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Home > Make a change > Healthy Eating and Healthy Weight > Useful Information for Children and Families > The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP)

The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP)

The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) is a government programme that aims to measure the height and weight of every child twice during primary school, once in Reception and once in Year 6.

Your child doesn’t have to take part, but every child measured contributes to building a national picture about how children are growing. This information is used to inform the planning and delivery of services that help children and families to lead healthy lives. The measurement is also an opportunity to check how your child is growing and allows you to have an important piece of information that you can add to what you already know about your child's lifestyle.

If you have a child in Reception or Year 6, you’ll receive a digital booklet through your child’s school, before your child is measured, with more information about the programme.

Read more about the NCMP process on the NHS website.

Or get a full overview of the programme and process involved by watching this video:

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Get in touch:

If you have any queries about the NCMP process, please speak with your school nursing team or get in touch at NCMP@cornwall.gov.uk

 

Further information and FAQs:

 

Does my child have to take part?

No, they do not. Some parents may choose to opt out of the NCMP programme, and you will be offered the chance to do this when you receive the Child Health Programme digital booklet through your child’s school. Children can also opt out on the day should they wish.

We do recommend that your child takes part so you can check if your child is growing as expected for their age.

 

What happens on the day?

Trained members of the school nursing team will weigh your child and measure their height while they're in their clothes at school. They will make sure the measurements are done sensitively and in private, and your child's results will not be shared with teachers or other children.

 

How do I find out about my child’s results?

Parents and carers have told us that they want to know their child’s measurements, so you will receive a feedback letter within 6 weeks of your child being measured. This letter will include your child’s height and weight measurements.

If you would like to find out whether your child is underweight, a healthy weight or above a healthy weight, you can do this by simply entering their height and weight details into the NHS BMI calculator (use Child tab).

Use the NHS BMI calculator to check your child is a healthy weight

You could also plot your child’s height and weight in their ‘Red Book’ to see how their growth may have changed since early childhood.

 

How is my child’s weight category calculated?

A child's weight category is calculated using Body Mass Index (BMI) centiles. Children’s BMI is worked out differently to an adult's BMI and takes into account their height, age and sex. The result is given as a centile which compares your child to other children of the same age and gender. For example, if a child has a BMI in the 60th centile, 60% of children of the same sex and age have a lower BMI and 40% have a higher BMI.

 

Can I trust the results?

Your child’s height and weight measurements are taken by trained professionals using carefully calibrated equipment. You can use these measurements to calculate your child’s BMI centile using the NHS BMI calculator. Using BMI centiles to assess weight in children is an accurate and reliable method and your child’s height, age and sex are all taken into account as part of the calculation. This means your child’s results are usually a reliable measurement of overall health.

Even doctors and nurses find it hard to tell if someone is a healthy weight just by looking at them. That’s why we use measures like BMI centiles as an objective indicator of health, as well as other factors like activity levels, food choices, and happiness and wellbeing.

 

Should I share these results with my child?

The results are sent to you, so the decision whether to talk to your child about them is entirely yours. A child’s age, their ability to understand the discussion and their involvement in decisions about what they eat and how they spend their time are important factors to consider when deciding whether to have a discussion with them.

Some parents or carers like to discuss the results with their child and then decide together whether to make any changes to the family’s diet or activity levels. Others decide to make subtle changes without telling them. There is no right or wrong answer, and the decision depends on your individual circumstances. Weight Concern provide excellent, more in-depth advice about talking to your child about weight.

Find information and advice on talking to your child about weight

 

What support is available if I am concerned about my child’s weight?

There is a range of helpful information and support available across Cornwall.

Many parents have found handy tips, including recipes and fun activity ideas, to help them make small healthy lifestyle changes on the Better Health Healthier Families website.

Take a look at the tips, recipes and activities on the Better Health website

You can also find lots of useful information on getting active, eating healthily and healthy weight management on our website.

Check out our Healthy Families information and resources

Alternatively, if you would like some further support with making healthy lifestyle changes as a family, we offer a variety of different locally run programmes. All programmes take place in a completely non-judgemental, supportive and friendly environment.

Find out more about our current and up and coming programmes

If your child is identified as being significantly above a healthy weight, a member of the Healthy Cornwall team will be in touch to give you an opportunity to discuss this and ask any questions you may have. You will be offered the chance to opt-out of this call in the feedback letter should you wish to.

If your child has a condition that might be impacting on their growth e.g. diabetes, then we suggest contacting your GP or the School Nurse Advice Line on hvsnadvice@cornwall.gov.uk or 01872 322779 if you would like further advice and support on how to help your child achieve and maintain a healthier weight.