Healthy School provides information about the importance of hygiene at school and tips for teaching materials. You can also find information on how to make the school environment more hygienic and what you can do to develop a sound hygiene policy.

Washing your hands after using the toilet and washing your hands before eating: habits like these contribute to good hygiene. They prevent the spread of diseases and bacteria. This helps keep pupils and staff healthy and fit and prevent absenteeism due to illness. It is therefore important that pupils learn how to care for themselves hygienically. And that they are taught in a clean and tidy environment. How can you achieve this? By working on Education, School Environment, Identification and Policy.

What are the benefits of working on hygiene for pupils?

Benefit 1

Pupils who know how to keep themselves and their surroundings clean benefit from this throughout their lives. This helps them prevent health problems. In addition, for pupils in special education, learning about hygiene at home is not always a matter of course.

Benefit 2

With good (personal) hygiene, pupils are less likely to become ill. Young pupils in particular are susceptible to diseases because their immune systems are still developing. Pupils do many things together, share a toilet with their classmates and eat in the same room.

Benefit 3

Infections spread less quickly when the school is properly cleaned and ventilated. Preventing pupils and staff from becoming ill helps reduce cancelled lessons.

Benefit 4

Pupils and staff function better in a clean, tidy environment. For example, pupils can continue to concentrate because they dare to go to the (clean) toilet in time. And everyone makes a greater effort to keep the surroundings clean.

Tip: how is your school doing? Use the clear theme scan to quickly check how far your school has progressed with the Hygiene theme. The more statements you can tick off, the better.

What can you do to help pupils?

One pupil may have to wash their hands before and after eating at home, while another does not. Not all pupils learn the habits required for good basic hygiene at home. ‘Basic hygiene’ includes personal hygiene, such as showering and brushing your teeth. But it also includes hygiene related to food – think of spreading a sandwich – and keeping the workspace at school clean. That is why it is valuable for pupils to learn about hygiene at school, especially in special education. This is how you can help make hygiene a habit:

  • Give lessons about hygiene.
  • Organise activities, such as a project week about hygiene. Or highlight a hygiene topic, such as oral health or handwashing.
  • Inform parents and carers. If they have questions about hygiene, help them further.
  • Ensure a clean school environment.
  • Arrange help for pupils with hygiene-related problems.
  • Work together with partner organisations, such as the GGD Municipal Public Health Service.
  • Include a vision on hygiene in the school policy and involve pupils, parents, carers and staff in drawing it up.

Approach and support

For an effective approach, work on Education, School Environment, Identification and Policy. For each pillar, you can read what is needed to apply the Healthy School approach.

Would you like help implementing the Healthy School approach? Contact the Healthy School adviser from your regional GGD for advice and support.

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