Health Promoting Schools

Health Promoting Schools is an internationally recognised framework utilised in over 50 countries worldwide to improve the health and wellbeing of school communities.

There is strong evidence to support the Health Promoting Schools approach as a best practice framework for school health promotion. This approach links health and education, is evidence based, and recognises and builds on the social determinants of health. 

A Health Promoting School focuses on how the social, physical, cultural and spiritual environment of a school can impact on student 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. 

Health Promoting Schools aims to:

• foster the healthy development of children and young people in their school, home, community and peer group so that they can learn, grow and contribute now and in the future
• offer schools a framework for developing health promotion initiatives in a way that supports and enhances their existing structures, programmes and practices
• help schools in evaluating the range of health related activities they are currently involved in, identifying areas of need and setting goals to further enhance wellbeing
• enhance the links between schools and their communities in promoting positive health and learning outcomes for young people
• raise awareness of the importance of promoting health for all.

Health Promoting Schools in New Zealand is based on the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, Te Whare Tapa Wha model for hauora/wellbeing and the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion.