Another ten schools received training in the Facts4Life project this week and expressed very positive views on how these ideas can benefit their students.
Kelly Green, Lead Teacher, gave teachers the opportunity to take part in some of the key activities of the Facts4Life resource which explores attitudes to health in a creative way. Hugh van’t Hoff highlighted the levels of negative thinking with respect to health issues through the work of Hans Rosling and his Ignorance Project.
Facts4Life seeks to address this by building knowledge, skills and confidence in our ability to use our resources to heal ourselves. The concepts of homeostasis and balance are central to this understanding. Certainly, evaluation of the Facts4Life pilot shows how powerfully attitudes can change through exposure to this approach.
The project will soon be expanded to include revised materials on mental health and sex and relationships education within the Key Stage 2 resource. In addition, the project will be adapted for students at Key Stage 1 and planning is underway for the project to be included within the secondary curriculum. There was interesting discussion on how Facts4Life addresses the ideas of normality and challenges student acceptance of difference in young people. We will look at how a focus on disability can further support this understanding.
Facts4Life is a possible pathway for schools to achieve Healthy Schools status through GHLL accreditation. Further information can be found on the GHLL website and at the GHLL conference at Kingsholm Stadium on Thursday June 25th.
John Davis
