Lancashire County Council's Healthy Heroes and Mike McGreal's Healthy Heroes are independent initiatives. It is acknowledged that both parties offer differing but complimentary services and that both are happy to co-exist when providing support and health and fitness services to schools. Both projects offer excellent opportunities for schools and their pupils.
To visit the Lancashire Healthy Schools website click here |
NB: ‘Healthy Heroes’ and the Healthy Heroes ‘shield’ logo are registered trademarks of Mike McGreal’s Healthy Heroes.
Healthy Heroes is the invention of former primary school teacher and sports science graduate Mike McGreal.
Mike McGreal:
“Healthy Heroes first came about when I was a primary school teacher in Warrington, Cheshire. I had several coaching and fitness qualifications and wanted to introduce my love of health and fitness to the children in my school.
I already had previous experience delivering health and fitness programmes to children and wanted to try something unique that would inspire children to take charge of their own health.
Thus, the first Healthy Heroes after school club was born in 2006. The success of these extra curricular clubs allowed me to develop and hone a curriculum based version of Healthy Heroes with the aim of reaching and inspiring those children not accessing physical activity through traditional routes. “
Healthy Heroes now delivers five different curriculum time programmes, a host of extracurricular and community clubs and numerous successful holiday camps. All through this, Healthy Heroes have stuck to their successful 3 E’s principle.
• Extend children’s learning and build on existing gifts and talents
• Enrich children’s learning and provide them with activities not normally offered within the curriculum
• Enable children’s fundamental movement skills, improve their physical literacy and give them the skills needed for a life time of physical activity |
Benefits to both Schools and Children
How will the school benefit from Healthy Heroes?
• We provide a programme that meets all four strands of the National Curriculum for PE and is matched up to the relevant links to the Early Years framework and profile.
• Activities that are fully inclusive of age and ability including SEN and gifted and talented pupil.
• Sessions that meet the needs of schools, parents and community groups.
• A programme that uses the 10 School Sport and high quality outcomes as a basis for continued professional development.
• Each session offers an effective CPD opportunity for all staff.
• A programme that is affordable and effective.
• Contributes significantly to the being healthy national outcome for children.
• Fully qualified, insured and CRB checked instructors.
How will the children benefit?
• Improved attitude towards physical activity and healthy lifestyles.
• Improvement in: physical literacy, thinking and body awareness- stops a ‘can’t throw, won’t play’ attitude.
• Increased confidence, self esteem, assertiveness and behaviour.
• Improvements in Health Related Fitness.
• Help children achieve in the five outcomes of Every Child Matters Agenda.
• Increased enjoyment of physical activity.
Every Child Matters
Healthy Heroes supports all five outcomes of the Every Child Matters agenda.
| Outcome |
How Healthy Heroes supports this outcome |
| Be Healthy |
Healthy Heroes gives children an important understanding of the role that physical activity plays in their lives. We enrich children’s lifestyles by providing them with unique experiences that develop health related and motor fitness whilst at the same time enhancing confidence and self-esteem. The broad range of activities that Healthy Heroes offer allow children to make more informed choices about how they can be involved in physical activities both inside and outside of school hours. |
| Stay Safe |
Healthy Heroes gives children the skills they need to participate safely in a range of activities. Through effective planning, children learn to work together and individually to create safe and effective working environments and practices. This includes, safe warm ups and cool downs, the carrying, setting out and lifting of equipment and ensuring that themselves and others working safely. |
| Enjoy and Achieve |
At Healthy Heroes we give children a host of opportunities to have fun, achieve and enjoy physical activity. Either as leaders, performers, individuals or team members. Whether it is aiming to the highest level, or participating in physical activity for its own sake, Healthy Heroes allows every child to achieve. |
| Making a Positive Contribution |
Healthy Heroes provides many opportunities for children to get involved in school or community life. We develop children’s physical and social skills which allow them to gain the confidence to join organised groups and local clubs. Our activities allow children to work collaboratively and overcome difficulties. Throughout our programmes of work children learn to appreciate their own and others strength’s and weaknesses. |
| Achieve Economic Well-Being |
Through Healthy Heroes children learn how to work as team to achieve positive outcomes. They learn to overcome problems by discussing, reviewing and refining solutions. |
The National Healthy School Programme
The National Healthy School Programme has four themes.
• Personal and Social Health Education
• Healthy Eating
• Physical Activity
• Emotional Health and Wellbeing
Healthy Heroes contributes to this national outcome for children. Our programmes provide ideas to inspire children to be physically active and to understand how leading a healthy lifestyle can be beneficial to their physical and mental wellbeing.
| Criteria |
How Healthy Heroes provides evidence for this |
| Ensure a minimum of 2 hours structured physical activity each week to all children in or outside of the school curriculum |
Our PPA/PE scheme of work ensures that High Quality PE is being delivered within curriculum time. Our scheme runs neatly alongside any existing school schemes of work and ensures that the minimum of two hours curriculum time physical activity is being delivered. Also, our high quality after school clubs ensure that this provision is being carried on outside of curriculum time and helps school achieve the 5 hour offer. |
| Consult with children about physical activity opportunities offered by school, indentifies barriers to participation and removes them |
Healthy Heroes programme of work as been extensively tested in school s with major input form all the children involved. After each unit of work pupils evaluation sheets are handed to children and ideas are collected for the next unit of work. Instructors will often give children a choice of activities and unit based on their experience and knowledge. |
| Involve School Sport Co-ordinators (where available) and other community resources in the provision or activities |
Healthy Heroes work with several School Sport Partnerships in the North West. These collaborations mean that schools can trust the Healthy Heroes programme of work and use us in a cost effective manner. |
| Gives parents /carers the opportunity to be involved in the planning and delivery of physical activity opportunities and helps them to understand the benefits of physical activity for themselves and their children |
At Healthy Heroes, we see parents and carers as an integral part of children’s health and wellbeing. Our parent and children sessions help both parents understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle, whilst at the same time providing a regular fun learning experience that parent and child can enjoy together. |
| Ensures that there is appropriate training provided for those involved in providing physical activity |
Each Healthy Heroes session is a unique CPD opportunity for all staff. The activities that are provided by the instructors can be followed up by teaching staff in future sessions. |
Healthy Heroes – Supporting the five hour offer
The government’s ambition is for all children aged 5-19 years to have access to five hours a week by 2011. This is to be made up of two hours within curriculum time and three hours offered on school sites or within the community. Due to the flexibility in the delivery of our programmes we can contribute significantly in helping children access their five hours a week.
| Participation in Curriculum Physical Education |
Our PPA cover and Health and Fitness day programmes all contribute to pupils accessing two hours of high quality physical education per week. |
| Participation in other school sport |
Healthy Heroes OSHL programme allows all children physical education and sporting activities regardless of ability. |
| Participation in structured community sports clubs |
We have close links with local sports clubs in all of our areas. If we spot any child who has a particular talent or enthusiasm for a particular sport we will always talk with parents or carers and direct them to the appropriate local club. |
| Participation in other community sports |
Healthy Heroes deliver physical activity and sport sessions within the community. These classes are ideal for children who wish to experience physical activity and sport but not in a structured National Governing Body environment. |
| Participation in sport as a part of a wider range of activity |
Healthy Heroes holiday programmes allow children to experience a large range of physical activities and sports in a less formal environment. These programmes are ideal for children new to physical activity or sport or for those who do not wish specialise. |
| Participation in activity that is informal and unstructured |
During our holiday programmes children are encouraged to interact with each other to play games and use equipment in an informal and unstructured fashion. |
Partnerships
Healthy Schools
Healthy Heroes has worked with several Healthy Schools teams to deliver programmes of work to assist with both activity targets and obesity strategies. Our programmes have also been used to assist schools in achieving important Healthy School Status.
School Sport Partnerships
Healthy Heroes work with school sport partnerships to deliver School Provision to many primary school children. Please click here (http://wassp.net/coaches) to see how Healthy Heroes is a named provider on the Warrington School Sport Partnership website.
Extended Schools Co-ordinators
Our experienced and highly qualified instructors have worked extensively with extended schools co-coordinators to deliver quality holiday provision to hundreds of children.
Change 4 Life
Healthy Heroes is proud to be a local partner with the government initiative Change 4 Life.By becoming a Partner, Healthy Heroes commits to supporting the Change4Life messages of healthier eating and physical activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: There are so many sports coaching companies out there, why should we choose Healthy Heroes?
A: Healthy Heroes provides sessions that are innovative and unique. We are proud to be non-traditional in our approach, but at the same time we ensure that all of our sessions are matched carefully to the national curriculum. Children will never miss out on key skills. Don’t forget the programme has been written and delivered by an experienced primary school specialist.
Q: What about assessment?
A: All of our units are fully assessed. We can use the system adopted by your school or our own system.
Q: We already have PPA cover!
A: Not a problem, a lot of schools use Healthy Heroes as unique opportunity for teachers to observe our instructors as part of their CPD. We have also been known to pinch a few ideas off teachers too!
Q: What can you do for our Health Week?
A: We offer a range of exciting Health and Fitness days please see our schools section for more details.
Q: We just want you to cover our standard PE curriculum, can you do this?
A: Of course we can, like other coaching companies; we can deliver and assess your PE curriculum to but to our very high standard. Please see our schools section to for more information.
Q: Can we try before we buy?!
A: Of course you can! Just contact to book a free half day of Health and Fitness.
Q: What are your costs?
A: We are pretty upfront about our costs, but it all depends on what you book, how long you book for and your funding options. We can discuss your requirements after your free half day of fitness or contact us for more details.
|
