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At school

SunSmart recommends that all Victorian schools have a SunSmart UV policy to ensure a healthy UV balance is achieved to minimise the risk of skin and eye damage and skin cancer and ensure vitamin D levels are maintained.

Evidence shows that schools with a SunSmart UV policy are more likely to have measures in place to protect students.

Actively participating in one of our school membership programs ensures you have a current policy. This also helps address duty of care and health and safety responsibilities for staff and students. The majority of Victorian primary schools and over half of special education schools are registered members of the SunSmart schools program. Schools with secondary years (E-12, P-12 and 7-12 schools) are eligible to join our secondary school UV program. Is your school participating?

Membership also includes:

advice on incorporating sun protection behaviour and staff role modelling into daily school activities
information on safe UV exposure for vitamin D
support to implement your policy, including newsletter articles and uniform advice
access to curriculum resources, presentations, lesson ideas and resources on topics such as UV, the UV Alert, tanning and solariums
a SunSmart sign (only for registered SunSmart program members
a certificate to acknowledge participation.

Membership, information and lesson ideas for your school

E–6 / P–6 schools
E–12 / P–12 / 7–12 schools
Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) services
Special education schools
SunSmart Countdown song (appropriate for all junior classes)

View SunSmart's submission [pdf 428K] to the Education and Training Committee Parliamentary Inquiry into the Potential for Developing Opportunities for Schools to Become a Focus for Promoting Healthy Community Living.

Download the Outside 5 primary poster [pdf 1.25M] to display at your school.

Outside eBulletin

Updates and ideas to help share the SunSmart message. See the Outside eBulletin.

Smart fundraising sunscreen

Summer is coming and UV radiation levels are already high. Time to stock up on sunscreen and raise funds for your school. See Smart fundraising sunscreen for details.

Sunscreen lesson ideas

Shade in schools

The Federal Government's Building the Education Revolution (BER) funding initiative for schools provides an unprecedented opportunity to increase or improve the quality of shade in your school. Developing quality shade in schools provides information to help guide the planning and development of shade or outdoor learning area projects in schools.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development's Building Quality Standards Handbook sets the minimum quality criteria for all projects, including new construction and refurbishment. Section 7.5.5 provides information about shade areas.

Building shade structures at secondary schools could play a major role in addressing young people's poor sun protection behaviours, according to Cancer Council Victoria

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UV Alert

For: Melbourne, 12 Mar

Sun Protection required: 10:20 am to 4:40 pm

Alert: 8

Other locations around Victoria

What is the UV Alert?

Also refer to:

When planning outdoor events: event organisers have a responsibility to protect visitors, staff and volunteers from UV exposure
During sport and recreation activities: associations and clubs have a responsibility to protect players, spectators, volunteers and officials from UV exposure
Around water: protect visitors and staff from UV exposure at pools and beaches. Our research shows that most people get sunburnt in and around water