PAT welcomes children's manifesto

Monday, 21, Mar 2005 12:00

PAT WELCOMES "CHILDREN'S MANIFESTO"

The Professional Association of Teachers (PAT) has welcomed the Government's "Children's Manifesto" launched today (21 March 2005).

PAT General Secretary Jean Gemmell said: "We welcome this wide-ranging initiative which recognises that children and families should be at the heart of this country's social and education policies.

"We are particularly pleased by news of the proposed School Food Trust and Government plans to invest in school meals and kitchens and to curb the advertising of junk food on TV.

"A good diet and good health go hand in hand. Schools can play an important part in encouraging pupils to eat more healthily, but the Government must increase the amount schools can spend on school meals if these reforms are to work.

"PAT has already backed Jamie Oliver's "Feed Me Better" campaign, joining the 50,000 plus signatories supporting the campaign to improve the standard of school meals.

"We hope that the government will indeed do more to get parents involved in school meals and to encourage healthy eating at home. Children eat a lot more meals at home and elsewhere than they do at school.

"Exercise plays a key role too. Over the past 20 years, the proportion of children travelling to school by car has almost doubled and the proportion of pupils walking or cycling has decreased significantly, so it is not surprising that levels of childhood obesity have increased! Obviously many children live too far from school to walk or cycle, especially in rural areas, but this is an issue which should be addressed. Statistics show that in urban areas at 8.50 am, 1 in 5 cars is taking children to school.

"The amount of time dedicated to school sports and PE has also declined in recent years because of the pressures of the curriculum and the Government's standards and testing agenda."

"PAT would also welcome greater protection for children using the Internet."

PAT has welcomed the introduction by the The Teaching Awards of a category for Healthy Schools: http://www.teachingawards.com/background/Categories.asp .

Notes

Feed Me Better Campaign http://www.feedmebetter.com/

Feed Me Better petition http://www.feedmebetter.com/getinvolved/signexplain.php

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