Whole school approach

Key messages

• A health promoting school uses a whole school approach for all health areas including RSE.
• The System of global standards for health promoting schools assists schools to implement a whole school partnership approach to all areas of health. 
• RSE strategies for each of the global standard areas are listed to assist schools to implement a whole school approach to RSE.

Health promoting schools - a whole school approach

The World Health Organisation defines a health promoting school as 'one that consistently strengthens its capacity as a healthy setting for living, learning and working.' A whole school and community approach is required to do this. 

A health promoting school:

• promotes the health and wellbeing of students, school staff, families and community members
• provides a safe and supportive environment
• upholds social justice and equity concepts
• implements practices that respect an individuals wellbeing and dignity, provides opportunities for success and acknowledges efforts, intentions and personal achievements.
• involves student participation and empowerment
• collaborates with parents and local community and helps them understand how the community can contribute to (or undermine) positive health education.
• integrates health into the school's ongoing activities, curriculum and assessment standards
• links health and education issues and systems
• engages with health and education officials, health providers, teachers, parents and community to strive to improve health outcomes
• sets realistic goals built on accurate data and sound scientific evidence
• seeks continuous improvement through ongoing monitoring and evaluation.
• implements policies to sustain a healthy environment and support ongoing improvements to the school environment, education and services. ¹

Health promoting schools focus on:

• caring for oneself and others
• making healthy decisions and taking control over life's circumstances
• creating conditions that are conducive to health (through policies, services, physical/social conditions)
• building capacities for peace, shelter, education, food, income, a stable ecosystem, equity, social justice and sustainable development
• preventing leading causes of death, disease and disability: tobacco use, HIV/AIDS, STIs/BBVs, sedentary lifestyle, drugs and alcohol, violence and injuries, unhealthy nutrition
• influencing health-related behaviours: knowledge, beliefs, skills, attitudes, values, support.¹

Global standards for health promoting schools

The System of global standards for health promoting schools was developed by the World Health Organization. It encourages a whole school and whole community approach to addressing health topics, including RSE.² 

The framework consists of 8 global standards for a health promoting school which are all intended to function as a system. The standards are intentionally aspirational and designed to be used by stakeholders in all sectors involved in identifying, planning, funding, monitoring and evaluating the health promoting schools approach. 

RSE strategies for whole school approach

This framework is a useful planning tool for addressing relationships and sexuality education needs within a school. The following strategies can be implemented to ensure a best practice RSE approach in line with global standards.

1. Government policies and resources

• Utilise the GDHR resources and the associated teacher training that is funded by government (WA Department of Health) as a key prevention and education strategy in the WA Sexual Health and Blood-borne Virus Strategy.

2.  School policies and resources

• Develop, implement and review school sexual health guidelines/policies.
• Develop critical incident plans e.g. for imaged-based abuse incidents, sexual harassment, disclosures of abuse, etc.
• Codesign policies with parents, teachers, students, subject experts and local organisations.

3.  School governance and leadership

• Provide an adequate specific budget for RSE resources and professional development.
• Increase funding for RSE (Apply for school RSE grant).
• Review class/school timetables to increase health lesson times.
• Collaborate with local feeder schools to develop school policies that are complementary.
• Ensure clear roles are established for RSE leadership in school.
• Monitor and evaluate the quality of RSE teaching across the school regularly. 

4.  School community partnerships

• Network with neighbouring schools - share resources and sample policies e.g. Magno-mate reproductive kit.
• Promote health education strategies, resources and information on staff noticeboard.
• Encourage input of students, parents and teachers into relationship and sexual health education.
• Organise Sexual Health Week activities.
• Involve parents (caregivers/guardians/significant role-models) and community members in sexual health education through parent workshops, parent and student sessions, student led sessions for parents, etc.
• Involve the student council in planning and development of RSE programs and projects.
• Add RSE information snippets to school social media and newsletters.
• Hold a parent and student RSE health quiz.
• Use inclusive language in newsletters and other correspondence.
• Organise relationship/sexual health education courses for parents.
• Encourage parents to work with their children on the GDHR take home activities.
• Have young people model some of the strategies from the GDHR materials for parents at the P & C meeting.
• Conduct a parent survey on current sexual health knowledge and present a follow-up parent information night.
• Put health displays/ student made models in local library.
• Create an urban art wall with an RSE theme.
• Add useful websites to school newsletters and social media. (See Resource section for a list of helpful websites on various topics).

5.  School curriculum

• Resources
  • Make use of the GDHR resources.
  • Make use of the SHQ library to borrow resources.
  • Take an inventory of the RSE resources in the school, cull out-dated resources, promote the resources that are available and advocate to purchase new, evidence-based resources.
• Student voice
  • Assist students to organise panel discussions on RSE topics. Invite guests to join.
  • Arrange for students to provide presentations on RSE to peers and parents.
  • Arrange for Health Studies students to give health reports at assemblies.
• Teaching and learning 
  • Ensure programs and teaching materials consider all students' learning styles and needs.
  • Plan a whole school RSE focus.
  • Integrate learning areas across the curriculum, e.g. Maths - statistics, Humanities and Social Sciences - consent laws, marriage equality, English - books, plays and movies.
  • Ensure teaching focuses on skills, attitudes, and values - not just knowledge acquisition.
• Professional development
  • Provide quality, evidence based professional development for teachers via The Curtin RSE Project.
  • Provide professional development for staff on affirming diversity and inclusive language via Inclusive Education.

6.  School social-emotional environment

• Model interactive attitudes and values strategies for collaborative learning (for students and PD).
• Utilise positive peer role models.
• Establish a group agreement in each class before delivering any RSE lessons.

7.  School physical environment

• Identify a specific 'health' room within the school.
• Set up a 'hang out' room to display messages and posters that display RSE health messages and celebrate diversity.
• Create a student photographic display which highlights positive relationships and youth.
• Provide period products in toilets.

8.  School health services

• Integrate health services - student counselling, social workers, psychologists, support workers, etc. Ensure they are all trained in best practice RSE.
• Utilise community health nurses to support RSE lessons. 
• Create a personalised directory of local services for parents and staff.
• Hold stalls at fetes/festivals providing 'show bags' with information about RSE - safer sex, support agencies, STIs/BBVs, relationships.
• Collaborate with community organisations to hold a 'building respectful relationships' camp.
• Provide copies of WA Department of Health resources in the school office for parents (e.g Talk soon. Talk often.)
• Include relationship/sexual health education information and services in school newsletter.
• Conduct a health conference for high school students. Make use of external agencies/presenters, e.g. Freedom Centre, SHQ, WA AIDS Council.

Read next

Home partnerships

Curriculum links