Bugle celebrates teeth brushing
The Aspire Academy Trust is proud to be part of the Big Brush Club, a nationwide initiative aimed at improving children's oral hygiene through fun, education, and routine.
On Friday 23rd May, Early Years children at Bugle School & Nursery welcomed Dr Chris Reid, Chief Medical Officer for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB) and The Big Brush Club representatives to their setting to showcase their super teeth brushing and demonstrate their impressive oral hygiene knowledge.
L-R: Chief Medical Officer Dr Chris Reid, Bugle Nursery Teacher Eve Facey, Trust EYFS Lead Helen Bingham & Bugle EYFS Lead Chantelle McKernan
Since September 2024, hundreds of Aspire nursery and reception class children have been improving their dental health, thanks to a new supervised toothbrushing scheme called the Big Brush Club. This initiative is designed to foster good oral health and combat decay and has been commissioned by the NHS and provided by At Home Dental.
The Big Brush Club is the largest such evidence-based programme in England and is being delivered to nearly 50,000 children across the Southwest.
Over 50 Aspire Reception and Nursery leads took part in training sessions back in March 2024 and the programme is now firmly embedded in 35 Aspire academies, and integrated nurseries.
The amazing displays of Bugle School & Nursery
Alongside 35 other Aspire academies across The Duchy, the EYFS team at Bugle School & Nursery have been passionate advocates of the teeth-brushing initiative since its inception and were delighted to play host to such esteemed guests – including Bob the Badger who handed out toothbrushes and special stickers!
Chantelle McKernan, Deputy Head of School and EYFS Lead at Bugle School & Nursery commented, “Since joining the programme, we have seen a noticeable improvement in our pupils' understanding of good dental habits and the importance of daily brushing. Through engaging activities, classroom support, and collaboration with health professionals, our children have not only learned about oral health but have also embraced it as a part of their daily lives.
“The programme has helped to increase parents' knowledge and awareness of effective oral hygiene practices at home, creating a more consistent and supportive environment for healthy habits to thrive.”
Helen Bingham, Aspire EYFS Lead added, “From the moment we heard about Big Brush Club we knew it was a perfect fit for our trust. Working with Big Brush Club strengthens our mission to give every child the very best start in life, helping our families establish and build lifelong healthy dental care routines that protect and promote wellbeing.
Aspire Academy Trust is grateful to the Big Brush Club team for their support and resources, and we encourage other schools to take part in this important effort to promote better oral health in our communities.
A huge well done to the Aspire EYFS teams for their outstanding delivery of the Big Brush Club scheme to date, and to all our nursery and reception class children for taking such good care of their teeth!
Super Nursery teeth brushing and Reception Class superstars talking with Hits Radio Cornwall.
Special thanks to the children and staff of Bugle School and Nursery for showcasing their talents and making their guests feel so welcome. Keep up that brushing!
To read more about the programme, click the link below:
NHS Cornwall & Isles of Scilly | Supervised toothbrushing contract extended to all primary schools in Cornwall
To learn more about the Big Brush Club, click the link below: