Sun protection for teachers

The importance of positive health choices is stressed in the PHSE syllabus for all four key stages. Sun protection is a good example to use when discussing healthy lifestyles because:

• it is suitable for children of all ages
• sun protection is easy to understand
• small changes in behaviour can make a big difference to later life
• sun protection is a key issue in the media and is relevant to travel abroad
• older children could be interested in why people might choose to ignore warnings about sun protection
• not using sun protection has consequences both in the short term (burning and discomfort) and in the long term (skin cancer).

Sun protection and skin cancer fit into the science curriculum in a variety of ways. These include:

• UV rays - as a source of radiation
• properties of materials - shade, reflection and absorption
• the environment - variable intensities of UV, the role of ozone
• biology - of the skin, DNA, cells, cancer, medicine.

We have produced teaching resources for nursery and primary schools in collaboration with teachers. Download the resources free of charge on our teaching resources page.

You are welcome to use information from the SunSmart website in your publications and resources. Please reproduce it exactly and acknowledge Cancer Research UK as the source.

Although fair skinned people are more at risk from sun damage, sun protection is relevant to both fair and dark skinned children. The World Health Organisation states:

"Many believe that only fair-skinned people need to be concerned about over exposure to the sun. High levels of the skin pigment melanin reduce the risk of common skin cancer for people with darker skin. However, even though the incidence of skin cancer is lower in dark-skinned people, skin cancers that do occur are often detected at a later, more dangerous stage. The risk of other health effects related to sun exposure, such as eye damage, premature ageing of the skin , and immunosuppression, is independent of skin colour."