Healthy Living
At Southfield Primary School our aim is to care for and develop the whole child educationally, emotionally, spiritually, morally and physically. As well as caring for their education we also care for their mental health and wellbeing and feel that it is essential to provide children with information to enable them to make life long, well informed decisions about their diet and health.
Health Education is embedded into the children's curriculum from Nursery right through to Year 6, to help children make good choices.
We recognise the connection between a pupil’s ability to learn effectively and achieve high standards in school - well nourished pupils are more receptive to teaching and will learn better. Healthy eating habits learnt during childhood are usually continued throughout life and these healthy behaviours can help reduce the risk of diseases such as obesity, diabetes iron deficiency, heart disease and some cancers. It is important that at school, they have every opportunity to access healthy food and to learn in an environment that supports healthy eating.
Children at SPS all have access to a nutritious school dinner, where the menu is regularly updated according to seasonal ingredients and in response to parent and child feedback. Those choosing to have a packed lunch from home are aware of the expectations we have about what should be included in the lunch, but are also reminded in regular Friday Newsletters to parents.
Children in EYFS and KS1 benefit from a daily snack of fruit and vegetables, and children higher up the school are encouraged to bring a similar item for their breaktime snack.
You can visit the following websites to find out further information about making healthy choices for you and your family:
NHS Live Well
Change 4 Life
BBC Good Food Healthy Children's Recipe
Snack Time
You may like your child to have a mid-morning snack. We welcome fruit and vegetables, and would ask you not to send your child with chocolate, crisps or sweets of any kind. Children in the Foundation Stage and KS1 are provided with fruit every day as part of the National Fruit Scheme.
Water
Research shows that our brains need water to stay active and alert. All children are encouraged to bring water into school daily, in a spill-proof plastic bottle that they can take home at night to rinse and refill. Children, parents and staff speak highly of the benefits.