Primary’s award for health and wellbeing
RADNOR Primary School in Cardiff has been given a national award for its work to promote the health and wellbeing of the whole school community.
Assessors for the Welsh Network of Healthy School Schemes National Quality Award found that, with support from Cardiff Council’s Healthy Schools Team and partners, Radnor primary had successfully introduced initiatives and programmes to promote health and wellbeing at the very highest standard.
School initiatives include “Radnor University”, offering courses that include cooking, rugby and running, alongside a wide variety of fitness activities run during and after school.
Many of the activities involve working in partnership with outside organisations and clubs, such as the Welsh Rugby Union and Cardiff City Football Club.
National assessors said they particularly liked the fact that a lot of Radnor primary’s healthy schools activities are undertaken as a normal, everyday part of daily school life.
The school was also praised for its well-planned programme of personal development and relationships education and age-appropriate lessons on smoking, alcohol and other substances. Pupil involvement was also praised by the award assessors, noting that, “pupil voice groups,such as Team Health, Eco and School councils, Junior PCSOs and Digital Leaders showed a great depth of pupil participation from across the school.”
Radnor headteacher Ann James said: “We are delighted with this award. From pupils to staff, parents to governors, we are all fully committed to keeping health and wellbeing at the heart of the school ethos.
“To have this hard work recognised by a National Quality Award is a fantastic bonus for us.
“I want to thank the whole school community for supporting the healthy school scheme, particularly the children who have played such an active role in the school’s success and our healthy schools coordinator Sarah Blackmore.”
Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council, and Cabinet Member with responsibility for education, Coun Sarah Merry, said: “Congratulations to Mrs James and her staff, all the children, parents and governors on achieving this fantastic award.
“It takes a lot of hard work to get a National Quality Award, and everyone involved with Radnor primary can feel very proud of the school’s success.”
National Quality Awards have previously been presented in Cardiff to Herbert Thompson Primary School in 2011, Moorland Primary School and Ysgol Pwll Coch in 2015, Adamsdown Primary School in 2016 and Severn Primary School earlier this year.
Managed by Public Health Wales, the Welsh Network of Healthy School Schemes has been running since 1999, and considers initiatives around food and fitness, mental and emotional health and wellbeing, personal development and relationships, substance use and misuse, environment, safety and hygiene.