Introduction

4th November 2013

Active School Flag

This year, St Nicholas of Myra will be aiming to achieve an Active School Flag for our school. Here is some information about the initiative.

What is an Active School Flag? An Active School Flag (ASF) is similar to the Green Schools Flag that we currently have, only the ASF is based around PE and physical activity. There is a rigorous process which has to be gone through to achieve the ASF, and we will need the assistance of everyone within the school community in order to achieve it.

Why aim for an ASF? The ASF is aimed at increasing levels of physical activity amongst children, not only at school but at home and in the wider community. With many children leading an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, the school feels that the ASF is a very worthwhile initiative which will greatly benefit our children.

How will the school achieve an ASF? The school has identified a number of areas for improvement, which we will actively work towards achieving by the end of the current school year. We will also hold an Active School Week which will most likely take place in May/June of next year. Finally we will undergo an accreditation visit which hopefully will result in St Nicholas of Myra achieving the ASF.

How can we find out more about what the school is doing for the ASF? More information about the ASF itself can be found at activeschoolflag.ie, which is the national website. Within the school, there will be an ASF notice board, which will focus on ASF news, activities within the school, and achievements by the children. There will also be a blog on the school website which will be updated regularly, and this can be found at http://kinsealynsactiveschoolflag.blogspot.ie.

To help us achieve a more active lifestyle for our school, we need the support of everyone within the school community, including teachers, staff, parents, pupils and community groups. There will be opportunities for everyone to get involved throughout the school year, but in the meantime, it is important that we all encourage our children to participate in more activities and try to achieve a more active lifestyle, both at school and at home.

Looking forward to a very active year and achieving our very first Active School Flag!

Mr Kennedy

(Active School Flag co-ordinator)




7th November:

The aims for the school to achieve the ASF are as follows:

Active School Flag

St Nicholas of Myra NS

Objectives 2013-2014

 

PE planning:

•         The school PE plan will be updated and distributed to each classroom

•         The PE timetable will be part-standardised for the year. November will be dedicated to Dance and February will be dedicated to Gymnastics

PE curriculum:

•         Resource packs for each classroom will be put together, to include curriculum summary, PSSI lesson plans, Bizzy Breaks materials, timetable etc

•         The pupils will come up with a PE motto to be displayed on the ASF notice board

Professional development:

•         Fingal County Council will provide training for teachers in Sports Conditioning

•         The ASF co-ordinator will join IPPEA and take any available courses

PE resources:

•         An audit of PE resources is to be carried out and a list of same will be distributed to each teacher so that there is more awareness of what resources are available. This list can be kept in the classroom resources folder

•         A resource box will be created for each class of basic PE equipment that can be kept in the classroom and used regularly

Discretionary time and cross-curricular activities:

•         The ASF school blog will be used to keep up-to-date on ASF activities

•         The Bizzy Breaks program will be used on rainy days when pupils cannot go outside

Activity during break times:

•         The school will source more skipping ropes, teach more rhymes and introduce skipping challenges once a week

•         A Skip-a-thon or Cycle-a-thon will take place during ASW as a fund raiser

•         Every fortnight there will be a new “Playground game of the week”, which will be taught to younger pupils by 6^th class

•         Football free Friday: Friday will be set aside as a day where there is to be no football played in the yard. There will be some stations set up in the yard for pupils to use as an alternative, and the skipping challenge will take place on Friday also

Inclusive physical activity:

•         The school will introduce a policy of games on a mini-games basis to promote inclusivity

•         SEN pupils will have 10-15 minutes of physical activity after small break to work on balance and co-ordination activities, using equipment such as ladders, balance balls and small hurdles

Extra-curricular activities:

•         The school will run after-school activities in blocks of 6 weeks (Basketball Nov-Dec, Olympic Handball May-June, Hurling May-June)

•         The school will run a small-sided soccer tournament with mixed ability teams during lunch time

Active travel:

•         The junior classes will take part in the RSA programmes to promote safe travel (Seatbelt Sheriff etc)

•         Step It Up challenge: the school will set itself a challenge of walking as far as we can to Cork, and each class will walk a certain number of steps each day to help achieve this goal

Pupil voice/celebrating achievements and skills:

•         There will be an ASF ideas/suggestions box in the school where pupils can contribute ideas for the ASF

•         There will be a Sportsperson/PE person of the month award for those who put in most effort during PE; their name and photo will be displayed on the ASF noticeboard and website

•         School teams and sportspersons will be displayed on the school ASF noticeboard and website, as well as school fixtures

•         There will be a school competition to design a school Active Pupil certificate and award one to every pupil who takes part in Active School Week (ASW)

•         Each teacher will assign active homework during ASW

Working with parents:

•         Parents can contribute ideas into the ASF ideas box

•         Parental assistance will be sought in planning and organising ASW

•         There will be parent/teacher and parent/child events organised during ASW

Working with local community:

•         The ASF co-ordinator will check the getirelandactive.ie website regularly and provide information on events which may be happening in the local area through the notice board and website

•         Local clubs will be contacted and invited to display their information on the school ASF noticeboard and website

Working with outside agencies:

·         The Local Sports Partnership (LSP) will be contacted to let them know the school is trying to achieve the ASF, and hopefully the school will receive regular communication from them with regard to events etc

·         The LandPaws programme will be used by all teachers to teach aquatics safety