Partnerships
We are extremely lucky in our school to have developed some very strong partnerships over the years.
We benefit from coaches in Naomh Olaf coming into our school once a week to teach hurling and Gaelic skills to children from Senior Infants to 4th class. Our 3rd class children also take part in the Andy Gibbons Indoor Hurling Tournament in Naomh Olaf each year.
We have also previously been invited up to Stars of Erin for a blitz for our 2nd classes. Both of these clubs are beyond supportive of our children and encouraging them to become more active.
We also take part in the Kilmacud Crokes camogie blitz every summer, which is open to 2nd - 6th class girls.
We are closely linked with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Local Sports Partnership. Our 1st-6th class children attend swimming lessons in DLR Loughlinstown for 6 week blocks each year. We have also been taking part in the Daily Mile over the last few years and were lucky enough to launch the Daily Mile recently.
We benefit from coaches in Naomh Olaf coming into our school once a week to teach hurling and Gaelic skills to children from Senior Infants to 4th class. Our 3rd class children also take part in the Andy Gibbons Indoor Hurling Tournament in Naomh Olaf each year.
We have also previously been invited up to Stars of Erin for a blitz for our 2nd classes. Both of these clubs are beyond supportive of our children and encouraging them to become more active.
We also take part in the Kilmacud Crokes camogie blitz every summer, which is open to 2nd - 6th class girls.
We are closely linked with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Local Sports Partnership. Our 1st-6th class children attend swimming lessons in DLR Loughlinstown for 6 week blocks each year. We have also been taking part in the Daily Mile over the last few years and were lucky enough to launch the Daily Mile recently.
Active Schools Slogan Competition
We organised a whole-school competition to find our active slogan for this year! We had lots of entries across the school and the Active Committee found it very difficult to choose the winner. However, they eventually agreed on the slogan 'Let's Play All Day. We All Know the Active Way', from Jack in Ms O'Doherty's 2nd class. This slogan can be found stuck up in every classroom in the school.
Our entries are stuck up around our Active Schools noticeboard outside of the halla.
Our entries are stuck up around our Active Schools noticeboard outside of the halla.
Well Done Wall
Our children are involved in a huge amount and variety of activities both inside and outside of school. These activities include, but are not limited to: GAA, rugby, athletics, dance, hockey, football. basketball, dance, gymnastics, horse-riding and swimming.
We love to encourage these children to be proud of their achievements and to share these with the school. We have a Well Done Wall beside our Obair Álainn wall. Children are encouraged to bring in a picture of them participating in an activity or winning a medal....anything they are proud of. These pictures are stuck on the Well Done Wall and the children can write a small piece about their picture. These will also be acknowledges at Friday assemblies.
We love to encourage these children to be proud of their achievements and to share these with the school. We have a Well Done Wall beside our Obair Álainn wall. Children are encouraged to bring in a picture of them participating in an activity or winning a medal....anything they are proud of. These pictures are stuck on the Well Done Wall and the children can write a small piece about their picture. These will also be acknowledges at Friday assemblies.
HSE Health Promotion and Sports Inclusion
We have also been in touch with our local HSE Health Promotion Officer who kindly sent us on the links to some helpful resources for activities to do in the classroom, playground and at home. These activities have adaptations included to help the children who may need more support with certain activities.
The playground games resource will be very helpful to our playground leaders in yard.
http://activeschoolflag.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/HSE-Get-Your-School-Walking-Guide.pdf
https://www.getirelandactive.ie/Professionals/Education-/Primary/Resources/HSE-Get-Active-in-the-Classroom-.pdf
https://www.getirelandactive.ie/Professionals/Education-/Primary/Resources/HSE-GIA-Playground-Games.pdf
The playground games resource will be very helpful to our playground leaders in yard.
http://activeschoolflag.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/HSE-Get-Your-School-Walking-Guide.pdf
https://www.getirelandactive.ie/Professionals/Education-/Primary/Resources/HSE-Get-Active-in-the-Classroom-.pdf
https://www.getirelandactive.ie/Professionals/Education-/Primary/Resources/HSE-GIA-Playground-Games.pdf
Parent Questionnaires
We distributed questionnaires to all of our parents via email.
83 parents responded to our questionnaire and we are very grateful to them for taking the time to answer our questions and share their opinions on the topic of PE and being active.
83 parents responded to our questionnaire and we are very grateful to them for taking the time to answer our questions and share their opinions on the topic of PE and being active.
We, as a school, have agreed to make sure that all parents are kept informed of their children's progress in PE at least twice a year - at parent/teacher meetings and on school reports.
Here are some comments that were made by parents in the questionnaires:
Active Homework
Ways to improve PE programme
Running initiatives
Brain breaks
Playground breaks and environment
What children enjoy about Active Schools Week
Active Homework
- I think it is very inspirational A great idea as it encourages focus on physical exercise
- Super idea and the kids love it Keeps us on our toes during the week!
- Just a list of suggestions would be great Very important to include in homework
- I think they get too much homework They get so much written homework that the active homework is less important
- Great idea to keep child and parents focused on amount of activity they get each day, Helps prioritise exercise
- Active is listed on the homework journal but children don't see it as something that has to be done
- I don't think it's useful Kids are pretty active but I think it's a great reminder for parents
Ways to improve PE programme
- More time Just to ensure that there is a good variety of activities
- Hiring external coaches for PE or specific sports Increased focus on the younger classes to try new sports
- Keep parents better informed I think sean-nós could be replaced with gymnastics
- I think the focus for teacher led PE classes should be 'fitness' not sport
- Ask kids for feedback and help with yearly planning
- More yoga and mindfulness
- Perhaps a yearly programme could be emailed to parents
- Further use of VEC grounds Continue to instil it's importance in kids
- I'm not aware of the frequency of PE lessons
Running initiatives
- Anything that gets them outside and active is good She really didn't like it
- Really enjoys this Should be done more consistently and by all classes
- Excellent initiative -they are always talking about it Any exercise is beneficial
- Teachers should do it with the children Although he doesn't like it, I think it's a great idea
- Daily mile is a great brain stimulant to set them up for the school day
- Absolutely brilliant initiative My son dreaded it at first but now loves it
- Didn't know about this
Brain breaks
- Active body, active mind! My kids love Go Noodle and do it at home sometimes
- They mainly play Go Noodle when it is a rainy day Not always used in the classroom
- Not sure what these are No harm if attention is waning
- Love that they break the sitting periods and move their bodies A bit screen-focused
- Better able to focus on school work
Playground breaks and environment
- Types of 'play' are limited. Ball games restricted Love that they can run in the yard when in many schools this is not allowed.
- Yard is broken up by class and age rather than activities I think they need a little more sports equipment at lunch
- Enjoys playing basketball Loves active playing, particularly with a ball
- Enjoys socialising with friends Enjoys playing imagination games
- loves being able to get outside and run around
What children enjoy about Active Schools Week
- When they get to play dodgeball against the teachers Time spent playing games
- Extra exercise outside Variety of activities
- Drop Everything and Dance Daily Mile
- Encouraged to go out and participate Dancing
- Working in teams Unsure
- I actually don't know Unsure but it gets talked about a lot which is a good sign
- Being on the go more
Pupil Questionnaires
We distributed questionnaires to the children in the senior classes (4th-6th)
Here are some of the responses and comments:
Do you enjoy PE? Yes (95) No (1) Sometimes (9)
What is your favourite PE activity? The majority of children chose games, with outdoor and adventure and athletics tied in second place.
Do you like doing active homework? Yes (59) No (11) Sometimes (27) Don't Receive (8)
How long do you think children should be active for each day? less than 60 minutes (11) 60 minutes (52) 90 minutes + (30) Don't know (9)
Do you enjoy taking part in the running initiative? Yes (66) No (8) Sometimes (29)
Do you think taking part in the Daily Mile and Run to Europe has made you better at running? Yes (70) No (25) Don't Know (3)
Do you have any suggestions for making playground breaks better?
Favourite parts of Active Schools Week?
Improvements to Active Schools Week?
Here are some of the responses and comments:
Do you enjoy PE? Yes (95) No (1) Sometimes (9)
What is your favourite PE activity? The majority of children chose games, with outdoor and adventure and athletics tied in second place.
Do you like doing active homework? Yes (59) No (11) Sometimes (27) Don't Receive (8)
How long do you think children should be active for each day? less than 60 minutes (11) 60 minutes (52) 90 minutes + (30) Don't know (9)
Do you enjoy taking part in the running initiative? Yes (66) No (8) Sometimes (29)
Do you think taking part in the Daily Mile and Run to Europe has made you better at running? Yes (70) No (25) Don't Know (3)
Do you have any suggestions for making playground breaks better?
- New and more equipment (we are completing an audit at the moment and are in discussions with the committee to buy new equipment)
- Make playground breaks longer
- Use longer breaks as a reward (this is now in place in some classes and has been used as a reward for competitions)
- Allow footballs - maybe introduce a lunchtime league over May and June (this is an idea we are going to try and trial)
- More music
- Go over to the field
- Active equipment every day
- Active equipment at little break too
- Be able to go into other yards
- Games as a class
- Mix up the equipment more (suggestions box to be set up for equipment/activity suggestions)
Favourite parts of Active Schools Week?
- Teachers -v- 6th class Dodgeball match More activity instead of work
- Team-building with sports day teams More fun sports
- Funky Friday Competitions
- More time spent outside
Improvements to Active Schools Week?
- Two weeks long! More often
- Different activity each day Have other teachers/coaches come and teach different sports
- Longer break times Football match
- More events and friendly competition Timetable shown
- Every class more involved
What Clubs Are We In??
Our active committee members from 5th and 6th class did a survey in each class to see the number and variety of different clubs our children are involved in. It was brilliant to see such a range of different activities being undertaken by all of the children.
Some of the sports we are involved in outside of school include:
Some of the sports we are involved in outside of school include:
- cricket
- swimming
- rugby
- horse-riding
- GAA
- soccer
- dancing
- basketball
- badminton
- tennis
- squash
- athletics
- taekwondo
- karate
- kick-boxing
- hockey