To achieve Healthy School status schools need to identify evidence of how their school is meeting the national criteria for each of the four core themes. This needs to be done within the context of a whole school approach, involving the whole school community, parents, pupils, governors and external partners.

• aims to develop an ethos and environment that supports learning and promotes the health and well being of all; and consults and encourages participation of all within the school community
• is an excellent effective, evidence based, school improvement mechanism that brings about and embeds cultural change in schools.

The Whole School Wheel identifies essential elements for implementing an effective whole school way of working. Each section is applicable across the four core themes and should guide the way schools work in each. Schools will evidence a whole school approach through the work they are developing to meet the criteria across the themes. For example, the whole school theme of giving pupils a voice is applicable across all of the core topic themes. Schools may identify this as an area for development and therefore develop specific activities in their Action Plan to address this gap.

The four core themes are:

• PSHE - including SRE and drug education (including alcohol, tobacco and volatile substance abuse)
• Healthy Eating
• Physical Activity
• Emotional Health & Well-Being - including bullying

Further details about the whole school approach and the NHSP (National Healthy Schools Programme) can be found on www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk, a series of websites developed by the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills.