Physical Activity
Extra-Curricular Sports!
When we embarked on Active School Flag in 2018, we expressed our commitment to maintaining our Extra-Curricular Programme which is primarily run by volunteer teachers and parents. In our school, we play table tennis, camogie, Gaelic football and basketball. We also participate in the 80m sprint and relays in East-Leinster Santry Athletics Meeting each year. We introduced soccer as a new extra-curricular sport in our school in 2019. That came about as a result of a query in our Suggestions Box! In the bottom right photograph above, we see our school's first ever soccer team , having just played a very sporting match against another school in our locality!
Active Breaks
Teachers are ensuring that the children in their classrooms get regular active breaks during the school day. Here are photos, taken in 2018, of children in various classrooms enjoying a kilometre run, GoNoodle, Just Dance and 10@10.
Playground Leaders
In November 2018, we introduced our 5th Class Playground Leaders to our Infant Yard for Big Break each Friday. Ms. O'Neill taught the Playground Leaders some of the games suggested on the Active School website and the girls then taught those games to the Infant classes. In the above photo, 5th Class are learning 'Dusty Bluebells', 'The Grand Old Duke of York' and 'Mulberry Bush'. They taught teaching games such as these and skipping games to the Infants from November 2018 to February 2020. At that point, we decided that while what we were doing worked well, it was not very sustainable. as it was quite time consuming training in the senior girls. We got some advice about this at a 'Nearly There' Active Schools meeting and decided, based on that advice, to laminate simple games instead and put them in a bucket. The senior girls would go to Infant Yard each Friday and teach some of the laminated games from the bucket. We had just started that and it was working really well when lockdown started.
Yard Equipment
Our yard would probably be unrecognisable now to past-pupils of our school. In order to increase children's activity levels in school, in October 2018,we introduced yard equipment-balls, skipping ropes, elastic bands and hoops. The children are so much more active and the feedback has been really positive from parents, staff and children. We store the yard equipment near the exits to yard for easy access. Apart from all of the exercise that the children are getting, developing coordination etc. , many teachers have noticed that the children are far happier in yard and this has improved their wellbeing.
Whole-School Run a Mile Event 2019!
Through our partnership with DLR Sports Partnership, we learned of this absolutely wonderful event! Every child from Junior Infants right up to 6th Class, along with most teachers and even some parents, ran a mile in Marlay Park on 9th May, 2019. We cannot thank DLR Sports Partnership enough for this fun and active occasion. There was such a great buzz around our school during the whole week of the event. This activity certainly went a long way towards teaching us that each and every one of us, regardless of ability, can be active, fit and healthy. We loved it so much that we have decided to arrange our own Run A Mile event next year, now that DLR Sports Partnership have shown us how to do it!
Taster Activities!
In 2019 we introduced the children in our school to three taster activities. Room 7 had a taster lesson in Yoga, delivered by Rebecca's mum.The children really enjoyed it and learned lots about stretching and yoga poses. Almost all classes in the school had a taster lesson in frisbee. Everyone loved it. It was news to all of us that there is a sport called Ultimate Frisbee and some children are already planning on playing it in college! We downloaded and laminated some lessons, that the instructor gave us for all the teachers,and we bought frisbees right away!5th and 6th Classes had a taster lesson in tug o'war. Again, the girls really enjoyed it and many were amazed that it is a sport! We got to keep the rope so we hope to have some fun tug o' war events in the school next year!
Yard Equipment and Playground Leaders Up and Running Again!
2019-20: A new school year and all Active School systems are operating again! Yard equipment rota sorted ! Vanessa and Emma, who are on the Active School Committee decided that an Equipment Rota was needed too! Well done to them!
New Playground Markings!
As part of our Active School initiative, we requested and received funding from our Board of Management in October 2019, for our new playground markings in the Junior Yard. We are very grateful as the children are now provided with more opportunities to develop coordination and have even more fun at break times. We got our basketball court lined too!
Active School Halloween Event!
We enjoyed a fun, Active Halloween Event 2019 in the hall . 5th Class demonstrated two guided dances- GoNoodle 'Purple Stew' and The Hues Corporation 'Rock the Boat' which will probably remind many a mammy and daddy of a wedding they were at at some stage! We hope you enjoy the video as ,much as we enjoyed this active event!
Active Break Everyday Challenge -10th Nov.-6th Dec. 2019
Every class participated in the Active Break Everyday Challenge for a month. The children really enjoyed the breaks and learned about the importance of active breaks for concentration and well-being! We hope that every class will now include an active break as part of their daily routine!
Christmas 2019 Active Event-On the First Day of Fitness, My True Love Said To Me....!
February 2020: The Active Message is Getting Out There!
Two years into our Active School Flag campaign and it looks like our message about the importance of physical activity is being transmitted very well! One of our pupils in 1st Class decided all on her own to write out lists of 'active things' to do, 'lazy things' to do etc. We're delighted that the children are thinking and using the word 'active' as part of their everyday vocabulary now!
Run a km -12th October- 13th November 2020! Well Done, Everyone!
We are very proud of every class in the school as they all participated in a running challenge this month. Some classes ran a kilometre daily, some ran a mile daily etc. All teachers have agreed to incorporate running into their daily and weekly schedules as we have all seen the benefits of it for physical health, wellbeing and concentration, along with the fact that the children absolutely loved it.
Yard Equipment and Active Yards!
During Covid-19 restrictions, each class has their own set of equipment for yard so that we do not have to share. We have footballs, skipping ropes, elastic bands, beanbags and hoops and of course we are enjoying our playground markings that we got last year. Every month we introduce new equipment. We are delighted to say that our break times continue to be as active as they always were!
We are very excited about our new Walkway which was erected on 20/11/2020. The walkway has been erected within the school grounds, starting at the front of the school, making its way down to the basketball court, continuing on to the playground area and ending at the big tree near Room 4. All teachers will be provided with lesson plans and guidelines for using our new walkway in the coming weeks. Very exciting!
More Information:For more information on Active School Flag, please visit our Active School Flag, Physical Education, Partnerships and Active School Week pages.