Outdoor school events like carnivals, incursions and outdoor assemblies can leave wonderful, lasting memories – unless you’re left with a painful dose of sunburn. Ensure your next outdoor event is sun safe and everyone is protected from UV radiation.
Eden Hill Primary School in Perth has made the leap to remove caps from their uniform list and embrace a sun protective hat. It was achieved with team effort, whole school community support and a lot of enthusiasm.
The process of becoming a SunSmart School was driven by PE Teacher Deb Andrews. The biggest challenge was ensuring that all students were adequately protected from ultraviolet (UV) radiation by wearing a sun protective hat, instead of the baseball caps that were a daily feature in the school. Caps do not provide adequate protection from UV to the ears, cheeks and neck.
A survey of the 470 students found that just over 300 wore a broad brimmed or bucket hat. To ensure that all students switched from caps, Mrs Andrews educated all classes about UV, the importance of protecting our skin and wearing a sun protective hat. Students were set a challenge to see how many students could switch from a cap to a SunSmart hat. This was a huge success with nearly all students making the switch in just a few weeks!
Parents, teachers and the community were actively involved and communication about SunSmart Schools and information was communicated via newsletters and assemblies. The success was due to students, staff and parents working together to ensure their school is SunSmart and wearing the best sun protective hat. Your school can do it too!
It is a whole school responsibility! Talk to your school administration team, P&C/P&F and school board about phasing out caps. Include sun protection in the school health committee!
- Be a positive role model! This is a powerful key for children adopting healthy habits that could last a lifetime
- Have the expectation that everyone wears a sun protective hat. That includes students, teachers, other staff, pre-service teachers, and visiting sport providers. It not only protects their own skin, but it sends the right message. It also meets Workplace Health and Safety requirements
- Explain the benefits of wearing a SunSmart hat to students so they can make the connection to their health – it’s not just a rule to be followed
- Allow time for transition. Praise students for making a healthy choice and wearing a SunSmart hat. Encourage those who do not have a hat to play in the shade
For more information about the SunSmart Schools program READ MORE
