Healthy Schools

At Hardwick, we are very committed to promoting and supporting healthy lifestyles and choices for the children, their families and ourselves.  Research undertaken by the School Food Trust has found that eating a healthy diet can have a direct impact on children’s ability to learn effectively and has a positive effect on their concentration and behaviour.  Across the country there is increasing concern about rising rates of obesity and related health problems in children.  As a school we believe it is part of our responsibility to help children learn how to keep themselves healthy and we encourage them to eat healthily, exercise regularly and to drink plenty of water.

As part of our school curriculum offer we develop the children’s understanding of how to be healthy and fit.   Subjects such as Science, PE, Design and Technology and PSHE all contain elements relating of leading an active healthy lifestyle. 

All children from Years 1 to 6 will engage in regular PE sessions each week alongside break and lunchtime play opportunities. Children in the Foundation Stage will also have a PE lesson in addition to their daily use of the outdoor learning environment. A range of extra-curricular clubs are also available to children to help them to stay active.

All children should have a balanced diet, which includes plenty of water and fruit, alongside their three main meals.  Breakfast is essential and we urge all families to ensure their children have a suitable breakfast before coming to school. Throughout their day they will also need regular access to fresh drinking water to keep them hydrated and alert for learning.

Lunch is an important meal for everyone, particularly growing school-aged children.  At Hardwick, we want to ensure that all children enjoy their lunchtimes and have the opportunity to eat a healthy and nutritional lunch.

Children are encouraged to bring a healthy packed lunch in a named lunch box or bag.  Whilst it is the parents’ choice as to what they put in their children’s lunch box, we do encourage a healthy mix and we do not allow children to eat sweets, chocolate bars or drink fizzy drinks as part of their lunch. 

Getting ideas and inspiration for what to include in your child’s lunchbox can be a difficult task.  Healthy eating is simply about getting a better balance and eating a wide variety of foods.  All foods provide energy and nutrients and it is achieving the correct intake of those nutrients that is important for health.  Variety is the key to a healthy diet, so try not to offer the same foods on consecutive days.  By including a broad range of different foods, a much wider variety of nutrients will be eaten.  The ‘Healthier Lunchbox Checklist’ helps to explain what ‘a healthy mix’ means in terms of getting a good balanced meal in a lunchbox.

Healthier Lunchbox Checklist:

Have you included…?

• A good portion of starchy food: e.g.  thick wholemeal bread, chapatti, pitta pocket, pasta or rice salad?
• Plenty of fruit and vegetables: e.g. an apple, a satsuma, handful of cherry tomatoes or carrot sticks, mini-can of fruit chunks or small box of raisins?
• A portion of milk or dairy food: e.g. individual cheese portion or pot of yogurt?
• A portion of lean meat, fish or alternative: e.g. ham, chicken, beef, tuna, egg, hummus or bean/lentil salad?
• A drink: e.g fruit juice, milk or water.

  Please note that we are a NUT FREE school so please do not send any nuts or products containing nuts (such as peanut butter or cereal bars with nuts) into school with your child.

The following links contain some useful information on healthy packed lunches:

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/childhealth6-15/Pages/Lighterlunchboxes.aspx

http://www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Pages/healthy-lunchbox-picnic.aspx