Source:National Healthy School Standard: Getting Started - AGuide for Schools’ 354.40 A key part of the Healthy Schools Programme is theNational Healthy School Standard, which was launchedin October 1999 to offer support for local programme coordinatorsand provide an accreditation process foreducation and health partnerships. The Standard,managed by the Health Development Agency, has beendisseminated to schools, local authorities and healthauthorities through guidance 35,36 , which providesexamples of good practice. Key components of theStandard are to encourage physical activity, throughschool travel and physical recreation, and healthy eating.vi. Promoting healthy travel to school4.41 The number of children walking or cycling to school hasdeclined dramatically over the last two decades. In themid-1980s, two thirds of children aged between 5 and 10years walked to school, and more than six per cent of11-16 year-olds cycled to school. By the late 1990s, thishad fallen to just over half of children (5-10 years)walking to school, and less than two per cent of pupils(11-16 years) cycling 37 .4.42 The Department of Health, the Department forEducation and Employment and the Department of theEnvironment, Transport and the Regions have workedtogether to promote healthy school travel. Figure 23illustrates the intersecting policy responsibilities of thesedepartments for school travel, and the key initiatives thathave emerged from their collaboration.4.43 As a central forum for debate and joint working betweenthe departments, the School Travel Advisory Group wasset up in 1998, including representatives of the health,transport and education sectors. The Group includes thethree key Government departments and a wide range ofstakeholders from local Government, voluntary andprivate organisations. In 1999, the Group reported toMinisters on a range of measures intended to improvesafety on the journey to and from school, provide avariety of healthier travel choices and encourage moreyoungsters to walk, cycle or take public transport.4.44 In 1999, the three departments worked together tocommission the Transport 2000 Trust to produce guidanceon school travel, entitled 'A Safer Journey to School' 38 . Thisguidance advises local authorities, schools and parents onbuilding a safe environment for pupils to walk and cycle ortake public transport to school, including measures to calmroad traffic, enhance footpaths and cycle lanes, andprovide facilities for the storage of bicycles and accessories.4.45 A further incentive for schools is that promoting safe andhealthy school travel can also be a key component inachieving accreditation under the National Healthy SchoolStandard developed by the Department of Health and theDepartment for Education and Employment. At primaryschool level, this is backed up by a training guide helpingtrainee teachers to teach children about physically activemodes of travel as part of the primary school curriculum. To
TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDoffer financial support, the departments also launched the'Safe and Sound Challenge' in January 1999, with a secondphase announced in December 2000 to focus on initiativesin Education Action Zones. This scheme encouragesschools to develop ideas for safe travel to school usingalternatives to the car by offering cash prizes for the mostinnovative ideas. Case Studies 10 and 11 illustrate the typeof action that can be taken.Case Study 10: The walking bus at WheatfieldsJunior SchoolCase Study 11: Llwynu Primary School CyclingClub, AbergavennyLlwynu primary school is situated a mile fromAbergavenny town centre. The Cycling Club atthe school was established by two members ofstaff in 1998. The primary aim was to encouragefitness and independence, to help theenvironment through reducing car trips, and toaddress aspects of cycle proficiency. Staff reportthat the pupils greatly enjoy the cycleproficiency sessions, parents are positive aboutthe Club and it is hoped that the training willhelp with cycling skills and encourage a cultureof cycling among the pupils.Source: Active Transport 27vii. Promoting sport and physical recreationin schoolsThe walking bus is an organised walking group led byadults. Parents wait at a series of "bus stops" for trainedvolunteers to escort their children to school. The schemehas a conductor who supervises the children and a driverwho wheels a trolley carrying the children's bags. Eachroute is between ½ and 1 mile long.Children who use this route to school are rewarded byvouchers or stickers they can use to trade for free goodsfrom the school bookshop.4.46 Providing opportunities and encouragement for sport inschools can help make young people more active andprovide them with the skills and motivation to remainphysically active into their adult lives. Here the policyresponsibilities of the Department of Health, theDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport and theDepartment for Education and Employment overlap.Figure 24 illustrates where these responsibilitiesintersect and the main initiatives to have sprung fromjoint working in this area.Source:School Travel: Strategies and Plans - a Best PracticeGuide for Local Authorities 3923 Intersecting policy objectives and key initiatives relating to school travelDepartment of HealthTo improve healthand reduce healthinequalitiesPromotion ofwalking and cyclingPromoting educationand healthy schoolsHealthy and safejourneys to school"Safer"Saferjourneysjourneystotoschool"school""Safe"Safeandandsoundsoundchallenge"challenge"SchoolSchooltraveltravelplansplansHealthy Schools Programmeand National HealthySchool StandardSafe transportto schoolsDepartment forEducation and EmploymentTo ensure young peoplereach 16 with the skills,attitudes and personalqualities to give them asecure foundation forlifelong learning, workand citizenship"Are you doing your bit?"campaignDepartment ofthe Environment,Transport & the RegionsTo make it easier to walkand cycle and therebyreducereliance on carspart four41Source:National Audit Office
Page 1 and 2: Tackling Obesity in EnglandREPORT B
Page 3 and 4: Tackling Obesity in EnglandREPORT B
Page 5 and 6: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDPart 3:
Page 7 and 8: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLAND5 The Go
Page 9 and 10: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDnnnthe D
Page 11 and 12: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDnnnna jo
Page 13 and 14: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLAND2The way
Page 15 and 16: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDStudy me
Page 17 and 18: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDThe prev
Page 19 and 20: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDnnnless
Page 21 and 22: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLAND2.21 As
Page 23 and 24: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDPart 3Ma
Page 25 and 26: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLAND10Exampl
Page 27 and 28: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLAND3.28 Vie
Page 29 and 30: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDCase Stu
Page 31 and 32: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLAND13 Refer
Page 33 and 34: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLAND16Topics
Page 35 and 36: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDPart 4In
Page 37 and 38: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDInitiati
Page 39 and 40: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDCase Stu
Page 41 and 42: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDaccounta
Page 43: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDInitiati
Page 47 and 48: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLAND4.51 To
Page 49 and 50: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLAND25Inters
Page 51 and 52: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDappendix
Page 53 and 54: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDAppendix
Page 55 and 56: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDAppendix
Page 57 and 58: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLAND31 Preva
Page 59 and 60: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDImpact o
Page 61 and 62: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDthe data
Page 63 and 64: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLAND25 Third
Page 65 and 66: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDStudies
Page 67 and 68: TACKLING OBESITY IN ENGLANDInitiati

Tackling Obesity in England - National Audit Office

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?