News | 23 September 2025
Give student health the prominence it deserves
At IES, we believe that education happens both inside and outside the classroom. Student health is not a separate service, but an integrated part of our educational model.
Student health often does not receive the attention it deserves within the school world. At Internationella Engelska Skolan (IES) we believe a strong student health service is not a cost – it is an invaluable investment in the future of our children and our society.
IES nurse coordinator, Maria Göransdotter Hammar recently presented our working method and the material we have developed for student health talks when she, in her capacity as chair of the Swedish Association of School Nurses, participated in the international conference School Nurses International, which was held in Shizuoka, Japan.
Ms Göransdotter Hammar said: “We take student health very seriously. It is not a service separate from education, but an integrated part. When a student is not well, their ability to learn, to absorb knowledge, and to develop as a person is affected.
“A child who sleeps too little, a child who worries about their home environment, or a child who feels lonely at school can never reach their full potential.
“The student health team has a preventative, health-promoting, and supportive mission, which makes a real difference to the physical and mental well-being of our students. We are proud of the work of our student health team in all our schools.”
Through the IES working model for health talks, school nurses are given a concrete tool to support the students' mental and physical health in a professional, systematic and evidence-based manner.
The model is also used as a basis for cooperation between other professions in student health, the school management, and teachers. This enables early and coordinated support at the individual, group, and organisational level, which is crucial for promoting students' health, well-being, and ability to succeed in school.
Dr Helena Lüning, director of student health at IES, concluded: “By prioritizing student health and working together as a team, we ensure every student gets the support they need to succeed in school and in life.”