Frequently asked questions about the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) for families in Southwark

By taking part in the measurement programme, we're able to monitor the growth and health of children and offer support where it is needed. It is not easy to tell by looking if a child is overweight or not. The measurement programme can help parents make decisions about their child’s daily eating and physical activity habits and make simple changes if necessary.

Children’s weight is measured using the body mass index (BMI). This is calculated by dividing their weight (in kilograms) by the square of their height (in metres). 

Use this calculator to check your child’s BMI.

When children are a healthy weight, they often find it easier to play and learn. Helping children to be a healthier weight when they are young encourages healthier habits as adults.The whole family can enjoy eating healthily and being active. Children who see their parents, grandparents and carers follow a healthy and active lifestyle tend to join in and learn by example. These habits become a normal part of everyday life for the whole family.

Visit the NHS healthier families webpages for information about physical activity and healthy eating. 

Southwark residents can use swimming and gym facilities for free in all of the council leisure centres. Find out more on the Southwark Counciil website. 

It can be upsetting to read that your child is overweight or very overweight, but it certainly does not mean your parenting is at fault.

The results letter is sent to you to make sure that you're aware of your child’s weight, and to give you an opportunity to review your child's eating and physical activity habits as a family.

If you would like support to make healthy changes, you are invited to join the free Alive N Kicking programme. Find out about the programme on the Everyone Health website.

Visit the NHS website for more advice and support.

If you have any further questions or concerns about your child's weight, contact your school nurse on 0203 049 4777 or your GP.

Everyone Health delivers a free 12 week programme, called Alive N Kicking. The programme helps families make healthier choices around food and exercise, in a fun way. The whole family are encouraged to attend.

Visit the Everyone Health website for more information.

If your child is overweight or very overweight, your contact details will have been passed to Everyone Health who will be inviting you to join Alive N Kicking.

Your child's age, gender, and date of birth are used to calculate your child’s weight category.

Your child's name, date of birth and NHS Number are used to link your child’s measurements from Reception and Year 6.

Other data sets may also be linked such as your child’s dental survey results or any visits to hospital they may have had.

Linking your child's information in this way helps us to understand how and why the weight status of children is changing, and how this affects children’s health.

Your child's ethnicity and address are used to help understand some of the reasons for the difference and changes in child weight across England.

Your address is required to send you your child's feedback letter. This will include your child's measurements together with information about healthy eating, being active and related activities available in your area.

Your email address and telephone number are required as we may contact you by email or telephone to discuss your child's feedback, send you your child's feedback letter by email or offer you further support after your child's height and weight measurement. All of the data collected is also used for improving health, care and services through research and planning.All this information is treated confidentially and held securely by us. No individual measurements will be given to school staff or other children.

The information collected from all schools in the area will be gathered together and held securely by Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust.

We will store your child’s information as part of their local child health record on the NHS’s child health information database and share it with Southwark Council. Parent’s contact details of overweight and very overweight children will be shared by GSTT with Everyone Health who is commissioned by Southwark Council and delivers a free family weight management programme in Southwark.

All the information collected about your child will be sent by us to NHS Digital. NHS Digital is responsible for collecting data and information about health and care so that this can be used to monitor and improve the care provided to people across England.

The information collected about your child will also be shared by NHS Digital with Public Health England but in a de-personalised form only. This means Public Health England will not be able to identify your child.

Public Health England is responsible for working to protect and improve the nation’s health. Both NHS Digital and Public Health England will use the information from the National Child Measurement Programme to better understand numbers and trends in child weight and body mass index (BMI).

This helps with the planning of services to support healthy lifestyles in your area. No information will ever be published by NHS Digital or Public Health England that identifies your child. De-personalised information from the National Child Measurement Programme may also be shared by NHS Digital with other organisations, such as universities.

This is to help improve health, care and services through research and planning. This information cannot be used to identify your child, and NHS Digital only ever shares information for research with the approval of an independent group of experts. Information about how NHS Digital and Public Health England collect and use information can be found at NHS Digital.