The National Children’s Bureau is delighted to have been chosen to deliver the next phase of two exciting and well-established awards schemes on behalf of the Mayor of London. The awards recognise how early years settings and schools reduce child heath inequalities and support children and families in the capital to be as healthy as possible.
Healthy Early Years London (HEYL) is an awards scheme which recognises achievements in child health, wellbeing, and development in early years. 1,500+ Early Years settings have received an award across all boroughs.
Healthy Schools London (HSL) supports London’s schools to provide an environment that helps their pupils grow up to be healthy, happy and learn. It was launched in 2013, with 2,000+ schools registered on the awards scheme, across all boroughs.
What will NCB be doing?
NCB will be managing both programmes in their current forms for the remainder of this academic year. We will then work closely with the Greater London Authority to refresh and align the two programmes within a new regional partnership, ready for a re-launch in September 2023.
Our aim is to ensure the Mayor’s Healthy Early Years and Healthy Schools London programmes are running as efficiently and effectively as possible, and to embed the programmes into wider regional initiatives to tackle child health inequalities across London. We will support boroughs and provide a network for sharing best practice.
How will children and families benefit?
Getting a good start in life, building emotional resilience and getting the maximum benefit from education are the most important markers for good health and wellbeing throughout life.
A significant proportion of London’s children have health problems that may affect their wellbeing and future education. For example:
- Almost 1 in 5 children in reception year are overweight or obese.
- 1 in 4 five-year-olds in London have tooth decay.
- Children eligible for free school meals are almost 20% less likely to have a good level of development at age five than those not eligible
- Babies born in Tower Hamlets are 2.5x more likely to be born with a low birth weight than those born in Richmond upon Thames
As new and existing schools and early years providers work towards their awards, we will support them to improve how they deliver health and wellbeing education for children and young people, working with their families too.
We will also improve communication with education settings and deliver effective networking opportunities to improve the sector’s capacity and knowledge.
Although the awards are available to all settings in London, helping them retain high standards, NCB will make sure that these programmes reach those who need the support the most.
Protecting and improving the physical and mental health of children and young people is a key focus of our work at the National Children’s Bureau.
As our own evidence shows, there are sadly a growing number of UK families at risk of health problems – particularly in large cities like London - that may have serious long-term implications for children’s development and future wellbeing.
So I am delighted that we have been chosen to partner with the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority to help deliver, review and reshape these important and well-established awards programmes to early years settings and schools across the capital.
Anna Feuchtwang
CEO of NCB
I am delighted that the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) will be working with us to renew and refresh the Mayor’s Healthy Early Years London and Healthy Schools London programmes.
We know the key role that educational institutions can play in ensuring children’s future happiness and success, and our programmes are designed to support settings to look after their students’ health and wellbeing from an early age. We will continue to do all we can to support young children develop and grow, as we build a better London for everyone.
Joanne McCartney
Deputy Mayor for Children and Families
Our expertise
NCB’s expertise in delivering similar innovative programmes will benefit the Healthy Early Years London and Healthy Schools London programmes.
These include:
Find out more
To get more information on NCB's appointment to run these programmes, click here or sign up to NCB’s early years newsletter here.