Our aim is for every pupil at Ark John Archer to leave school both informed and inspired to make sustainably healthy lifestyle choices for their futures, with the skills to manage their own emotional and physical well-being.
Our health curriculum provides pupils with the knowledge required to reflect on their lifestyle choices, and make suitable adaptations and decisions in order to lead sustainably healthy and active lives, both now and in the future.
Healthy eating
At Ark John Archer Primary Academy we value the importance of meal times. We are committed to provide a healthy and nutritious meal for every child alongside the experience of eating meals in a small group alongside adults. We have an onsite kitchen where all our meals are cooked fresh each day.
Pupils learn table manners, how to hold cutlery properly, how to lay a table and have opportunity to experience discussion and dialogue over dinner with support from staff. We place great importance on all our pupils learning these important social skills and therefore this is a part of the school day which is planned for and shared with teachers and other adults.
We also run a breakfast club where children can get involved in a range of activities and receive a nutritionally balanced meal.
Mental health
We promote positive mental health for every student and member of staff, and have both a universal whole-school approach to mental health, together with specialised, targeted approaches for vulnerable students.
We also collaborate with children's mental health charity Place2Be. Place2Be is there to help children find ways to cope with difficult feelings or situations, so their worries don't get in the way of their friendships, their learning or how they feel about themselves. Place2Be's professionals work with individuals one-to-one or in small groups, giving regular support for pupils who need it. Place2Be always gets agreement from parents or carers before they support an individual through one-to-one counselling, and meet with parents or carers regularly to keep them updated.
Physical activity
The Fitness Curriculum is developed to ensure pupils receive regular opportunities to engage in exercise, teaching different methods to increase fitness levels through activities such as aerobics, gymnastics, boxercise and bootcamp.
Lessons are designed to raise the heart rate and improve overall fitness, stamina and flexibility, with levels of fitness reviewed to encourage further participation and application outside of the school setting.
Through flexibility exercises, pupils become more able to stretch and move their bodies in a full range of motion, helping to maintain limber physiques throughout life.
Strength exercises help children build healthy muscles, with work-outs focussed on non-resistance training and developing stamina through exercises such as lunges, dips, press-ups and sit ups.
Aerobic exercises provide the opportunity for cardiovascular training, keeping pupils’ hearts and lungs functioning healthily.
Through circuit training, pupils apply their strength and stamina to develop greater levels of fitness.