PANCO

Physical and Nutrition Coordinator 

The PANCo promotes positive nutrition: By focusing on achieving a whole setting environment that promotes healthy eating for children and their families.


They promote physical activities: By having an understanding of the importance of children’s physical development and emphasizing the skills and tools required to ensure children can access a wide range of activities and active play.


Change is managed: By examining factors which influence well-being within the setting and focusing on strategies for implementing change that encourage healthy nutrition and activity.


The aim is to:

 

  • Put the well-being of the child at the center of practice by  developing a specialist PANCO role. 
  • By supporting the wellbeing of the children, families and staff. By promoting the framework and spreading the knowledge through activities.
  • By working together as a whole setting establishing close working relationships with a range of different partners which will include other professionals.

 

PANCO Policy

Physical Activity

The government recommendation is that pre-school age children SHOULD be active for at least 3 hours, spread out throughout their day.


Currently, nationally in the age range of 2-4 year olds only 9% of boys and 10% of girls achieve the governments recommended levels of physical activity.

Weight Matters

 

  • One in five children in Reception (age 4-5 years) is overweight or obese.
  • By Year 6 (age 10-11 years) this has risen to 1 in 3!
  • In 2015 62.9% of adults in the UK were overweight or obese (67.8% men and 58.1% women)

 

Fat, Salt and Sugar!

Fat, salt and sugar are all needed as part of a healthy, balanced diet. However, as a nation we eat far too much which can have a negative effect on health.


FAT – too much can lead to weight gain, high cholesterol. It can also increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

SALT – too much increases risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

SUGAR – too much can lead to weight gain and tooth decay.

Authority Schemes

Central Bedfordshire Council and the government have several schemes in place to promote good nutrition and physical activities in the Under 5's. There are also schemes available for children over 5 and their families.


Here are some of the following Schemes: HENRY, Live well Plate, Change for Life, Xplorers, Eat Better-Start Better.

Healthy Movers

To support our PANCo Policy, in January 2024, we introduced our ‘Healthy Movers’ initiative in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust and our local authority, with whole staff training to deliver our new ‘Healthy Movers’ programme to promote our children’s physical literacy skills. 

 

Physical literacy is defined as the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to maintain physical activity throughout the life course. Physical activity is key in the early years of life. It helps children to grow up healthy and strong, develop their brains, learn new skills and gain new knowledge. Physical activity also helps children on their unique journey to becoming ‘physically literate.’

 

Healthy Movers is an inclusive programme for our children aged 2 to 5 years. We run a ‘Healthy Movers’ session once a week for both our Zebra and Giraffe Room children to help promote their physical activity levels, which also helps to support building our children’s confidence and supports children to become happier, healthier and more active. 

 

Healthy Movers activities embrace locomotion (agility), stability (balance) and object control (coordination) as well as promoting body confidence, positive body image and healthy eating.

 

Supporting the Early Years Foundation Stage. 

 

Healthy Movers has been specifically designed to complement the EYFS Framework. Healthy Movers supports the four guiding principles of the EYFS Framework, the characteristics of effective teaching and learning and incorporates all 7 areas of learning and development identified in the EYFS.