At the latest meeting of the Knowsley Health and Wellbeing Board (on Tuesday 10 March), partners received an update on the Knowsley Healthy Schools Programme.
The programme, which launched in November 2024, supports schools in adopting healthier school meals menus (which go beyond national school food standards) and promoting active lifestyles. Schools progress is recognised with Bronze, Silver and Gold awards.
It brings healthier choices to children, with all the borough’s primary and two special schools (Bluebell Park and Knowsley Central) now engaged in the programme.
Schools in the programme receive funding to support their health initiatives, which can be spent on resources such as outdoor drinking water fountains, allotments, and sports equipment.
To date 23 primary schools out of 52 have achieved Bronze, seven Silver with 11 more currently working towards this level and one school has achieved Gold.
The borough’s secondary schools are also engaged with a range of activities. All Year 7 pupils at All Saints and Prescot School have attended a ‘health drop down day’ which included discussions on healthy food choices and new healthy school meal options taster and feedback sessions.
Prescot High School has taken part in the Bite Back Campaign, a fully funded programme that empowers students to lead positive change in their school food environment and make healthy food the easy choice.
Meanwhile, Halewood Academy School Council has chosen to promote healthy hydration and the school is now introducing more water fountains so everyone can refill their bottles and drink water for free.
Cllr Christine Bannon, Cabinet Member for Health, said:
“It’s fantastic to have so many schools engaged in the programme including all 52 of the borough’s primaries. The number of schools involved demonstrates the programme’s success in transforming health and well-being across Knowsley’s schools which we hope will have a lasting impact on the health of our young people.”