Active Black Country launch Healthy Schools Platinum Award The first of its kind in the UK

The Black Country Healthy Schools Platinum Award launches today, 22 March, and has been created in partnership with Active Black Country and all four Public Health teams across the Black Country Region.

The Platinum Award recognises those schools who are demonstrating excellent practice in embedding a whole school approach to Physical Activity, food and their nutritional offer.

The Black Country Healthy Schools Platinum Mark, the official Kitemark logo that successful schools can use on their website, letterheads and will appear on the Platinum Award plaque and certificate has been designed by a former year 6 pupil at St Thomas Canterbury Catholic Primary School in Walsall.

Pupils from across the Black Country were invited to design the kitemark, with 173 pupils submitting designs, the winning logo was chosen in 2020 and is launched alongside the Award scheme today.

The Black Country Healthy Schools Platinum Award builds on the existing DFE Healthy Schools Rating and National Active Lives Children’s Survey currently available to school.

Ian Carey, Director Active Black Country said:

The hidden impact of the pandemic on our children’s health and well-being has been severe and will be felt for some time. We have to work together to support schools, families and children to be active and lead a healthy lifestyle. The Black Country Healthy Schools Platinum Award is designed to aide schools in providing opportunities for children to be active throughout the school day. The award seeks to recognise those schools and teachers who are working hard to improve the health and wellbeing of children. Its brilliant to see so many schools signed up to this initiative, and we look forward to working with the fantastic schools and teachers across the region to implement further.”

Deputy Head Teacher, Dan Richmond at St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School, Walsall said:

We feel proud to be part of the Black Country, which gives our children so many opportunities to take part in so many different sports, games and activities. As a school, we never underestimate the importance of the time spent being active and educating the children about the value of nutrition."

Design competition winner, former St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School pupil Gabija added:

I love all sports from dance to rugby to cricket. I am lucky that I get to take part in so many different sports and know that eating healthily will help me enjoy them more and improve in them."

Whilst acknowledging and recognising the key role both Physical Activity, Food and Nutrition play in developing a healthy lifestyle for children the award offers an opportunity for schools to work through a framework to outline their intent, implementation and impact across 9 whole school criteria area from leadership and management to engaging the student voice to working with parents, carers and the community, acting as a whole school improvement tool.

Schools are eligible for the Platinum Award once they obtain GOLD in their Healthy Schools Rating.

Successful schools receive the Platinum Mark for a two-year period, along with a Plaque and Certificate and the opportunity to be included in best practice regional case studies.

Find out more and sign your school up at www.blackcountryhealthyschools.co.uk

ENDS