RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Health promotion in scho n Background The Health Promoting Schools framework is part of the

Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleWorld Health Organization (WHO) Global School Health Initiative and has the goal of strengthening health promo-tion and education activities at every level from local to global [1]. The components for delivering a Health Pro-moting School are: health policies, physical environment, social environment, community involvement, curriculum In many countries, health promotion and prevention activities in schools are the role of the school nurse [3,4]. As a result, school nursing has evolved into a very different role from that of traditional first aid provider [5,6]. This is particularly evident in secondary schools where health promotion activities target key health-related behaviours that are established in adolescence such as tobacco and alcohol use, sexual practices, dietary choices and physical activity [7]