Published: Thursday, 26th June, 2008 8:15am

High school claims county health ‘first’

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IT'’S official – Preston Lodge High School is the healthiest school in the county after it received a prestigious award.

But staff and pupils at the school were not simply being rewarded for eating all of their greens or making sure they’ve had their recommended five-a-day portions of fruit and veg.

They were being recognised for their ‘whole school approach’ to health promotion, including boosting the physical, social, spiritual, mental and emotional well-being of everyone at the school.

In recognition of its achievements, the school has gained national Health Promoting Schools Level 2 Accreditation – the first in the county to achieve the accolade. The decision was made by a steering group comprising health and education professionals.

A certificate was presented to S4 pupils Hollie Salmon and Ross Baron and project co-ordinator Mrs Liz Nicholl by Councillor Peter MacKenzie last Tuesday.

Headteacher Willie Galbraith was delighted that staff and pupils were being rewarded for their hard work.

He said: “I am delighted that Preston Lodge High has attained Health Promoting Schools Level 2 Accreditation.

“This has come about as a result of the school’s hard work in embracing health promotion in a big way.

“As well as encouraging healthy eating, by involving pupils in the design of lunch menus, the school promotes pupil participation in healthy extra-curricular activity through team sport.

“My thanks goes to Mrs Nicoll of our home economics department who developed and co-ordinated our submission, as well as advising on how to extend the good health message across the school.”

Mrs Nicoll added: “We intend to build on this success by continuing and developing these activities as part of our move towards a ‘Curriculum of Excellence’.”

Recent school successes include the launch of a new website and parent council; strengthened links with cluster primary schools; staff-pupil events, such as a Burns Supper; litter and recycling initiatives to achieve ‘Eco School’ status; the S1 and S2 cross-curricular project ‘On Our Doorstep’, and S3 pupils working with a top chef at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh to produce a 5-star meal for staff using local produce.

Staff and pupils recently held an ‘open afternoon’, so that they could share their work and performances with the wider community. This included a local producers’ market place in the dining hall, and a market garden stall selling produce grown in the school glasshouse.

Visitors also enjoyed various art presentations and dramatic and musical performances, as well as many other exhibits created by a number of departments in the school.