The health-promoting school: organisation and policy development in Welsh secondary schools

Abstract

THE Welsh Heart Programme was established in 1985 as a national demonstration project to promote health, and to reduce the risks of cardiovascular dis ease among the population of Wales. The develop ment of a youth health project has been an important element, and to provide information for planning, monitoring and evaluation, two surveys were under taken in 1986. The first provided information on children's health behaviour, knowledge and attitudes. The second, reported here, investigated curriculum development for health education, the school environment, and family and community links. From a random sample of 81 secondary schools, 75 responded to the survey by means of a self-com pletion questionnaire. More than three-quarters reported having a planned health education pro gramme, but the results suggest that many pupils are either receiving disjointed programmes, or no health education at all. Most of the schools with planned programmes reported having a designated member of staff as health education co-ordinator, most of whom had received in-service training. The results suggest that a reasonable base exists for the development of health promotion strategies aimed at young people, although there is clear scope for further development. Priority issues are attention to the timing of health education programmes, teaching methods, and continued in-service support for teachers. The wider development of supporting school policies, as well as closer and more active links with families and local communities are also advocated.