Wirral praised for healthy school status

Feb 4 2010 Liverpool Daily Post

EVERY child in Wirral now attends a “healthy school”, after the borough became the first in the North-West where all schools have achieved National Healthy School Status.

Wirral staff credit their success to excellent partnership working, particularly between Wirral Council and NHS Wirral.

These relationships have made it easier to communicate what are sometimes complicated health messages to the whole school community.

The approach means engaging everyone from the headteacher, the receptionists, the caretaker, and the cooks, to the parents and children, in becoming a “healthy school”.

This does not just mean healthy eating and exercise but also making sure children are safe and happy.

Marie Armitage, joint director of public health for NHS Wirral, said: “This is a great achievement for Wirral schools – and we are the first borough in the North-West to have 100% of its children attending a school with this accreditation.”