Good physical and mental health is critically important to students’ ability to learn. Health education provides students with the self-regulatory skills and competencies they need to make healthy decisions and engage in health promoting behaviours.
Health
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48%
of elementary schools have a health and physical education teacher.
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95%
of Ontario’s students attend public school.
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99%
of all secondary schools report having a guidance counselor.
Health research
SHAPES – School Health Action Planning and Evaluation System 1
In Nova Scotia, Quebec, PEI and BC, schools are participating in a new way to keep track of students’ physical and mental health.
The Link Between Pupil Health and Well Being and Attainment
This research brief from Public Health England discusses the critical role that students' social emotional health plays in their school success and the role schools in supporting social emotional learning for students.
Physical activity linked to academic performance in boys
A Finnish research study found that young boys who are physically active tend to have better academic achievements. Boys who reported higher levels of physical activity during recess had better reading skills than less active…
Ready, Set, Go! Building Healthy Schools in Ontario
When schools support comprehensive health programs and resources—integrating all aspects of health and well-being, including mental, physical, social, sexual and relational health—the impacts on students are positive and lasting.
Broader measures of success: Measuring what matters in education
The launch report for Measuring What Matters, a project proposing five dimensions of learning that, alongside academic achievement, might be part of a more comprehensive set of indicators of success.
Tips for parents:
Health and Physical Education
All students are required to take Health and Physical Education (HPE) from Kindergarten through Grade 8. Students must also earn one high school credit in HPE in order to graduate. Find out more about what students are learning, and why this is an important part of their education.
In the news
Toronto Star: School guidance counsellors ‘stretched’ amid rising mental health needs
People for Education's new report finds students have limited access to school guidance counsellors at a time when transition/career planning is more complicated and students' mental health needs are increasing.
New report highlights competing priorities in education
People for Education's annual report on Ontario’s schools shows decline in library staff and music teachers; improvements in Indigenous education.
New report reveals geographic divide in Ontario schools
People for Education releases 19th Annual Report on Ontario’s Publicly Funded Schools.