Introduction

Childhood obesity and its close ties to type 2 diabetes have reached record highs in the UK. Yet schools hold a unique power to change futures, not just through lessons, but by creating communities where every child can thrive. Research and pioneering schools across the UK and beyond have shown that when health becomes part of a school’s ethos, children do better in every sense.

1. Build a Whole-School Culture of Health

Evidence consistently shows that schools embedding healthy eating and daily movement into all aspects of school life, not just PE or science class, achieve the best results. For example, the Healthy Schools London initiative showed marked improvements in healthy behaviours school-wide when even tuck shops, school events, and reward systems made nutritious choices the easy, most visible option.

Key steps:

• Make healthy foods the norm in canteens (for instance, fruit as a default snack and limiting sugary drinks).

• Schedule physical activity throughout the school day, not just in PE. Active breaks, after-school sport, and dance woven into lessons keep everyone moving.

• Celebrate every kind of health, not just weight. Speak about “pupils living with obesity” or “healthy habits for all” instead of focusing on BMI or body size.

2. Curriculum Integration with Creativity

Bringing health into multiple subjects keeps lessons engaging and relevant. Nutrition and physical literacy can be explored in science, PSHE, and across the wider curriculum—music, art, maths, or even school gardening.

For instance, schools in the Amsterdam Healthy Weight Programme included food growing and kitchen garden activities as part of their core lessons, while several UK schools found that songwriting and drama about “Super Snacks” or “Energiser Moves”

3. Family and Community Partnerships

No school acts alone. When schools engage parents, such as running healthy recipe swaps, after-school cooking clubs, or inviting families to step-count challenges. The impact on children’s habits at home is clear. Healthy Lifestyles Liverpool and GULP (Give Up Loving Pop) both succeeded by involving families and local health teams, not just pupils.

5. Harnessing the Power of Inter-professional Collaboration

When teachers, school nurses, GPs, mental health leads, and local charities work as a team, progress accelerates. Pilot projects show that regular multidisciplinary meetings, sharing data and referring families early, lead to better outcomes for both physical health and emotional wellbeing.

Examples & Inspiration

• A water-only policy in one London borough’s primary schools led to a 20% fall in sugary drink consumption within a year.

• Cross-curricular “active lessons” (where maths or spelling is taught on the move) improved both fitness and academic results in a North West school trust.

• School-family walking buses and Disney-themed “Daily Mile” events in deprived areas increased daily activity and reduced absenteeism.

4. Positive, Stigma-Free Messaging

Support, not blame: The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health recommends “people-first” language (“pupils living with obesity”) and regular teacher training in weight bias. Highlighting small behaviour changes, protecting children from being singled out, and using inclusive, strengths-based language ensures every child feels supported.

Ready to Take Action?

Prescribed Notes invites schools to join our national pilot, a music-embedded, evidence-based approach suited to any school community. Be a flagship for evidence-led health and help shape a national movement.

Contact us here: prescribednotes.com/contact – or share your own ideas and success stories below. Let’s rewrite the story, together.