Active School

‘Keep it lit, let’s get fit’

School year 2021/2022

This school year we are hoping to renew our Active Schools flag. Since receiving our first flag, we were fortunate enough to win €10,000 from Aldi and the IRFU. This money was used to install a climbing frame and basketball hoops.We have maintained our active initiatives such as line-up leaders, walking and running activities, yard helpers and encouraging children to do 60 minutes daily of physical activities.

We have been working on 4 of the fundamental movement skills this year skipping, hopping, throwing and catching.

Committee

See below our wonderful Active School committee, whom have been a great support throughout this process. The committee meet regularly and discuss upcoming events and activities in the school. They have been involved in every active initiative we have rolled out in our school. Their weekly duties include the upkeep of the P.E. store, updating the noticeboard, informing staff and children of any upcoming active events and bringing equipment out to the yard.

Physical Education

Aquatics

The children from 3rd-6th class received a 6 week block of swimming lessons in the first term. The children will also participate in the PAWS programme in the Spring/Summer term.

Games

Basketball

The whole school received 12 weeks of basketball. This was the first time the school could offer this opportunity as we now have our new basketball hoops erected on the school pitch.

Gaelic

The children have been very fortunate to have Gaelic skills for 2 blocks of 6 weeks this year. Some children have joined Gaelic clubs this year.

Dance

The children had the opportunity of learning new dances this year including ‘Ballaí na Luimnigh’. Dance includes a lot of skipping and hopping which are 2 of the fundamental movement skills we are working on this year.

Outdoor and adventure

We take the children on nature walks throughout the school year. We are lucky to live in the country-side. This year the children created their own Maths trails for their peers including all strands of Mathematics, we did this over a 6 week block and was enjoyed by all the children. The children also enjoyed the Walkway challenges, orienteering and scavenger hunts.

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One of our many nature walks. A key characteristic of learning within Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE) is the active involvement of the child and investigation of all environments. The children used their scientific skills of observing, questioning predicting and investigating 🔎👌🤗

Gymnastics

Rinka came to our school and taught the children gymnastic techniques. The children really enjoyed this strand.

Athletics

Thank you to Rosemary and Fintan from Tír Chonaill AC for coming into the school and showing some athletic skills including shot putt, long jump and ball throw.

Athletics enjoyed by all children. For the past 2 years we have participated in the ‘Fit4Class’ initiative from Athletics Ireland.

Physical Activity

Delighted with our new table tennis table.

Playground leaders

The leaders bring a container of mixed equipment to the yard for the children throughout the week.

10@10

Line-up leaders

The children enjoy the ‘Line-up leaders’ twice a week. This is led by the children and they choose the physical activities.

Walk for water – A Green School initiative

The children and staff walked 6km carrying water. This was part of the green school flag.

Our Active Walkway

We were very excited to receive our new ‘Walkway’. The children planned the layout of the walkway before erecting it around the school grounds. The weekly challenges are enjoyed by all classes.

School tours

Each year we incorporate physical activity into our school tours.

Walking Initiatives

We are so fortunate to have such lovely scenic routes around our school. Our walks include nature walks, ‘A K a day’ and ‘Mindfulness Monday walks’ and nature walks.

Climbing frame

Running Initiatives

This year we had running initiatives including laps to Lapland and Run around Ireland.

Cycling

As part of ‘Bike Week’, ‘Cycle on Wednesday’ and ‘Active Week’ we hold a bike day. The children learn the safety rules when cycling and participate in cycling skills.

Bike Week 2022

Pat from Tír Chonaill GAP Cycling club came to the school. He taught the children how to use correct hand signal while cycling and how make sure your helmet fits properly. Pat also did cycling drills with the children.

Oodles of Noodles

The children enjoyed the 7 challenges for the noodles. Some were quite tricky!

Partnerships

‘Fit4Class’ – A fitness initiative by Athletics Ireland

Cumann na mBunscol

Cumann na mBunscol – We teamed up with Scoil Náisiúnta Crannógbuí for the boys and girls gaelic.

Irish heart foundation

Each child brought a booklet home with them and this will be completed over 4 weeks. We also used the Bizzy Break for rainy days.

Tír Chonaill Cycling

Our running initiatives include ‘Laps to Lapland’ and ‘Run around Ireland’.
1 lap of the school pitch=1km

Active School Week 2022

The Active School Week timetable was planned consulting with the Active School committee. Our daily routine for the week began with laps on the yard for our ‘Run around Ireland’ initiative. Throughout the week we continued with our physical activities such as 10@10 and line-up leaders.

The children had to complete active homework for the week. The children thoroughly enjoyed all activities particularly the rowing machines and the ‘Oodles of noodles’.