The management and organisation of health promotion: a survey of school policies in Nottinghamshire

Abstract

A postal survey of health education and related policy issues was conducted in Nottinghamshire state-maintained primary and secondary schools, in 1995. A response rate of 82 per cent was achieved. Fifty-eight per cent of schools possessed a written policy in health education or were in the process of drafting one. Teaching staff were involved in the consultation process, in the main, with a minority of schools involving non-teaching staff, parents and pupils. Primary schools, and in particular small primaries, had less well-developed policies than secondaries. They were also less likely to have a designated person in charge of health education and to reward them financially for undertaking the responsibility. The schools reported difficulty in prioritising the development of health education. Nevertheless, they were developing a wide range of policies, written guidelines and procedures which reflect the broad concept of the health promoting school. The health promotion specialist services have, in partnership with the education authorities, a good basis on which to build further improvements in the health promoting status of schools in the county.