Cedar House is a healthy school

As part of the assessment process, the school initially self-evaluated current Healthy Schools practice within four core themes, Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE), Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Social, Emotional & Mental Health (SEMH). This was completed by using the School Health Check before the external validation visit. During this visit, the external validator interviewed the team, pupils and the head teacher, and they were also given a tour of the school to observe the criteria Healthy Schools in practice.

The six-page report evidenced the core themes being present, highlighting the many strengths in each area, and also noted that as part of the External Validation visit, no areas for development were identified.

Highlights include:

• The ethos of nurture and caring, but with high expectations for all, is tangible and is represented throughout the school, the website, documentation, grounds, and attitudes embodied by the staff.
• Staff are acutely aware of the importance of the student’s personal emotions, how these may be communicated and the needs that the individual young people will be communicating. It is of huge credit to the staff and school that these diverse needs are met so consistently and effectively.
• As noted above, healthy eating, and food run almost like a golden thread throughout the whole school, and this is represented by some excellent multidisciplinary work linking catering with the curriculum. Managing the food and healthy eating habits of such diverse individuals takes considerable skill and planning. As with all the other aspects of healthy schools work at Cedar House School, all aspects of healthy eating are very well led, carefully thought through, and impact positively on students. 
• Opportunities for outdoor education are woven throughout the curriculum and as co-curriculum activities, and these are carefully chosen to provide challenge, develop skills and attributes, but also to broaden the horizons of young people.
• There is a very clear understanding of the importance of developing student’s self-confidence, but also their capacity to identify feelings, express emotions and respond appropriately in social settings. Staff also recognise that it is essential to enable young people. to build and maintain relationships, engage with the world around them, and cope with the stresses of daily life. There is also a strong awareness of the importance of developing student’s capacity to respond and adapt in times of change and uncertainty.
• Pupil voice is encouraged to help continue to improve the provision for pupils, but also to develop their social skills, self-confidence, and an increasingly strong sense of community. All members of staff take time and trouble to get to know the needs and likes of individual pupils, and there is a strong emphasis on parental engagement which is very much valued by parents.

Well done, everyone!