Pedagogical health – a holistic perspective on promoting children’s and students’ well-being in school

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Gloabally, young people are experiencing increasing ill health. Since school health promotion often lacks an interprofessional language, this study strives to open up a global conversation by introducing Pedagogical Health in School (PHIS). This serves as a novel pedagogical lens to bridge individual-level well-being with school-level structures, providing a shared conceptual base for interprofessional collaboration. Method Drawing on qualitative data from preschool through upper secondary school, the study explores the umbrella concept of pedagogical health, encompassing four health foundations: mental, physical, social, and existential health, and offering a holistic perspective on children’s and students’ well-being in school settings. Results The primary contribution is the identification of 52 candidate indicators manifesting across the four foundations in practice. These candidate indicators translate broad health concepts into observable phenomena, offering school staff a concrete, shared basis for interprofessional dialogue and action. Conclusions The article proposes pedagogically grounded definitions for each foundation to support coordinated health-promoting work. PHIS represents a significant advancement in the field of school health promotion by providing a holistic, pedagogically grounded perspective that aligns practice with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3 and 4). By integrating well-being into pedagogical settings, PHIS strengthens schools’ capacity for proactive and sustainable health promotion.