2. What is a Health Promoting School?
‘ Health Promoting Schools are schools which display, in everything they say and do, support and commitment to enhancing the emotional, social, physical and moral wellbeing of their school community.’
(World Health Organisation)
A Health Promoting School focuses on how the social, physical, cultural and spiritual environment of a school can impact on student’s health, wellbeing and ability to learn effectively. It does this by using a Whole School Approach to identify the health and wellbeing issues that may create barriers to learning and achievement, and develops strategies and actions that address these.
Whole School Approach
Process which brings together school staff, students, parents/whanau, community and local organisations to work collaboratively on issues and to promote and protect health and wellbeing.
Links together what is taught in the classroom with the social, cultural and physical environment of the school, school policies and procedures, and with community partners and organisations that can support the school.
Schools and their communities create a shared vision and identify the direction that they want to go in. Students, parents/whanau and staff jointly identify needs and prioritise issues through effective consultation. Thereafter an action plan is developed and implemented. Representatives from the whole school community monitor, review and evaluate progress of the action plan.

3. Benefits of Health Promoting Schools
For students:
Creates a safe, caring and supportive learning
environment
Enables students to develop life-long skills,
values and health behaviours that can increase
their potential to live healthy fulfilling lives
For staff:
Creates a safe, caring and supportive workplace
Provides links to the Health and PE Curriculum

4. Benefits of Health Promoting Schools
For BOT and school management:
Helps meet NEGs and NAGs
Provides a framework to coordinate school
health activities
Strengthens school-community links
For the community:
Enables community members to actively
participate in school life and help identify and
address health and wellbeing issues

5. Underpinning Concepts
Treaty of Waitangi
Te Whare Tapa Wha
Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion
Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti O Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi is central to health promotion in NZ. It obligates the NZ government and its agencies, including schools, to work in partnership with Maori to enable the participation of Maori and protect the rights of Maori. The principles of Partnership, Participation and Protection are the fundamental to HPS.
Te Whare Tapa Wha Model for Hauora/Wellbeing
This model for understanding the concept of hauora/wellbeing was developed by Mason Durie (1994). The concept is holistic and embraces the four dimensions of hauroa/wellbeing: taha tinana/physical, taha hinengaro/mental and emotional, taha whanau/social, and taha wairua/spiritual. These four components represent the four walls of a house. If one of those walls fails, the house will fall.
Tino rangatiratanga o te hauora - For Maori, health promotion means having control over their own health/tino rangatiratanga o te hauora and encouraging people to determine their own good health and wellbeing.
Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion
The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion provides five principles that are based on working with people in environments, communities or settings in which they live and work. Health promotion has moved beyond the provision of information and education to operate at many levels to empower people and communities to determine their needs for wellbeing. Empowerment as a critical factor in health promotion and in particular mental health promotion. Empowerment involves a ‘strength-building’ and a ‘resource-based’ approach.
The Ottawa Charter and Health Promoting Schools
Building healthy public policy - Assisting schools and Boards of Trustees to establish policies and practices that promote the hauora/wellbeing of all members of the school community.
Creating supportive environments - Assisting schools to create environments that promote the hauroa/wellbeing of children, young people and adults.
Strengthening community action - Assisting schools to develop effective partnerships with their communities, thus strengthening community links and involvement.
Developing personal skills - Assisting schools in the implementation of comprehensive health education programmes that enhance personal skill development and an awareness of the socio-ecological factors that influence wellbeing.
Reorienting health services - Reorienting health services to achieve greater coordination, collaboration and delivery of services to schools.

6. Health Promoting Schools Framework
The Health Promoting Schools framework comprises of three key areas which are interrelated:
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning which includes:
Teaching and learning methods
Assessment and reporting
Curriculum planning and monitoring
School Organisation and Ethos which includes:
Leadership, management and managing change
Staff professional development needs, health and wellbeing
School culture and environment
Giving students a voice
Policy and procedure development
Community Links and Partnerships which includes:
Provision of support services for students
Partnerships with parents / whanau and the wider community
Working with outside agencies

7. Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
Teaching and learning methods
Assessment and reporting
Curriculum planning and monitoring
Teaching and Learning methods
A variety of teaching styles are used.
Different styles of learning styles are recognised and acknowledged. A range of opportunities are offered to put this learning into practice.
Peer support for learning is encouraged.
Teaching environments are safe and supportive.
Students are encouraged to think critically, consider levels of risks and make informed decisions.
Assessment and reporting
Student progress is monitored and assessed in line with National Standards.
Students and parents/whanau receive regular updates and reports relating to student progress and achievements.
Students are involved in setting new targets based on progress made.
Student assessment informs future planning and teaching.
Students achievements are celebrated.
Curriculum Planning and monitoring:
Programmes of work clearly identify students learning outcomes.
Links between the Health and PE curriculum area is made with other curriculum areas such as Numeracy and Literacy.

8. School Organisation and Ethos
Leadership, management and managing change
Staff professional development
School culture and environment
Giving students a voice
Policy and procedure development
Leadership and managing change:
Health issues are identified and recognised as contributing to school improvement. This information is used to inform policy, procedures and practice.
Health Promoting School activities are identified in the Schools Strategic planning through other priorities such as literacy and numeracy
The Principal and BOT support the HPS team and include them in school decision making processes.
Staff Professional Development:
Staff are consulted about their professional development needs.
A range of professional development opportunities are offered in relation to curriculum areas, teaching skills and other aspects which will positively benefit the school and the wider school community.
Staff are encouraged to share information, learning and experiences with each other and other schools.
A range of support services are available for staff e.g buddy system, links with support agencies.
The staff room is a positive and healthy social environment that enables to staff to socialise and work effectively.
School Culture and Environment:
Being a Health Promoting Schools is highlighted as part of the schools prospectus.
A holistic approach is developed and implemented school wide which ensures that the Spiritual, Social and Emotional environment is considered as well as the Physical environment.
All staff and students recognise their role in maintaining a positive school environment and culture.
The physical environment is welcoming, tidy and clean.
The school is Smoke Free.
The School is Sunsmart accredited if a primary or intermediate school.
Giving Students a voice:
Students identified needs inform teaching and learning practices.
Mechanisms are established to give all students some decision making in relation to school wide development e.g policy/procedure development.
All students are given the opportunity to take some responsibility for aspects of the school life.
Students are considered and consulted with regards to decisions that directly affect them.
Policy and Procedure development:
The school establishes mechanisms for involving the whole school community in policy and/or procedure development.
The roles and responsibilities of the whole school community are clearly defined in all policy and procedures.
The whole school community are aware of their roles and responsibilities in relation to school policies and procedures.

9. Community Links and Partnerships
Provision of support services for students
Partnerships with parents/ whanau and the wider community
Working with outside agencies
Provision of services for students:
The school established and maintains effective internal support services e.g. academic mentoring, school counselling, public health nurse availability etc
The school provides information and assists with access to local support services
Partnerships with Parents/Whanau and the wider community
Parental/whanau involvement and participation is welcomed
Parents/whanau, iwi, community members are involved in policy and procedure developments
Parents/whanau representation is evident on the school health team
Home school partnerships are developed and valued
Parents/whanau and community members are invited to participate in and contribute towards school wide events
Working with outside agencies
Agencies are required to demonstrate how they are effective in supporting the schools identified needs
Relevant agency participation is evident on the school health team
Agencies are identified in relation to the schools strategic plan and school wide priorities
The school seeks support from relevant agencies in relation to policy and procedure developments
Agencies are aware of their roles and responsibilities in relation to school policy and procedures

10. Health Promoting Schools Accreditation Scheme
The Bay of Plenty and Lakes District Health Promoting Schools Accreditation Scheme helps schools put in place simple strategies for managing school community wellbeing by focussing on the impact of the school environment and organisational systems.
Health Promoting Schools underpinned by accreditation criteria, provides quality assurance for Board of Trustees, principals, school staff, students and the wider school community that a high standard of health promotion is achieved, and provides a structured framework for progression.

11. Accreditation
There is strong international evidence relating to what works and the necessary components of a successful Health Promoting School.
The Bay of Plenty and Lakes District Health Promoting Schools Accreditation Scheme has been based on international accreditation schemes and adapted to meet the needs of New Zealand schools
It takes the elements of an effective Health Promoting School approach and breaks the implementation of them down into three accreditation standards: Bronze, Silver and Gold.
This accreditation scheme helps schools develop and implement effective Health Promoting Schools strategies, and then certifies the school for their efforts following an assessment.

12. Bronze Standard ‘Building the Foundation for Health Promoting Schools’
Understand and prepare to implement Health Promoting Schools
Develop a one year action and evaluation plan based on the needs identified (addressing three health and wellbeing priority areas)
Strengthen student voice
Develop or review a new entrant induction package which supports student health and wellbeing
Immunisation register is reviewed and up to date (primary school only)

13. Silver Standard ‘Maintaining and Developing Health Promoting Schools’
Maintain requirements for Health Promoting Schools Bronze Standard Accreditation
Implement and monitor an annual action and evaluation plan based on the needs identified (address a further three health and wellbeing priority areas) and demonstrate improvements
Include pandemic planning in the Health and Safety, Workplace and Emergency Management Plan
Strengthen parent/whanau engagement

14. Gold Standard ‘Sustaining Health Promoting Schools’
Maintain requirements for Health Promoting Schools Silver Standard Accreditation
Develop a three year strategy to improve school community wellbeing
Implement and monitor annual action plans (address a further two health and wellbeing priority areas) and demonstrate improvements
Promote environmental health
promote staff health and wellbeing
Strengthen wider community engagement
Mentor and support new Health Promoting Schools

15. Health and Wellbeing Priority Areas
Healthy Eating
Physical Activity
Smokefree
Mental Health (including drug and alcohol)
Sexual Health
Physical Safety/Injury Prevention
Sun Safety
Communicable Disease Prevention and Body Care
Eight Health Promoting Schools priority areas have been identified, all of which contribute to improving staff, student and community health and wellbeing.

16. To achieve accreditation, the eight health and well being priority areas need to be addressed in a
systematic approach, focusing on one or two aspects at a time

17. HPS Accreditation Scheme Process
This accreditation scheme takes a multi level approach that incorporates the three components of the Health Promoting Schools framework and is based on a process of continuous improvement.
The Health Promoting Schools framework is positioned centrally in the diagram as it is central to the Health Promoting Schools process. When the Health Promoting Schools framework and process come together, school communities are able to act in ways that ensures programmes and practices are comprehensive, and take advantage of all opportunities to enhance education and health outcomes for the entire school community.
At the heart of the Health Promoting Schools process is the empowerment of schools and communities, and their ownership and control of their own endeavours and destinies.
Research indicates for a Health Promoting Schools model to become a way of working for a school it must:
be owned by the school
fit with the organisation and structure of the school
be consistent with education legislative requirements
be presented in education language.

18. Health Promoting Schools Leader Health Promoting Schools Working Group
Key Groups and People
Health Promoting Schools Leader
Health Promoting Schools Working Group
Principal and Board of Trustees
Staff, students and wider school community
Health Promoting Schools Leader
Key to the successful development of Health Promoting Schools is the appointment of an enthusiastic Health Promoting Schools Leader. This person should be influential within the school e.g. a member of the management team or someone with leadership responsibilities.
The role of the Health Promoting Schools Leader is to initiate the early stages of Health Promoting Schools, ensure full commitment of the Board of Trustees and principal for all stages of the process and to provide leadership for the Health Promoting Schools Working Group
Health Promoting Schools Working Group
The Health Promoting Schools Working Group supports the Health Promoting Schools Leader and drives Health Promoting Schools. They make things happen; ensuring that the initiatives delivered reflect the needs of staff, students and wider school community, generating excitement and participation and ensuring that the action plan is sustained over time. The Health Promoting Schools Working Group is responsible for the overall effectiveness and provides co-ordination for Health Promoting Schools.
Principal and Board of Trustees
Commitment from the principal and Board of Trustees to actively support the development and activities of the Health Promoting Schools Working Group is essential. The principal and Board of Trustees need to be dedicated to making the school environment as healthy as possible for staff, students and wider school community and are responsible for making formal policy and environmental changes to support school health. Staff participation in Health Promoting Schools will also increase when the principal and Board of Trustees visibly supports and participates in the programme as well.
The principal and Board of Trustees need to be supportive of and prepared to:
Invest in Health Promoting Schools
Develop the policies, protocols and guidelines required to support a healthy working and learning environment
Address the issues identified by staff, students and wider school community and focus on health and wellbeing priority areas
Regularly promote activities and demonstrate leadership through participation
Provide adequate resources (time, materials and budget)
Assume accountability for achieving outcomes
Staff, students and wider school community
Health Promoting Schools is centred on the health and wellbeing of staff, students and wider school community. Its success depends on commitment and participation from all three groups. Health Promoting Schools is designed to increase knowledge, skills and abilities to empower staff, students and wider school community to improve their health; however no one should ever feel forced or coerced into doing something that makes them uncomfortable.

19. Getting Started
Your Health Promoting Schools journey begins here. The initial steps are vital because good planning builds the foundation for success.
Gaining commitment of Board of Trustees and principal
Establishing solid commitment from the Board of Trustees and principal is essential to the success of Health Promoting Schools. Without this commitment there is little value in progressing.
When the Board of Trustees and principal commit to Health Promoting Schools the first step is to identify a Health Promoting Schools Leader.

20. Getting Started Identifying a Health Promoting Schools Leader
Key to the successful development of Health Promoting Schools is the initial appointment of an enthusiastic Health Promoting Schools Leader. This person should be influential within the school e.g. a member of the management team or someone with leadership responsibilities.
The role of the Health Promoting Schools Leader is to initiate the early stages of Health Promoting Schools, ensure full and ongoing commitment of the Board of Trustees and principal and to provide leadership to the Health Promoting Schools Working Group. It is therefore recommended that this person is given some release time to undertake this commitment.
It is essential that the Health Promoting Schools Leader is clear on their role and gains an understanding of Health Promoting Schools and the Bronze, Silver and Gold Health Promoting Schools Standard Accreditation criteria requirements prior to its implementation.
All relevant information can be found within the easy to use Health Promoting Schools Accreditation Scheme Manual.
However the Health Promoting Schools Leader should also attend the Health Promoting Schools half day Introductory Workshop. This workshop will ensure the Health Promoting Schools Leader gains a good understanding of Health Promoting Schools and the Health Promoting Schools Accreditation Scheme. It will also support the school to ‘get started’.

21. Getting Started Raising awareness of Health Promoting Schools
Raising awareness of Health Promoting Schools is essential to get buy in from students, staff, parents/whanau and wider community, to recruit to the working group and to ensure the working group is representative of the school community. In addition, raising awareness helps clarify for students, parents/whanau and staff their roles and responsibilities within a Health Promoting School.
This can be done in a variety of ways including through newsletters, at parent teacher evenings, fundraising and social events, sporting and cultural events and through classroom activities. It is also useful to raise awareness with local agencies that support the school.
It is not the sole role of the Health Promoting Schools Leader to raise awareness of Health Promoting Schools, therefore this may require some up-skilling and support from staff/community members to do this.
It is vital that this stage is done properly so that the whole school community understand what Health Promoting Schools is and why the school wants to be involved. This will help recruitment to the Health Promoting Schools Working Group
It is essential that a variety of methods are used to raise awareness of Health Promoting Schools and reach the whole school community. To get a better understanding of effective communication techniques or to get some ideas on how to raise awareness you can use the Health Promoting Schools Communication Guidelines to support you.

22. Getting Started
Establishing a representative Health Promoting Schools Working Group
The next task of the Health Promoting Schools Leader is to establish a Health Promoting Schools Working Group. The Health Promoting Schools Working Group can be created from scratch or added to an existing committee. If an existing group is used, make sure it is given the Health Promoting Schools mandate and that there is time allocated to uphold this function.  
Membership
The Health Promoting Schools Working Group should consist of a wide representation of the school community. This enables a variety of views and perspectives to be considered and promotes collective ownership and responsibility. This working group will probably look different in each school.
Tip: Use the Health Promoting Schools raising awareness activities to also recruit the working group
To be effective the team must include student, parent/whanau, staff voice and representation from senior management. The development of a team means that responsibility for Health Promoting Schools does not fall on just one person’s shoulders and ensures sustainability. The membership of the group should be reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure it continues to reflect the priorities and selected actions.
Remember: It is vital that the team includes representation from the senior management team as plans should feed directly into the school strategic plans
It is not necessary or even desirable to hand pick your healthiest staff, students or parents/whanau. Ideal members are those who can best represent their peers, motivate others and support the implementation of Health Promoting Schools.
Role of the Health Promoting Schools Working Group
The Health Promoting Schools Working Group supports the Health Promoting Schools Leader and drives Health Promoting Schools. They make things happen, like ensuring that the initiatives delivered reflect the needs of the whole school community. Roles include communicating with key players, encouraging participation and ensuring that the action plan is sustained over time. The Health Promoting Schools Working Group is responsible for the overall effectiveness and provides coordination of Health Promoting Schools and ensures accreditation criteria are met.
The Health Promoting Schools Working Group facilitates the next 6 steps.

23. Health Promoting Schools Steps
Step 1 – Developing a shared vision
The first task for the Health Promoting Schools Group is to gain an understanding of Health Promoting Schools and develop a shared vision. A shared vision is established to help provide scope and direction for the group and identify its vision, mission or purpose, membership and key communication strategies.

24. Health Promoting Schools Steps
Step 2 – Gathering baseline data and identifying priorities
The next step is gathering the baseline data. Gathering baseline data enables schools to identify where they are at currently. It helps to develop a clear understanding of what the health and wellbeing needs are for your school (needs assessment) and the wider school community. It will assist in identifying what is working well, what can be developed further, areas/gaps that may need to be addressed and identify where good practice is occurring in isolation.
Establishing the baseline data will not only help identify areas to action, it will also enable measurement of any improvements in the future. Getting the baseline data right is important so that a Health Promoting Schools Action and Evaluation Plan can be developed that will meet your needs.
Schools are already skilled in collecting, analysing and interpreting data in relation to student achievement, a Health Promoting Schools needs assessment is the same principle but relates more specifically to the health and wellbeing needs.
There are three aspects to the Health Promoting Schools needs assessment:
School Profile Tool
Student, staff and parent/whanau needs assessment
Wider community data
A variety of tools have been developed to assist in this process.
When the Health Promoting Schools Working Group has collated and analysed all of the data and reviewed the Accreditation criteria they should identify key school issues and health and wellbeing priority areas to be addressed.

25. Health Promoting Schools Steps
Step 3 – Developing the Action and Evaluation Plan
Thereafter, an action and evaluation plan will be developed by the Health Promoting Schools Group to address the health and wellbeing priorities of the school community.

26. Health Promoting Schools Steps
Step 4 – Implementing the plan and applying for accreditation
The next stage is to launch the plan to the whole school community and generate excitement.
The Health Promoting Schools Working Group has the responsibility to oversee the implementation of the plan and monitor its progress.
If all the accreditation criteria have been met, the group will apply for accreditation at this point.

27. Health Promoting Schools Steps
Step 5 – Maintaining the momentum
At this stage, it’s all about keeping things on track, adhering to the plan and monitoring and reviewing progress regularly.

28. Health Promoting Schools Steps
Step 6 – Evaluating progress and advancing to the next level.
At the end of year one, an evaluation of progress is undertaken. The evaluation will provide important insight into the overall success of the programme and generate ideas for further improvements.
As Health Promoting Schools is based on a system of continuous improvement, the Health Promoting Schools Group either opt to maintain the current level of accreditation or advance to the next level. Whichever is chosen, an important aspect of this step is to celebrate success.

29. Support Available The Toi Te Ora - Public Health Service team offers:
professional support and advice
resources and tools to guide you step by step
workshops and networking opportunities
regular communication and updates
access to the most up to date research
links to health and wellbeing providers
opportunities to showcase your work amongst like minded schools
recognition for your efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of your school community
The Bay of Plenty and Lakes District Health Promoting Schools Accreditation Scheme is supported by a team of professional advisors and assessors from Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service.
Advisors are based at three offices – Tauranga, Whakatane and Rotorua and are trained to support schools to implement the Health Promoting Schools Accreditation Scheme in a simple, yet effective manner. They will do everything they can to help you make your school succeed and be a great place to work, play and learn.

30. Health Promoting Education Team Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service
Contact Us
Health Promoting Education Team
Toi Te Ora – Public Health Service
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