Agenda item

Report of the Education, Skills and Culture Scrutiny Committee

Decisions:

 

1.           That, building on existing provision, the Council prioritises the development and promotion of health and wellbeing training for school governors, including, in particular, information about the Healthy Schools Scheme and Healthy Eating in Schools Regulations.

 

2.           That all governing bodies be encouraged to appoint a Health and Wellbeing Governor (HWG) to lead, at governing body level, on the Healthy Schools Scheme and other initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles.

 

3.           That the Council encourages and facilitates the creation of Healthy Schools Action Groups (chaired by the HWG and consisting of representatives from the School Council, parents, and teachers) in each school to generate initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles, drawing, in particular, on the views of pupils.

 

4.           That the Council facilitates an annual event to bring together HWGs to share initiatives from their respective schools.

 

5.           That, in a similar manner to the drive to improve attendance, the Council focusses efforts on increasing the percentage of pupils using active travel options to get to and from school where safe and practicable.

 

6.           That, acknowledging the resource constraints they face, schools be encouraged to ensure that the school lunch break provides sufficient opportunity for pupils to make considered food choices, socialise, relax and engage in active play. Where necessary, schools should be encouraged to give serious consideration to lengthening the lunch break and discouraged from shortening it.

 

7.           That the Council encourages schools to review the delivery and timetabling of Food Technology and PE classes to ensure that they provide as broad a range of pupil experience as possible and that time is allowed for preparation and post-lesson activity.

 

8.           That the Council encourages schools to use all possible opportunities to communicate messages about healthy lifestyles to the wider school community.

 

9.           That the Council encourages secondary and middle schools to use School Nutrition Action Groups, or another appropriate mechanism, to incorporate pupil voice into the design of canteen food menus.

 

10.        That a step by step guide on organising after school clubs and activities is produced and provided to all schools. This should, in particular, include legal advice on the use of third-party providers.

 

11.        That the Council investigates ways to facilitate the sharing of sports resources between schools and collaboration in the provision of after school activities.

 

12.        That the Council works with schools, Celtic Leisure, the PASS team and DANSA Community Transport to investigate ways of reducing the cost of transport to sports facilities and other activities.

 

13.        That the Council ensures that PE and practical food technology are supported and promoted in the implementation of the new Curriculum for Wales.

 

14.        That the Council continues to support and adequately resource the excellent work of the PASS, Project Development and leisure services teams within the Council.

 

15.        That training is provided for all Councillors on the Play Sufficiency Assessments and Healthy Schools Scheme.

 

16.        That in their consideration of the upcoming LDP review the Regeneration and Sustainable Development Scrutiny Committee investigates ways in which new planning policies may further support efforts to increase physical activity and improve the food choices of young people in Neath Port Talbot.

 

17.        That, should sufficient funding become available, the Council gives consideration to creating a part time post for a healthy schools coordinator, to work with schools, and equivalent officers in the Health Board, to support this agenda and coordinate between departments of the Council.

 

18.        That, should sufficient funding become available, the Council gives consideration to piloting an approach based on the Amsterdam Model in a community in Neath Port Talbot. This would involve bringing together schools, private, public and third sector partners, and minor authorities to consider the ways in which each stakeholder can influence the factors affecting physical activity and diet in a particular locality.

 

19.        That data on the following subjects are reported to the Scrutiny Committee at regular intervals:

a.   progress of schools within the Healthy Schools Scheme

b.   percentage of pupils in each school using active travel

c.   the quality and quantity of physical activity engaged in by pupils

d.   the biannual DECipher survey

e.   the Sport Wales School Sport Survey

 

20.        That the Council encourage Governing Bodies to receive regular reports on the topics listed in Recommendation 19.

 

21.        That the recommendations above be kept under annual review by the Scrutiny Committee.

 

Reason for Decisions:

 

To ensure that Neath Port Talbot Schools continue to maintain and improve health and physical education.

 

Implementation of Decisions:

 

The decisions will be implemented after the three day call in period.