Evidence

There is a growing body of evidence that effective approaches include a combination of health education with comprehensive, whole-school approaches that create a supportive physical, social and learning environment, and involves pupils, parents, communities and organisations (WHO/JCSH Technical meeting on school health, 2007). The learning and teaching within the classroom on any topic, such as healthy eating or mental and emotional health, will require to be matched with broader initiatives in the whole life of the school and its community if such initiatives are to have any impact on health behaviours or health status in the longer term.

In terms of the outcomes that a health promoting school approach can produce, a review of the international literature (St Leger & Nutbeam, 1999; St Leger et al, 2007) supports the effectiveness of this approach. West et al, (2004) investigating whole school effects on pupils health behaviour also concluded that the outcomes of their research supported a health promoting school approach. Also, Stewart-Brown (2006) concluded that school programmes that were effective in changing young people's health or health-related behaviour were likely to involve activities in more than one domain.

Education and health

The United Nations have recognised the potential of schools to influence not only the educational status of young people but also their health and economic development. This is evident in the importance given to universal primary education and eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education in the Millennium Development Goals.

There is a relationship between good health, educational achievement and school completion. Also the relationship between school enrolment and improved health outcomes is well established (Cohen at al, 2006). These links mean that improving effectiveness in one sector can potentially benefit the other sector, and schools are therefore an important setting for both education and health.

Evaluation reports

You are welcome to consult the evaluation reports produced by the ENHPS.

Case Studies in Global School Health Promotion: Case Studies in Global School Health Promotion provides readers with a theoretical and research base needed to understand the methods used in communities all over the world to put the Health Promoting School (HPS) concept in place. Case examples from over two dozen countries (representing urban and rural areas in developing and developed nations) outline the strategies taken to implement HPS programs in individual schools, municipalities, and nations. For each program, case study authors explain the problems they tackled, their motivation and supports to respond creatively; and the barriers they faced. In the cases, authors describe the capacities and infrastructure they created and mechanisms for cooperation; as well as the personnel, financial, and time requirements involved. This publication can be orderd at: www.springer.com
Health-promoting schools: a resource for developing indicators (pdf, 1,5 mB): The publication helps disseminating the rich body of knowledge within the European network on the evaluation of health promoting schools and the development and use of indicators. Includes twenty case studies, a general description of evaluation and health promoting school development (2006).
Tracking down ENHPS success for sustainable development: the EVA 2 (pdf, 305 kB): ENHPS success for sustainable development (1999)
Fifth workshop on practice of evaluation of the HPS, concepts, indicators and evidence (pdf, 625 kB): The Fifth workshop on practice of evaluation of the Health Promoting School was held in Sigriswil, Switzerland, 8-11 June 2006 and brought together delegates from 25 countries in the European region to focus on issues related to evaluation of the Health Promoting School programme (2006).
Fourth workshop on practice of evaluation of the HPS, concepts, indicators and evidence (pdf, 882kB): The Fourth workshop on practice of evaluation of the Health Promoting School - concepts, indicators and evidence was held in Sigriswil, Switzerland, 17-20 November 2005. Executive Summary (2005).
Third workshop on practice of evaluation of the HPS, concepts, indicators and evidence (pdf, 543 kB): The third workshop was held in Sigriswil, Switzerland, from 19-22 November 2004 (2004).
Second workshop on practice of evaluation of the HPS, concepts, indicators and evidence (pdf, 398 kB: This workshop took place in Nottwil, Switzerland 21 to 24 September 2001 (2001).
First workshop on practice of evaluation of the HPS, concepts, indicators and evidence (pdf, 484 kB): Eighty two people from 35 countries attended the workshop generously hosted in the beautiful Swiss town of Thun. This was a first workshop on evaluation concieved and organized on the basis of expressed evaluation needs of the health promoting school in countries of the network (1998).
Promoting Health in Schools, from Evidence to Action: The IUHPE has published a new document: Promoting Health in Schools: from Evidence to Action. This document complements the recommendations to establish and sustain health promotion in schools set out in the Achieving Health Promoting Schools: Guidelines for Promoting Health in Schools. It is an advocacy document for the health and education sectors to undertake school health promotion activities based on the evidence of effectiveness. It provides evidence-based arguments to support the need for school health promotion. Finally it advocates for a whole school (Health Promoting Schools) approach to strategically plan and implement school health initiatives. The document is available in English on the IUHPE website (http://www.iuhpe.org/index.html?page=516&lang=en#sh_advevid) and will soon be available in French and Spanish.