Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Policy

Rationale

The World Health Organisation (1998) defines a health promoting school as ‘a school that is constantly strengthening its capacity as a healthy setting for living, learning and working’.  Healthy eating and physical activity are fundamental for positive health throughout life and contribute to improved learning and concentration, healthy development and prevention of disease.

Our school is committed to helping our students achieve these aims and we have adopted a policy that will:

• Increase awareness in the school community of the importance of healthy eating and physical activity;
• Create learning opportunities that will promote health and well-being for students and staff;
• Provide a safe, stimulating and fun place to learn, work and play;
• Nurture a sense of pride and commitment where students, teachers/staff, parents/caregivers, health professionals and community groups collaborate to create and maintain a healthy school community.

Supportive Practice

Aubin Grove Primary School will incorporate healthy eating and physical activity concepts into school activities by providing:

• Regular physical activity and nutrition sessions during teaching periods for Years  K-6  by way of a curriculum that informs students enabling them to make healthy eating and physical activity choices
• Physical activity opportunities in line with national guidelines; *
• Food-centred activities that are healthful, enjoyable and culturally and developmentally appropriate;**
• An environment that will encourage students to make healthy eating and physical activity choices for themselves;
• Opportunities for parents to participate in school based healthy eating and physical activities,
• A school canteen that only offers healthy eating options in line with the policy of the WA Health Department

*Physical Activity recommendations from WA Department of Education and Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Health and Ageing.

**Dietary guidelines for Australian children and adolescents.

Supportive Environment

Aubin Grove Primary School will nurture a supportive environment where students will receive consistent messages about healthy eating and physical activity by:

• Promoting and observing the DOE Healthy Food and Drink policy; http://www.det.wa.edu.au/policies
•  Providing sufficient resources and opportunities to promote physical activity and active play during teaching periods, breaks and before and after school;
• Encouraging students to eat breakfast before attending school and/or providing an economically sustainable school breakfast club;
• Supporting P&C fundraising initiatives that do not contradict the principles of healthy eating and physical activity;
• Adopting programs that help build students’ knowledge and positive attitudes towards healthy eating and physical activity e.g. Crunch & Sip® & Sunsmart
• Making drinking water available and easily accessible to students throughout the day;
• Encouraging parents/carers to provide their children with healthy, varied lunches, snacks and treats at school and encourage them to reinforce healthy eating practices at home.