First, we discussed the idea of a healthy school week with the school council, which suggested activities such as food tasting. We then created a healthy schools committee to organise the week and get information out to teachers, parents and the wider community. The school’s parents group became involved and donated money for fruit and vegetables. The committee also invited local businesses to sell healthy products at an end-of-week fair, and local sports providers to offer demonstrations.

The committee brainstormed a list of activities that could form the basis of planning in each year group, such as data-handling, measuring, problem-solving, poetry, menus, advertisements, drawing and model-making.

In year groups we decided what our main aims for the week were and planned how different areas of the curriculum could help to achieve them. Broadly speaking, our aims were to promote a better knowledge of what healthy food is and to encourage children to take more exercise. We also wanted them to understand the science behind a healthy lifestyle and to be creative in celebrating it. We took relevant learning objectives from each year’s QCA sciences schemes of work.

During the week, the teaching didn’t just happen in the classroom - we also did a lot of work in the canteen.

Danny Annaly Numeracy co-ordinator, Downs Junior School, Brighton and Hove

* A free teachers resource book inspired by the week is available at www.Letts-Successzone.com