The Scottish Government

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chapter 6 the impact of learning and education

The impact of learning and teaching on health

The Scottish Education system is the envy of many countries throughout the world. It has developed as part of a tradition in which innovation is promoted, intellectual debate and research stimulated and wealth created through employment. Such aspirations foster a climate in which the life chances of children and young people are enhanced. The links between learning and teaching in schools as an aid to health and well-being, and as a support for both learning and teaching are well established. Where young people have a positive educational experience, and have the opportunity to complete their education, a positive impact on health and social functioning is well accepted. Policy makers and practitioners have worked to ensure that health and well-being is established as a core aspect of school life.

Since devolution in 1999 the Scottish Government has developed a wide range of policies aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of children and young people within an education and social context. Our National Health: A Plan for Action, A Plan for change (2000) ⁷³ outlined the intention for all schools to be health promoting by 2007. The Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit was then established in May 2002 and in 2006 a strategic national partnership engaging education and health collaborated to produce a strategic plan for Health Promoting Schools in Scotland.

At local level Education and NHS partnerships have developed approaches to health promoting schools within the context of Community planning and Integrated Children's Services. They recognise the important contribution schools make towards achieving the seven key outcomes for children which are: "All Scottish children and young people should be safe, nurtured, healthy, achieving, active, respected and responsible and included". A number of important developments have contributed to achieving these outcomes:

Hungry for success was introduced by the Scottish Executive in 2003 ⁷⁴ It set out a vision for revitalising school meals services in Scotland and had a number of far-reaching recommendations connecting school meals with the curriculum as a key aspect of health education and health promotion. It established for the first time in the UK national nutrient-based standards for school lunches along with a mechanism for monitoring these standards.

The place of health promotion in schools and the importance of sound nutritional guidance to ensure accessible high quality food and drink within schools has now been enshrined in legislation with the passing of the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007. ⁷⁵ In February 2003, The Scottish Executive introduced Active Schools as a key element of the National Physical Activity Strategy ⁷⁶. Curriculum for Excellence (2004) ⁷⁷ has highlighted four capacities for children to be developed through a revised curriculum for those aged between 3 and 18. This Curriculum aims to support children and young people to be:

Successful learners

Confident individuals

Responsible citizens

Effective contributors

By ensuring that children and young people are healthy we maximise their opportunities to fulfil these capacities.

There can be no doubt that there is policy commitment to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people within the school and community setting.

In order to ensure that the health promoting school approach is integrated within the core business of schools all Local Authorities and NHS Boards in Scotland have developed an accreditation scheme which allows schools to benchmark themselves against agreed health promoting criteria. These criteria were developed to reflect the key characteristics contained within Being Well Doing Well⁷⁸ and How Good is Our School⁷⁹.

Health promoting criteria for schools

• Leadership and management
• Ethos
• Partnership working
• Curriculum, learning and teaching
• Personal, social and health education programmes
• Environment, resources and facilities

The World Health Organisation's Commission on the Social Determinants of Health ⁸⁰ identifies access to and quality of education as critical factors for health.

This was reinforced at a symposium held in Copenhagen (2006) when the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD) and the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation ( CERI) presented their findings. The proceedings of the symposium were published in a document entitled Measuring the Effects of Education on Health and Civic Engagement⁸¹. Chapter 4 of the report analysed the evidence and concluded that "there are substantial and important causal effects of education on health". It further added that:

"These studies indicate the substantial public significance of the potential role of education in improving health." ⁸²

In the 2002 Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children ⁸³ study report, one section related to Scottish children's school experience. In a summary of main findings it reported that:

• Young people with positive perceptions of school are more likely to report being happy and confident as well as having overall life satisfaction.
• Young people with positive perceptions of school are less likely to smoke, drink regularly and to have been drunk at least twice.
• A quarter of pupils in Scotland report that they like school a lot. This is similar to the average proportion across all 35 European and North American countries included in the HBSC study.
• Scottish pupils feel less pressurised by schoolwork than their English and Welsh counterparts.
• Pupils in Scotland are more likely to report that they find their classmates kind and helpful than in Wales and England.

These findings support the importance of the school to the health and well-being of children and young people in Scotland. Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Education ( HMIE) highlight the importance of health and wellbeing when undertaking inspections of schools and education departments. Within Scotland a number of case studies highlight the important contribution schools are making to improving the health and wellbeing of children, young people, school staff and the wider community. www.healthpromotingschools.co.uk/

1. Craigie Transition Project Case Study Just MAGIC: Craigie High School Cluster, Dundee "The transition project was an integrated programme of sport and the arts for girls who were moving from P7 to S1, which was developed in the Craigie High School cluster area in Dundee."

2. Farr High School Case Study To go the extra mile! Sutherland"Farr High School works closely with the local community on the recycling project, Bettyhill Environmental Action Group, which gives young people experience of a real enterprise project. The school, which houses nursery, primary and secondary pupils, also takes a whole school approach to support for pupils, transition and physical activity."

3. Lochend Learning Community Case Study Success of the volunteer parent; Glasgow "Involvement of parent volunteers with physical activity sessions linked to breakfast club provision."

4. Uyeasound Primary School Case Study The Rainbow Light School: Shetland "Uyeasound Primary School transformed their outdoor space with the project 'Using creativity to promote physical, social, mental and spiritual well-being'. The project to create a colourful and vibrant play area complements the school's whole school approach to health through the learning environment, healthy eating, exercise and creativity."

The following are examples of the range of activities undertaken by schools aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of children and young people:

• Discussion activities in Primary schools and planned learning activities offer children the opportunity to express feelings and ask questions.
• Many schools across Scotland have established breakfast clubs, offering pupils a nutritional breakfast and welcoming start to their school day.
• The Active Schools programme provides a wide range of high quality opportunities for children to be active in and around the school including travel, play, sports, dance organised games and out-of-school sporting and other physical activities which complement the PE curriculum.
• The Scottish Government is committed to providing 2 hours good quality PE to every pupil in Scotland. It has provided funding to employ additional PE specialists and to allow primary teachers to gain a professional qualification in PE. Learning and Teaching Scotland are currently taking forward a programme of work to support schools, which includes drafting outcomes for the 3-18 curriculum. All authorities are expected to be making progress in providing every pupil with 2 hours good quality PE by August 2008 and HMIE are monitoring progress as part of their inspections. For further information go to http:// www.ltscotland.org.uk/physicaleducation/index.asp
• Y-Dance is supported to develop, deliver and provide resources to enhance the delivery of dance education in schools. Successful pilots of the Dance in Schools Initiative in Midlothian and Inverclyde in 2005 have led to the programme being rolled out across Scotland. The national programme is being evaluated by the University of Edinburgh and this will inform wider discussions about the promotion of physical activity in Scottish girls and young women.
• Play@Home - began as a partnership programme between Fife Council Education Service and NHS Fife. The Scottish Executive provided additional funding from December 2004 to March 2007 to allow the Fife play@home Co-ordinator to work full-time as a National Advisor, promoting physical activity in early years and play@home across Scotland and offering training and support to professionals seeking to introduce the play@home programme in their own area.
• Eat Well to Play Well is a nutrition and physical activity game for nursery children aged between 3 and 5 years. It was developed by a team of community dietitians, pre-5 staff and a physical activity coordinator in Paisley. It has been developed to include resources for parents.

Summary;

Access to positive educational experiences for children and young people provides the opportunity for them to maximise their potential and improve the life chances in relation to health, wellbeing and employment. To be able to benefit from this educational experience children, young people and those who provide education both within the school and the community, including at home, need to be as healthy as they can be. Poor health of the learner and or the educator restricts the opportunities for maximising achievement and attainment - Lack of access to high quality learning and teaching reduces the potential to lead a healthier life and to be able to contribute to the well-being of society.

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