Community: Healthy Schools
In March, 2008, the school was informed that our application for Healthy Schools status had been granted, with our provision meeting all the criteria for the award. This area of the website will be used to explain our Healthy Schools programme.
ENHANCED HEALTHY SCHOOL STATUS
Please note that the school is part of the pilot programme for securing Enhanced Healthy School Status. We completed an Annual Review during November/December, 2009, prior to constructing a new development plan. As a result, the children's Health and Safety Committee, Eco-Committee and Healthy School Committee are merging into one, with two pupil representatives from classes 2 - 6, parent and governor representatives, the caretaker, the school secretary and Bill Smith from Tendring Council. Our first meeting, to plan for the future, was on Wednesday, 18th December. Minutes will always be published on this page. Each time you log on we hope you will find more information as the project proceeds!
Healthy Schools Meeting
A Meeting took place on Wednesday 18th November 2009 between the Healthy Schools, Eco Schools and the Health and Safety Committees.
We are to amalgamate the three committees in to one new committee.
Present: Mr Middleditch, Mrs Crockett, Mrs Watling, Mrs Varnarva, Mrs Vaughan, Alex Langmead, Harry Peace, Ellie May, Molly Smith, Rosie Thomas, Harry Steward, Ellie Turner, Thomas Robson, Charlotte Crockett, Katie Collins.
The following points were discussed and suggestions made:
1. New name - Firstly we need suggestions for a new name for the newly formed committee.
2. Hazards - There will be a weekly check around the school looking for potential hazards.
3. Energy Consumption - Mr Clare is to note the weekly consumption figures for gas and electric used in the school. These will then be entered onto a graph system and put up in the entrance hall.
4. Aims - The plan is to Reduce, Recycle and grow our own Vegetables. We recycle all our food waste by composting this and already we have reduced rubbish collection by £800.
5. Ideas - The committee would like to invite Mr Smith from Tendring District Council to discuss matters and obtain suggestions from him.
6. Mode of Travel - It was felt that another survey should be carried out on travelling to school as it is felt that many children do not feel safe outside school with the volume of cars that are about.
7. Gardening - More children would like to become more involved in gardening.
8. Covered Area - A suggestion was made for a covered area - EPSA are to be asked if they could help towards the funding of this.
9. Re-cycled products - Could we be more eco friendly by using different cleaning products and re-cycled toilet paper. Whilst there was an understanding that these may well be more expensive it was felt worthwhile to investigate further.
10. School dinners - School dinners are very popular but it was felt that the least popular dinner should be removed from the menu and there should be a list of the top 10 favourites that should always be on the menus. It was suggested that a survey regarding the school dinners should be sent out every two months.
11. Cloakrooms - These can be really smelly even though they are cleaned every night. We should be aiming to replace all flooring in the toilets and buy toilet stickers that show the boys where they should be aiming. It was discussed that they are a bit drab and could do with repainting and have different designs on the walls for the boys and girls.
12. Mr Middleditch is to complete the Enhanced Healthy School Status Survey in January and will be able to get the children involved in parts of this survey.
In conclude the meeting further discussions took place on all of the above suggestions and it was agreed that there would be three main areas to be targeted and action taken: -
Save as much energy as possible - measure consumption and compare it year on year.
Do spot inspections on the cloakrooms to see how tidy they are and to identify potential hazards.
Use more eco friendly products such as tea / coffee, paper towels and toilet tissue etc.
It was agreed that the combined committees would meet at least once a term - although no dates have been confirmed as yet.
ECO-SCHOOL INITIATIVE
As part of our Eco-School Project, initiated by Mrs Paternoster, we encourage children to help the environment through recycling and reducing energy output. With support from Tendring Council we award Eco-Friendly shopping bags - during our weekly Awards Assembly - to any child who puts forward a written explanation, signed by their parent/s, to say how they are helping the environment. We have published the very first letters, which was handed in back in 2008:
23rd April, 2008
Dear Mr Middleditch,
This letter is to inform you that William and Rory have been doing a brilliant job to help keep the environment green. Last weekend they made a special effort by planting lettuce and watering them with rain water collected in a tub in the garden. They also removed weeds by hand (instead of using weedkiller). As a family we also recycle everything, including using wrapping paper two or three times. We also used old envelopes to send money to school. The children recycle bath water. William and Rory carry food back from the shop in reusable bags. Sometimes, when they outgrow their clothes, they pass them on to their smaller brother.
We recycle foil, tins, plastic, paper and compost waste vegetation etc. William and Rory sometimes help their dad to collect the recycling materials before they are taken away. Old toys are rarely thrown out, because parts are sometimes used in other toys.
William and Rory deserve an award for being environmentally friendly.
Mrs Paternoster certainly agreed with this and Rory and William were commended for being Eco-Friendly. As a result they received their official Tendring recycling bags at the Awards Assembly.
Click here to read our Food Policy 2008
Click here to read our Disability Equality Policy 2007