Each class is timetabled 1 hour of P.E. per week. Each teacher divides this into two half hours so that the children have the opportunity to do P.E. on two different days.
The 7 key messages of the Primary P.E. Curriculum are reinforced. These include:
- The importance of enjoyment and play.
- Maximum participation of all children.
- Development of skills and understanding.
- Balance between competitive and non-competitive activities.
- Balance between contact and non-contact activities.
- Opportunities for achievement for every child are provided.
- Activities equally suitable for boys and girls are provided.
P.E. Equipment
In September 2017 a new shed was installed to store our P.E. equipment. This allows all equipment to be stored safely and securely and it can be accessed easily.
The P.E. equipment and resources are clearly labelled, well organised and easily accessible. Maximum use is made of the equipment available to us.
The P.E. Curriculum
All classes are taught 5 different P.E. strands each year from the primary PE Curriculum which includes:
Athletics, Aquatics, Dance, Gymnastics, Games and Outdoor and Adventure Activities.
Athletics
All teachers will prioritised this strand in term 1 and use the PSSI lessons to guide their delivery.
Aquatics
The children in 3rd, 4th and 5th class attend swimming lessons in K-Leisure Naas every September and October for 8 weeks. All classes are taught the Land PAWS Water Safety Programme to support this strand.
Dance
Teachers teach dance lessons using the PSSI lessons during the winter term as the weather is too bad to do P.E. outside.
Gymnastics
As we do not have a P.E. hall all classes have attended Excel Gymnastics in Celbridge for the last 4 years. Junior Infants, Senior Infants, First Class and Second Class participate in a 2 hour workshop. The children are broken into groups and do different activities and then change. 3rd Class, 4th Class, 5th Class and 6th Class attend Excel on a different day and also do a 2 hour workshop. The most recent workshops took place in March 2017 and February 2018.
We are in the process of organising a block of lessons for Junior Infants to Second class to attend a workshop each week over a 4 week period during the autumn term.
Games
Each teacher teaches this strand in the first part of term 1 and term 2 weather permitting. The teachers are benefiting from the use of the Fundamental Movement Skills handbooks.
Outdoor Adventure Activities
All teachers do this strand for four weeks in June. Activities for Juniors Infants to Second Class and activities suitable for 3rd Class to 6th Class are set up and each class takes their turn doing them.
CPD in Physical Education
In May 2017 two teachers attended the PDST Physical Literacy Fundamental Movement Skills ‘Move Well Move Often’ Day 1 Seminar.
Two teachers will attend the Day 2 Seminar in June 2018.
In May 2017 all teachers attended the Be Active ASAP (After-School Activity Programme) training programme. All staff will take turns delivering the programme in conjunction with parent volunteers in 2018.
P.E. Homework
We decided to wait until term 3 to prescribe P.E. homework as we wish to embed the initiatives that we are undertaking. Homework is prescribed to the children on the days that they have P.E. classes. Active homework replaces all homework during Active School’s Week.