Does Sun-Safety make a Health Program or a Health Promoting School?: A Case study of Climate, Culture and Barriers to Best Practice

Abstract

The study of climate and culture of a school may reveal the relevant barriers to effective health education, health programs and implementation of the health promoting schools model. When a school adopts and includes specific aspects of the health education syllabus, or policies such as sun protection, does this message translate to the school being a Health Promoting one? To investigate these issues a small school, located in a higher socio-economic area of a rural city is the focus of this study. The school is viewed in terms of its climate of collegiality and support, in a context of a culture of high accountability from State Wide Testing in NSW. Pressures on the school community to prioritise time to a few of the six key learning areas may affect the teaching of the PDHPE curriculum, and compromise the focus on an holistic approach to health. Within the climate and culture, both external and internal factors lead to a school engaged in being Reactive rather than Proactive, for health related issues.