What Facts4Life Offers
For Teachers & Key Workers
“The delivery of the training was really slick and focused. I was fascinated by the ‘Sciency’ bit at the start of the presentation as it put the Facts4Life work in context. The presence of a GP and Paediatrician gave the programme credibility. It was a great starting point for us to rethink our PSHCE programme with current up to date thinking and issues that relate to the children of today.” Lynne Bailey, Cheltenham Headteacher
The Facts4Life Approach
Facts4Life is a health resilience programme that is, as far as we are aware, unique in its approach. We start from the premise that is healthy to learn about illness. It is from an interest in their own body and knowledge of what happens when we become ill that children will naturally explore strategies for their wellbeing that include nutrition, physical activity and mental health.
Facts4Life in the Curriculum
Facts4Life offers a programme for children in Early Years settings through to Year 6 in the primary curriculum and across Key Stage 3 in the secondary curriculum.
Early Years Curriculum: Our Early Years pack contains a range of themed laminated cards that link to the Early Years goals and, in particular, support children’s personal, social and emotional development, building resilience. They can be used systematically or respond to ‘in the moment’ planning. Some of the cards link to our children’s book, This is Fin and Bear, but can be used independently. The pack also includes a Healthy Me Activities and Mindful Me Activities double-sided poster, as well as a second children’s book, ‘Oh Flo!’. In addition, a number of songs are available on the website.
Primary Curriculum: The lesson materials that we now offer are designed to be delivered on a cycle, so that ideas introduced in Reception are developed further in Years 1/2 and so on up the school. We include assembly materials so that the key ideas of Facts4Life can be underpinned and referenced across the whole school. Many schools have introduced the materials as a 6 week unit of work for one or two hours a week. Others have developed them further into a topic based approach that crosses the curriculum or included them in an intensive health week in Term 5 or 6. We also offer additional on-line materials focusing specifically upon Mental Health, as well as a framework and materials for the delivery of Relationships and Sex Education in the primary school.
To support schools with their implementation of the mandatory provision of Relationships, RSE and Health Education (DfE Statutory Guidance Sept 2020), we have created a Delivery Overview guide that details how our resources can be used to navigate a pathway through the requirements (click on the image below).
Secondary Curriculum: The resource covers different aspects of health resilience and includes 9 modules with additional on-line materials focusing specifically upon support for Mental Health. The modules can be delivered flexibly within an hour’s PSHE lesson or within tutor time, either across a single year or within a cyclical PSHE curriculum across KS3. Themes include chance and choice, personal responsibility and recognition of the range of normality.
In both primary and secondary schools, our two Facts4Life Challenges: The Facts4Life Activity Challenge and the Facts4Life Wellbeing Challenge, offer the opportunity for children to identify an area of their own health and/or wellbeing that they wish to focus upon, to record their actions over a 30 day period and achieve a bronze, silver or gold award depending on their success in meeting the challenge. Either can be used as a vehicle to measure the impact on children’s behaviours as well as whole school change
Benefits to Schools
Facts4Life complements key elements of the Science and PSHE curriculum, and has clear links to PE and DT when considering healthy lifestyles. The central ideas within the resource normalise the occurrence of illness and help to create a climate for mental health issues to be addressed. It can be used to promote good attendance. Teachers tell us that it helps them to get to know their pupils better through creating a climate where it’s safe to discuss their feelings.
Facts4Life promotes coping strategies to manage risk and in this way facilitates an openness about safeguarding. The programme supports schools in the OFSTED judgement on Personal Development, Behaviour and Welfare through its emphasis on teaching children how to stay healthy.
Working with Community Family Workers and Family Support Workers
Our Healthy Families resources have been designed for use by CFWs and FSWs with families out of school, recognising that we have greater impact in building resilience when we are able to share our approach with the whole family. They include a suite of materials on themed activities such as encouraging good sleep and managing anxiety, as well as support for self-care and self-regulation. They are targeted at the early years age range as well as families with school aged children.
Facts4Life Training
We currently run regular training programmes for Teachers and Key Workers (including Community Family Workers & Family Support Workers) which include follow up support when requested. We also offer ‘whole school’ training on INSET Days or within twilight sessions upon request. Contact liz@facts4life.org for further information.
Training events are regularly advertised in publications such as HeadsUp and SENCOspot.