National Healthy School status requires schools to meet criteria in four core themes. These criteria relate not only to the taught curriculum but also the emotional, physical and learning environment that the school provides. There are a number of specific actions that school need to take if they are to be recognized as Healthy Schools.. Many schools are already engaged in these activities and achieving recognition need not be onerous.

Schools are asked to demonstrate evidence in the core themes using a whole school approach involving the whole school community

• personal, social and health education including sex and relationship education and drug education (including alcohol, tobacco and volatile substance abuse)
• healthy eating
• physical activity
• emotional health and well-being (including bullying)

Many schools will address all these four key themes all at the same time, as they are interrelated and interdependent.