Wokingham

Four schools in the Wokingham district have recently achieved the new national healthy schools status, and have received their new certificates. The schools are:

* St Paul’s Church of England Junior School, Wokingham (on June 30)
* Westende Junior School, Wokingham (on July 6)
* Grazeley Parochial Primary School, Grazeley (on July 11)
* Willowbank Infant School (on July 14)

On Monday July 17, Wokingham council chairman Cllr Angus Ross visited Grazeley Parochial Primary School and Willowbank Infant School to present them with their awards. These schools, and others who achieve the standard during the autumn term, will further celebrate their success next term in a special celebration event. Cllr Ross will be there to present all the successful schools with new national healthy schools plaques.

The new national Healthy School Standard, introduced in September 2005, replaces the original Berkshire Programme which involved bronze, silver and gold healthy school awards . Grazeley Parochial Primary School and Willow Bank Infant School had both achieved Gold in the Berkshire programme, Westende Junior School had achieved silver and St Paul’s Church of England Junior School were at the bronze level. The foundations placed by the Berkshire programme enabled these schools to take the next step to the new national standard.

Validation visits (inspections) for the healthy schools programme are carried out by a team of experienced validators and each of the Wokingham schools received excellent reports. Validators are able to see at first hand the impact the healthy schools programme has made across many areas of school life. They meet with staff, parents and governors, to discuss the school and the part healthy schools targets play in its success. Finally, there are meetings with pupils from the school council and any peer mediation teams or task groups.

At St Paul’s Church of England Junior School, Wokingham the validators Lynne Blackshaw and Trisha Holmes said: “All members of the St Paul’s Junior School community have worked together to create a friendly, safe and welcoming environment in which the children can thrive and learn. The team of peer mediators is outstanding.”

At Westende Junior School, validators Julian Bushell and Bev Revie said: ”We were very impressed with the strong inclusive ethos pervading the school, which all members of the community were able to articulate. Everyone we talked with was fully engaged with all aspects of Healthy Schools.”

After their visit to Grazeley Parochial Primary School, Wokingham validators Julian Bushell and Susan Moore said: “The school has developed an ethos and environment that supports learning and promotes health and well being. It consults and encourages participation of the whole school community.
The active support of parents, governors and other representatives of the wider community for all aspects of the Healthy Schools Programme has helped ensure its success.”

“All the children spoke with confidence and were a credit to the school,” said head teacher Jean Bateman. “We were delighted that the validators were able to confirm that Grazeley is a healthy school and meets the high requirements of the national standard. And it was lovely to be presented with our certificate by the chairman of the council.”

Speaking about Willowbank Infant School, Wokingham District Council’s curriculum development advisor Jill Godfrey said: “Excellent practice was observed during the validation visit at the school. Bev Revie, the validator, said she thoroughly enjoyed her visit and was impressed with the healthy schools work at Willow Bank. As always, the children were a credit to the school.”

Presenting the award certificates, Wokingham District Council chairman Cllr Angus Ross said: “These two schools have taken the Healthy Schools initiative very seriously and they thoroughly deserve this recognition. My congratulations go to the staff and pupils who have worked hard to provide such an integrated and impressive healthy schools programme, and I am looking forward to meeting all the successful schools next term.”

Wokingham District Council