AN INFANT school in Basingstoke is so healthy it has officially been awarded Enhanced Healthy School status.

South View Infant School has become the first school in Hampshire to gain such status as part of the Government's fast track scheme, which they became eligible for after gaining Healthy School status twice.

The purpose of the scheme is to ensure that health education becomes a part of the school curriculum and that the wider community is involved in its planning.

At South View, this has included allowing children to contribute their views in the school council, running a parent and child cookery course, holding a fitness week and having a counsellor available on site each week.

In order to enhance their status, the school worked to develop on these initiatives, which were checked by a "buddy" school, Oakridge Infant School.

Maggi Rowden, who is responsible for South View's personal, social and health education (PSHE), said: "All of the staff take a holistic view of children and their education and believe in healthy bodies and healthy minds.

"Enhanced Healthy School gave us the opportunity to audit and celebrate the school's efforts to achieve these views."

Headteacher Pat MacDougall said: "We are delighted. We hope that these habits will become part of the children's normal way of living so that they will become healthy adults and will, in turn, pass this on to their own children."