SCHOOLS throughout East Lancashire will have the opportunity to check their 'healthy credentials' following the development of Lancashire Health Schools Programme.

This is set to be launched at a series of events this week following a successful pilot which involved more than 90 schools including 10 primary and secondary schools from Hyndburn.

And one of the first of these launches will be at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Blackburn Road, Clayton-le-Moors from 9.15am on Wednesday.

The 90 pilot schools have been supported by healthy school specialists employed by health authorities and primary care trusts, and once the programme is launched it is hoped that more than half of the county's 650 schools will be taking part, including many in East Lancashire's most socially disadvantaged wards.

Schools taking part in the programme can choose topics they wish to work towards from a list including healthy eating, physical activity, safety, emotional health and well-being, sexual health and relationships, and drug education.

And schools can also work towards specific themes such as creating a healthy schools ethos or developing local links to improve the health in their community.

The Healthy Schools Programme has been developed from a partnership involving Lancashire County Council and health authorities and primary care trusts throughout the county. This partnership has been working to develop the Programme in line with the National Healthy Schools Standard and once accredited it will mean Lancashire schools can work towards a nationally recognised programme.

County Councillor Alan Whittaker, Cabinet Member for Education and Young People, said: "This is a tremendously important initiative. Research has shown that young people's health and well-being and their attainment in school go hand in hand."