Our Aims

To ensure a whole school approach to Healthy Eating and Living.
To encourage children to develop healthy patterns of behaviour.
To make children aware of the ways they can keep their bodies healthy and the consequences of not doing this.
To ensure that staff, students and parents are aware of current issues related to health and food.
To raise awareness about healthy living through the curriculum.
To make the most of outside organisations that can support our intentions within the school.
To provide information about how to eat well.
To encourage pupils to eat a wide variety of foods.
To provide access to and encourage pupils to drink water throughout the day.
To ensure that our school meals provide tasty choices and meet the Nutritional Standards for school meals.
To have a mealtime environment that encourages the positive social interaction of pupils.
To have an ethos and environment that values physical activity.
To provide opportunities for the whole school community to become physically active.
To encourage walking and cycling to school under safe conditions.
To provide a range of play areas and games for pupils of all ages and abilities.
To encourage extra-curricular physical activities.
To provide information on the recommended daily levels of physical activity.
To support staff development in the area of physical activity.
To encourage pupils to choose and participate in games and activities.
Making activities and play enjoyable and fun.

How we promote Healthy Living

Nutrition

We encourage all children to bring a bottle of water to school with them every day as it has been shown to benefit health and concentration.
We operate a “Healthy Breaks” policy at break time.   Sweets, chocolate and other snacks such as crisps are not allowed.   Pupils are only permitted to eat fruit and vegetables.
Every month a school dinner menu is sent home to parents.   The school Cook ensures that there are healthy options available on a daily basis eg

The menu meets the Nutritional Standards for school meals and includes vegetables and fruit
Yoghurt and Fruit area available every day
Foods are oven cooked as opposed to fried
Chips are only available once per week
Milk and water are available every day at lunchtime for those children who are taking school dinners.

We encourage parents who send packed lunches to ensure that the lunch contains healthy options.   We send home ideas for same.
National healthy eating campaigns are acknowledged.
Books on various aspects of Healthy Eating can be found in the school and class libraries.
Pupils in the Learning Support Class and Nursery are made aware of the importance of oral hygiene by visits from the School Dentist.
LSC Pupils are offered a Healthy Breakfast in class each day.
Our Daily Nursery Snack is healthy.
After School Clubs which provide snacks are healthy.

Water Provision in School

Water coolers for pupil use are located in the following locations:

Foundation Stage Corridor
Key Stage 1 Corridor
Key Stage 2 Corridor

There is also a water cooler in the Staff Room.

Breakfast Club

Our Breakfast Club serves a healthy breakfast every school morning between 8.15 and 8.45am in Room 12.. Our aim is to provide a healthy start to the day in a relaxing atmosphere. Breakfast is prepared and served by two classroom assistants.   The Breakfast Club is subsidised by Extended Schools and the children only have to pay 50p per breakfast. Each morning pupils are offered cereal, fruit juices, fruit, yogurt, toast and tea.

Physical Exercise

Pupils receive PE through the Curriculum.
Fundamental Movement Skills in Foundation and Key Stage One.
Outdoor Play is encouraged in both the Nursery and Foundation Stage.
We provide after school extra curricular activities, many of which provide physical exercise for children.
All pupils from Primary 4 onwards participate in 6-8 week swimming programmes.
We operate a Positive Playground based around activity zones, many of which are physical exercise.
We also have a Playground Friends System.

Safety

Pupils are made aware of the importance of safety on the roads.
P7 pupils are given the opportunity to complete the Cycling Proficiency Scheme.
We actively promote care in the sun and encourage children to keep cool, dress appropriately and emphasis the importance of skin protection.
We encourage children to keep safe in the classroom and playground.
Annual Firework Safety talk and ‘Stranger Danger’ awareness talks by PSNI.
Key Stage 2 pupils attend the ‘Bee Safe’ day annually organised by PSNI.