scholarly journals A confluence of evidence

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felicity Thomas ◽  
Peter Aggleton
Keyword(s):  
Health Education ◽  
School Connectedness ◽  
International Health ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Health Promoting Schools ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Whole School Approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the evidence base to support whole school approaches. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conduct a review of published evaluations and evidence syntheses across six areas in the international health-promoting schools literature. Findings – Although whole school approaches are often advocated in literature and policy on health-promoting schools, the evidence base for their effectiveness is partial and is often health topic specific. This paper reviews the evidence base across six different health-related areas, namely: sexual health; bullying; alcohol and drug use; mental health; school connectedness; and access to services. It identifies commonalities in learning, enabling a confluence of evidence on the factors central to the provision of effective health education and support within schools. Whilst findings endorse a whole school approach, they also suggest that some of the more subtle evidence-based principles on which such approaches are underpinned are not generally explicitly reflected in practice. Originality/value – The paper offers the first cross-topic synthesis of findings on health education effects and effectiveness in six health-related areas, to identify commonalities in learning. Findings contribute to the evidence base for the use of a whole school approach when undertaking health education in schools.

Food practices and school connectedness: a whole-school approach

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 320-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Neely ◽  
Mat Walton ◽  
Christine Stephens
Keyword(s):  
School Connectedness ◽  
School Setting ◽  
School Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Practices ◽  
Whole School ◽  
School Year ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Whole School Approach ◽  
Ethnographic Methodology

Purpose – The health-promoting schools (HPSs) framework has emerged as a promising model for promoting school connectedness in the school setting. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential for food practices to promote school connectedness within a HPSs framework. Design/methodology/approach – This study explores food practices within a New Zealand secondary school by using an ethnographic methodology, with interviews and observations, to explore in-depth the range of food practices that occurred within the school across a whole school year. Thematically the data were ready for school connectedness indicators across the recorded events, and categorically the practices were coded according to their level of occurrence within the HPS framework. Findings – The findings showed that food practices occurred across class- and school-level organisation, ethos, environment, and community partnerships, and indicated that they may be valuable assets for a HPS approach to school connectedness. By integrating the findings of the present study with previous literature the authors suggest a HPS framework for promoting school connectedness through food practices. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the emerging research on whole-school approaches to building school connectedness, and provides a first contribution on the value of food practices for school connectedness.

scholarly journals An examination of Health Promoting Schools in Ireland

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Moynihan ◽  
Didier Jourdan ◽  
Patricia Mannix McNamara
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Health Promoting Schools ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Diet And Exercise ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Policy And Planning

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a national survey that examined the extent of implementation of Health Promoting Schools (HPS) in Ireland. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative research design was adopted. A questionnaire was administered to all post-primary schools in the country (n=704). Data were analysed with the support of the software packages, SPSS and MaxQDA. Findings – A response rate of 56 per cent (n=394) was achieved. Over half of these schools (56 per cent) self-identified as health promoting. Schools reported success in the areas of environment and curriculum and learning, however, partnerships and policy and planning required more attention. Some models of good practice emerged from the data but these were in the minority. Many schools, when asked to describe health promotion in their school, placed emphasis on physical health (diet and exercise) and curriculum predominately rather than the broader whole school conceptualisation. Only 35 per cent of HPS schools had a team supporting HPS developments. Only 36 per cent identified the existence of a school policy to support HPS. This suggests that further coherence for sustained and comprehensive implementation of HPS is necessary. Research limitations/implications – The research was conducted with school staff, in the first instance who self-reported their school’s level of HPS engagement. Originality/value – This paper offers the first national baseline data available in relation to engagement in HPS in Ireland. It provides a valuable starting point from which further research with schools in this field can be conducted.

scholarly journals How can schools help to reduce the harm associated with teenage substance use? Development of a theoretically driven whole-school approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang A. Markham ◽  
Chris Bonell ◽  
Adam Fletcher ◽  
Paul Aveyard
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Practical Reasoning ◽  
School Connectedness ◽  
School Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Affective Development ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Life Trajectories ◽  
Problematic Substance ◽  
Whole School Approach

Purpose Substance use prevalence varies considerably between schools, but to date, whole school approaches for reducing substance use have only been moderately effective. The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel multifaceted whole-school approach to reduce substance use primarily among teenagers aged 11-14 years. Design/methodology/approach The outlined approach is premised on the proposal that schools can reduce the harms associated with substance use by promoting school connectedness and improving the school-related experiences of weakly connected and disconnected students. The aim of this approach is to develop students’ autonomy so that they may act in their real and long-term interests. This may be attained by promoting the realisation of essential human capacities for: practical reasoning – through valued opportunities for cognitive development and affiliation – through valued opportunities for affective development that advance students sense of acceptance within school. Schools may achieve this, it is proposed, by providing outlined forms of appropriate formal support and formal control that are augmented by particular features of school organisation, curriculum and pedagogic practice, which are also described. Findings A theoretically driven understanding of a whole school approach for reducing teenage substance use is outlined. Originality/value The outlined approach may usefully inform the development of future whole school interventions aiming to reduce problematic substance use among school students. Additional potential benefits include more successful student life trajectories.

scholarly journals Health, well-being and education

2020 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Dadaczynski ◽  
Bjarne Bruun Jensen ◽  
Nina Grieg Viig ◽  
Marjorita Sormunen ◽  
Jesper von Seelen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Digital Media ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Content Type ◽  
European Conference ◽  
Writing Group ◽  
Health Promoting Schools ◽  
Health Promotion In Schools ◽  
Draft Version ◽  
Health Promoting

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce the official statement of the Fifth European Conference on Health-Promoting Schools.Design/methodology/approachThe Fifth European Conference on Health-Promoting Schools was held on 20–22 November 2019 in Moscow, Russian Federation, with over 450 participants from 40 countries. A writing group was established to prepare a draft version of the statement before the conference. On the basis of an online and offline feedback process, the opinions of the participants were collected during the conference and included in the finalisation of the statement.FindingsThe final conference statement comprises six thematic categories (values and principles; environment, climate and health; schools as part of the wider community; non-communicable diseases (NCDs); evidence base; and digital media), with a total of 23 recommendations and calls for action.Originality/valueThe recommendations and calls for action reflect current challenges for Health Promoting Schools in Europe. They are addressed to all actors in governmental, non-governmental and other organisations at international, national and regional levels involved in health promotion in schools and are to be applied for the further development of the concept.

scholarly journals Danish ‘add-in’ school-based health promotion: integrating health in curriculum time

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. e70-e77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Bentsen ◽  
Ane H Bonde ◽  
Mikkel B Schneller ◽  
Dina Danielsen ◽  
Maria Bruselius-Jensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
School Health ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Home Economics ◽  
Whole School ◽  
School Based ◽  
Health Promoting

Summary Schools provide an important setting for health promotion and health education. In countries where health education is not a specific subject, it is typically undertaken by teachers in health-integrating subjects such as biology, home economics or physical education. More ambitious and holistic frameworks and whole school approaches such as health promoting schools have been considered best practice for the past three decades. Recently, more attention has been given to policy initiatives integrating health activities into school curriculum time. This paper discusses potentials and challenges of school-based health promotion applying an ‘add-in’ approach, that integrates health activities into teachers’ curricular obligations without taking time away from them, based on a presentation of three Danish cases. This may serve as a supplement to health promotion activities that have been initiated over and above the day-to-day teaching (add-on). We contend that an ‘add-in’ approach to school health promotion provides a potential win–win situation where both health and core education stand to gain; makes it possible to reach a wider range of schools; mobilizes additional resources for health promotion; and leads to more sustainable activities. However, potential limitations including not addressing structural aspects of health promotion and reliance on a relatively limited evidence base should also be considered.

Lessons in building capacity in sexuality education using the health promoting school framework

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Ollis ◽  
Lyn Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Community Engagement ◽  
Sexuality Education ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Building Capacity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Health Promoting School ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Whole School Approach ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The health promoting school model is rarely implemented in relation to sexuality education. This paper reports on data collected as part of a five-year project designed to implement a health promoting and whole school approach to sexuality education in a five campus year 1-12 college in regional Victoria, Australia. Using a community engagement focus involving local and regional stakeholders and with a strong research into practice component, the project is primarily concerned with questions of capacity building, impact and sustainability as part of whole school change. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach – Using an action research design, data were collected from parents, students, teachers and key community stakeholders using a mixed methods approach involving surveys, interviews, document analysis and participant observation. Findings – Sexuality education has become a key school policy and has been implemented from years 1 to 9. Teachers and key support staff have engaged in professional learning, a mentor program has been set up, a community engagement/parent liaison position has been created, and parent forums have been conducted on all five campuses. Research limitations/implications – The translation of research into practice can be judged by the impact it has on teacher capacity and the students’ experience. Classroom observation and more longitudinal research would shed light on whether the espoused changes are happening in reality. Originality/value – This paper reports on lessons learned and the key enabling factors that have built capacity to ensure that sexuality education within a health promoting, whole school approach will remain sustainable into the future. These findings will be relevant to others interested in building capacity in sexuality education and health promotion more generally.

scholarly journals Successful health-promoting leadership – A question of synchronisation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pia Skott
Keyword(s):  
School Leadership ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
School Context ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Whole School Approach ◽  
Successful School

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to identify the role of the principal in establishing a whole school approach for health and wellbeing. Two questions are asked: (1) What do successful Swedish principals do when they take on a whole school approach? (2) How do these results relate to previous research on successful school leadership?Design/methodology/approachThis paper focuses on the complexity of organisational processes and considers the role of successful leadership in managing a whole school approach to health promotion. It presents findings from two different but interlinked projects, and draws on document studies and interviews with principals, student health team members and teachers in Sweden.FindingsThis paper argues that successful school leaders are crucial in establishing a whole school approach, because of the work they do to synchronise the health-promoting activities in schools. The study identifies four aspects of coordination that need to be enacted simultaneously when leading health-promoting processes. The fifth aspect identified is that a whole school approach is not limited to the school, but the whole local school context, i.e. a synchronisation between different system levels.Originality/valueAlthough limited in scale, this paper reports key findings that could have practical implications for school leaders. The study suggests that successful school leadership research needs to use a health-promoting lens in order to make leadership practices health-promoting practices. It also proposes extended comparative research from different fields and contexts.

Initial Results from the European Network of Health Promoting Schools Program on Development of Health Education in Finland

1999 ◽  
Vol 69 (10) ◽  
pp. 387-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannele Turunen ◽  
Kerttu Tossavainen ◽  
Sirkka Jakonen ◽  
Ulla Salomäki ◽  
Harri Vertio
Keyword(s):  
Health Education ◽  
European Network ◽  
Health Promoting Schools ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Initial Results

scholarly journals The Health Promoting Schools Framework: Known Unknowns and an Agenda for Future Research

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 463-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Langford ◽  
Christopher Bonell ◽  
Kelli Komro ◽  
Simon Murphy ◽  
Daniel Magnus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
School Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Health Promoting Schools ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Known Unknowns

The World Health Organization’s Health Promoting Schools (HPS) framework is a whole-school approach to promoting health that recognizes the intrinsic relationship between health and education. Our recent Cochrane systematic review found HPS interventions produced improvements in a number of student health outcomes. Here we reflect on what this review was not able to tell us: in other words, what evidence is missing with regard to the HPS approach. Few HPS interventions engage with schools’ “core business” by examining impacts on educational outcomes. Current evidence is dominated by obesity interventions, with most studies conducted with children rather than adolescents. Evidence is lacking for outcomes such as mental or sexual health, substance use, and violence. Activities to engage families and communities are currently weak and unlikely to prompt behavioral change. The HPS approach is largely absent in low-income settings, despite its potential in meeting children’s basic health needs. Intervention theories are insufficiently complex, often ignoring upstream determinants of health. Few studies provide evidence on intervention sustainability or cost-effectiveness, nor in-depth contextual or process data. We set out an agenda for future school health promotion research, considering implications for key stakeholders, namely, national governments, research funders, academics, and schools.

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