North Yorkshire schools champion asthma-friendly initiatives to support students
Hunmanby Primary latest to earn Asthma Friendly School status
Schools across North Yorkshire are advancing initiatives to support hundreds of children and young people with asthma.
Hunmanby Primary School recently achieved Asthma Friendly School status, highlighting efforts to equip staff and pupils with an understanding of asthma and enhancing support for affected children and their families.
Collaborating with North Yorkshire Council and the Sidewalk Youth Project in Scarborough, the school implemented measures to promote a safe, healthy, and inclusive setting for asthmatic students.
These measures involve specialised staff training, updating individual care plans, ensuring access to inhalers, and strengthening communication with families and healthcare professionals.
Asthma, affecting one in 11 children in the UK, presents symptoms like wheezing and breathlessness that lead to school absences for one in five children annually.
Cllr Michael Harrison, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for health and adult services, praised Hunmanby Primary School for its achievement, stating, "It is encouraging to see such a thoughtful, caring and inclusive approach embedded across the whole school community."
The Asthma Friendly School award, launched in 2018 following a national review of asthma deaths, positions schools as crucial players in reducing fatalities and hospital admissions related to asthma.
Currently, 20 schools in North Yorkshire hold Asthma Friendly status, with efforts to expand the programme encouraging consistent support across the region.
Assistant headteacher Rhiannon Pearson of Hunmanby Primary School expressed pride in their achievements: “We are very proud of our Asthma Friendly School status. The forward-thinking environment we have created minimises asthma related absences, ensures children stay well, allows pupils to participate confidently in indoor and outdoor lessons and offers parents peace of mind knowing their child is supported by well-informed and prepared teachers and classmates.
“In addition, children are aware of the location of their inhalers and have no hesitation asking for them.”
Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for education, learning and skills, added, “My congratulations to the school for their work in improving the educational experience for pupils with asthma."
Interested schools can find details on qualifying as asthma-friendly at the Asthma Friendly Schools Award via Healthy Schools North Yorkshire.