Health Research for Schools The Health Research for Schools team in the Department of Health Sciences of the University of Leicester was formed to promote communication with the local community about health research. Many research projects are undertaken in the city looking at local, national and international health care issues. As a team we are interested in the public understanding of where health policy and Government recommendations originate. By involving primary school children in the research process we hope they will be better equipped to understand and interpret health messages in the future.

Our Aim Our aim is to work with children in schools to explain what health research is, why it's important and how we do it. Pupils will be able to actively engage in research activity, understand how we collect health information and how it informs the health of the public. We hope to encourage closer links between schools, pupils and the University of Leicester.

Project Outline First, we will give a 30 minute assembly presentation about health research. Health Sciences staff will then support teachers and pupils to undertake mini health research projects. Pupils will be able to design, collect, analyse and disseminate real data. These projects would be suitable for KS2 pupils learning how to extract and interpret information presented in tables, graphs and charts but would make important links with healthy lifestyles and behaviours taught in citizenship.

We have the support of John Whitby the Healthy Schools Co-ordinator in this initiative to offer a different way of thinking about health messages. Since it is the 50th anniversary of the university we would like to encourage some of the children to present their work in the form of posters at the University of Leicester Open Day in April 2008.