Since it began in 2020, Healthy Active Learning has grown to be in over 40 per cent of schools across the motu. To celebrate reaching this milestone, Minister for Sport and Recreation Hon Grant Robertson joined tamariki at Randwick School in Lower Hutt.

The day offered a chance to see just how the initiative, which is all about enhancing tamariki wellbeing through healthy eating and drinking and quality physical activity, is having an impact on the lives of young people.

Teacher Sally Anderson said there had been a lot of positive changes because of Healthy Active Learning, creating more inclusive opportunities for all students. She said she particularly enjoyed how the support offered was personalised for the values and needs of their school and how “it’s incorporating it into all aspects of the curriculum”.

Kyan, a student at the school, said it was important to be active and healthy to support your mental and physical health.

“It's also just a way to keep yourself motivated, happy and energized.”

“There's no school, no kura in New Zealand that wouldn't benefit from Healthy Active Learning approach,” Robertson said.

“My vision is that this is something that every school kid in New Zealand is able to experience.”