Our school provides twice daily playground breaks. We promote the full range of fundamental movement skills during break times and pupils are allowed to run. The school yard is zoned for different classes and different activities. We continue the initiative of yard crates from our first Active Flag. Each class has a crate with equipment that can be used during break times.
Playground Leaders
Since November 2017 the Active Committee (5th class) have been doing Active Yard with Junior and Senior Infants every Monday lunchtime. Two to three committee members work together with a small group of children and do different activities with them at 3 different stations.
In January 2018 6th Class also became playground leaders. They practised throwing and catching skills with Junior and Senior Infants every Friday during term 2.
Volleyball Initiative
In term 2 2018 the Active School Committee introduced volleyball on the senior yard as one of the initiatives to encourage less active children to exercise more. The committee held two fundraisers to raise money to purchase a portable volleyball net. The committee members take turns setting up the net. Each senior class from 3rd to 6th class are assigned a day. This has proven a great success and it has allowed the children to develop a new skill. It has also led to more space on the yard which enables the children to have running games and ball games. Previously it was not possible to have both, this has meant the less active children involve themselves more often.
Volleyball Lunchtime League
During the month of April we held a volleyball league for the senior children at lunchtimes. The teams were made up of children from 3rd to 6th class. The final was held in May.
Soccer Tennis
Soccer tennis was another initiative. Every Tuesday lunchtime in November and December 2017 the Active Committee set up the tennis net in the 1st and 2nd class zone and the children played soccer tennis.
Walk and Talk
The children are encouraged to ‘do your talking as you’re walking’ during break times. This initiative is modelled by the staff who walk around the yard when on duty.
Wet Days
Although we have no P.E. hall we do our best to enable the children be active on wet days. We try and get them out either at break time or half of lunchtime. We rotate the use of the shelters and do exercises there. Teachers put on ‘Just Dance Kids’ so that the children can dance. The Operation Transformation ’10@10′ videos are also used, particularly at break time.
Short Activity Breaks
Teachers use ’10@10′ videos, ‘Just Dance Kids’ or ‘Go Noodle’ for short activity breaks.
No Sweets as Treats
Sweets as treats were removed during our last Active School Flag campaign and replaced with physical activity rewards. We continue this practice.
Fruit/Vegetable Break
In September 2017 we changed our break time to 11:00 am to improve timetabling however as our school day begins at 9:00 am we found that the children were very hungry by 11:00. This led us to carry out a breakfast survey in October 2017. The results of the survey indicated that over 60% of the children have breakfast before 8 am. In November 2017 we introduced a working fruit/vegetable break at 10:00 am.
Active School Motto
The school reinforces the message that children require 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day by reminding the children of our Active School Motto: ’60 minutes everyday all you have to do is play!’
This winning motto was created by Dylan Brogan (5th class). The poster was designed by Darragh Mooney (4th class) and the Samuel Cassidy (3rd class) designed the text. Well done boys!
Physical Activity Calendar Events
Active Halloween
All the children went on a Witches and Wizards Walk on the day of mid-term break.
Active Christmas
The children from all the classes did a Santa skip together.
Active Easter
We got all the classes out at the same time for Easter bunny hop skipping.
Run for Fun
We are launching ‘Run for Fun’ on the last day of our Active Week 1 June 2018. Each child in the junior classes will run a half a km a day and each child in the senior classes will run a km a day for the month of June.
Active Lines
We began Active Lines in Term 1 2017. 6th Class lead the school in Active Lines at break and lunch everyday.
Staff Physical Activity Initiative
On Sports Day every year the staff play 6th class in a volleyball match.
The 2017 6th class versus the staff volleyball match:
