A NEW award has been unveiled to get more children eating healthier and combat obesity problems.

The free scheme, from Southampton City Council, will “encourage and engage” with city schools.

The authority’s Public Health Service has paired with Solent NHS Trust to launch the Healthy High 5 Award, for infant, primary and secondary schools. Civic chiefs says it has an easy-to-follow framework for teachers and students which will make it easy for schools to help pupils get fit, eat well and be more mindful.

Schools will be awarded the status if they meet the criteria, which is divided into five elements – physical activity; access to water; healthy lunch, breakfast and afterschool clubs; mindfulness minute; nurturing nature.

Last year it was revealed that a third of ten and 11-year-olds in the city are obese.

Cllr Dave Shields, member for health, said: “Child obesity is a national problem, but one which we can tackle locally by working together on initiatives like The Healthy High Five Award.

“We’ve worked with NHS Solent’s Public Health Nursing Service and our teachers to design the award and ensure that schools can easily achieve it.”

The council says being a healthy weight “is key to a child’s wellbeing” and will help them do better at school, have better oral health, and increase their mental and social wellbeing.

Cllr Darren Paffey, member for education, is encouraging schools to take up the award.

“Benefits for schools that achieve each star include improving pupils’ concentration and readiness to learn and reducing disruptive behaviours,” he said.

“Healthier students are better learners and are better prepared for a successful life in work.”

Some schools in the city have already taken up the scheme, including Mansbridge Primary School.

Headteacher Mark Sheehan said: “We’re using the Healthy High 5 as our framework for getting and keeping students healthy. It is simple, straightforward, inexpensive and works well with our curriculum.

“Students and teachers have already seen the direct benefits of The Daily Mile that we have been doing in school for two years now. We are also already fulfilling the standards required in the three areas: keeping children hydrated, encouraging and providing for healthy eating in school and nurturing nature.

“The final piece in the jigsaw is to ensure that our mindfulness provision is more consistent throughout the school. We are working with agencies to provide training in this area with our youngest Year R children in the next couple of weeks.”

Mia Wren, Head of Integrated Early Help and Prevention, Solent NHS Trust, said: “The Healthy High 5 Award has been developed as a local response to the Healthy Schools Award with the aim of increasing participation of Southampton schools. The award has been designed to make a positive health and wellbeing impact across all pupils whose schools take part in the award.

“Increasing physical activity, improving access to water, healthier menus, mindful minutes and nurturing nature are at the core of the Key Stage 1 and 2 awards. Similar themes weave through the Key Stage 3 and 4 awards, highlighting key public health concerns affecting young people which include education on how to keep healthy, smoking cessation and education on fizzy and energy drinks.

"The Healthy High 5 Award has been developed using expertise from Solent NHS Trust, Southampton City Council and outside organisations to structure an award that has great benefits to pupils while being achievable for schools.”