Whole-school health and wellbeing success for Camp Hill Primary School

Camp Hill Primary School in Bendigo has demonstrated its commitment to happy healthy children through completing Healthy Places (formerly known as the Achievement Program. With 269 students, the school joined Healthy Places in 2012 and has now gained Victorian Government recognition across all seven health priority areas – Healthy Eating and Oral Health, Physical Activity and Movement, Sexual Health and Wellbeing, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Sun Protection, Safe Environments, as well as Smoking, Vaping, Alcohol and Other Drugs.

Camp Hill Primary School Assistant Principal Trish Johnstone said Healthy Places was a great way to capture and celebrate whole school programs and initiatives already embedded in the school. It also allowed the school to build on what they were already doing.

Taking action through partnerships

Since joining Healthy Places, they conducted a whole school audit to identify needs. With support from their local health promotion professional, Sebastian Goscha from Bendigo Community Health Services (BCHS), they implemented new policies and embedded elements of health and wellbeing into every aspect of school life.

“Support from Sebastian was fantastic and made progressing through Healthy Places so much easier. He always made sure the outcomes were achievable with an eye on it being authentic and student-focused,” Ms Johnstone said.

Mr Goscha said the leadership shown by Ms Johnstone and her team to implement Healthy Places has been exemplary for other local schools.

“It has been fantastic to see the work Camp Hill Primary has done to make their school a healthier place in the community," Mr Goscha said.

Ms Johnstone said the biggest change has been capturing a whole school approach using the Healthy Places Framework and realising how interrelated the health areas are.

“I thought the Sexual Health and Wellbeing module would be challenging in a primary school setting. It wasn’t, and just reinforced that programs such as Respectful Relationships and the puberty sessions provided by BCHS provided relevant and age-appropriate information for our students,” she said.

Reinforcing healthy changes through Vic Kids Eat Well

The school also participates in Vic Kids Eat Well to further reinforce healthy changes. Ms Johnstone said the school is now more aware of the importance of creating a healthy food and drink environment for kids. This is not only reflected in their food and drink options but also in their fundraising activities, which focus on walking fun days and bulb sale events.

“Through Vic Kids Eat Well, we developed a greater understanding of ways to provide healthy options for students via our weekly lunches, breakfast clubs and camps or excursion programs,” Ms Johnstone said.

“Sebastian guided me through the online portal of Vic Kids Eat Well resources to ensure the nutritional value of food was considered when sourcing items for our breakfast club and weekly Friday lunch programs,” she said.

Mr Goscha explained that having fresh and nutritious food is important for growing young people, and having these options accessible at school will be beneficial to students.

“I've also seen firsthand how students actually really enjoy the fresher options and for many schools, it's this student-led enthusiasm that encourages change,” Mr Goscha said.

Overall, Ms Johnstone said that participating in Healthy Places has been beneficial as staff and students now have a greater understanding of a “whole person” and “whole school” approach to health and wellbeing.

“The school’s commitment across all areas will support the development of happy and healthy children and in turn young adults,” she said.

Healthy Places makes it easier for Victorian schools and early childhood services to support health, wellbeing and learning.

To learn more about the program or join, visit the Healthy Places website: https://www.healthyplaces.health.vic.gov.au/