Skip Navigation, Sitemap

East Lothian Courier

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

High school claims county health "first"

Comments (0) | Print | Email

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.

Post a comment

Registered users log in here

If you are registered with us, you can login here. If you are not registered, do so now.
Once logged in you wont have to complete word verification each time you post.

Prefer not to register?

Usernames must be 4 - 20 characters. Registration only takes a few minutes. Registered users can also take part in competitions and other features of the site.


Enter the text as shown.

I want to...

Photosales Search

Looking for a picture from the newspaper?
Visit our photosales site and search now.

Vote

East Lothian Courier Poll

Have you made up your mind who to vote for?

This Poll is now closed.

Yes (83.5%)

No (6.1%)

I would need to hear more (5.2%)

I won't vote at all (5.2%)

News from around the area