Active School Flag
At Shanganamore NS we are committed to giving our students an excellent education in physical activity. We see the huge importance that physical activity has on our students and we make sure to deliver a well-balanced PE programme. Our Active Flag Committee is an excellent link between our students and teachers and we are always coming up with new ways to improve Physical Education in our School.
Our Slogan
SWIM, WALK OR EVEN RUN!
BEING ACTIVE IS SO MUCH FUN!
Physical Education
Physical Education – All classes receive 60 minutes of PE lessons each week.
PE Strands – All classes are taught the strands Athletics, Dance, Gymnastics, Games and Outdoor & Adventure each year. Students from 1st -6th class are taught Aquatics by taking part in Swimming lessons in K Leisure in Athy each year.
Teacher Training and CPD in PE – Teachers work together to strengthen their delivery of a different PE Strand every year. The focus this year was on outdoor and adventure. Teachers also took part in training in the GAA 5 star training programme.
PSS1 Plans – PSS1 lesson plans are used throughout the school for each strand with the focus being on outdoor and adventure this year.
Land Paws – Land PAWS water safety programme is being taught each year. This year 1st and 2nd class took part.
PE Equipment – Our school has a huge range of PE equipment suitable for each strand which is organised and easily accessible.
Move Well, Move Often Programme – We introduced this programme to teach the fundamental movement skills to all pupils. Teachers were given training in this area and all teachers teach a skill at the same time. The focus this year was on Walking, Running, Hopping and Skipping and Jumping for the Senior classes.
PE Homework – Our pupils receive PE homework once a week. Our resources come from the PDST – PE homework Active every day programme, Active school flag homework ideas and Super Troopers.
Physical Activity
Playground breaks – Our pupils are exposed to a wide variety of resources and games on their playground breaks. Our resources include Skipping ropes, Hula hoops, Footballs, Tennis rackets, Beanbags, Skittles to name but a few. Our playground is zoned to allow for games such as tennis, dodgeball, soccer, skipping and volleyball.
Playground Leaders – Pupils from 5th and 6th class signed up to be playground leaders and played different yard games with the junior classes. They also played the games and taught the skills they were taught in the GAA 5-star sessions to the younger pupils.
Active School Walkway – We have a dedicated walkway around our school which is signposted. The walkway is 500m long. We encourage pupils to do their talking when they are walking.
Run a day challenge – Every class in the school completed the run a day challenge over 4 weeks in November and December. We did the Tour of Ireland and Europe Challenge. We ran from our school in Barrowhouse, Co. Laois to the Spire, Co. Dublin, Newgrange, Co. Meath and Hook head, Co. Wexford which came to a total of 315 km. We then ran from the Spire, Co. Dublin to Big Ben in London which was 464 km and the Spire, Co. Dublin to the Eiffel Tower, Paris which was 778km.
Physical Activity Reward Chart – Our classes use a physical activity reward chart as their treat Friday. The reward charts include ideas such as game of soccer, extra play time, use of equipment, play just Dance, skipping, etc.
Physical Activity Challenge – the whole school were given a copy of the 60 minute physical activity challenge to complete as homework for 3 weeks this year.
Active breaks – Every class in the school completed the Active Break Every Day challenge over 4 weeks this year. These included activities such as Go-noodle, Bizzy breaks, yoga, Just Dance and 10@10. On wet days when the children cannot go outside for break extra time will be given for movement breaks in the classroom.
Partnerships
HSE-Health Promoting Schools – We have worked closely with the HSE’s Health promoting Schools for the last 7 years and are in regular contact with our Health Promoting Officer. We were the first school in Laois to be awarded the Health Promoting Schools flag in 2016. We continue to work with HPS to improve the overall health and wellbeing of our students.
ACE (Activity, Confidence, Eating) Programme – We have worked on the ACE programme since 2017 and have been awarded two awards in it. ACE is a whole school programme promoting Physical, Nutritional, Emotional and Dental Health.
Cool Dude Food Programme – As part of our ACE award, our pupils were given the opportunity to take part in the cool dude food programme. It is a Nutrition Education programme developed by the community Nutrition and Dietetic service in the Midlands. Students learn about healthy eating but also get hands on experience of preparing and cooking healthier meals and snacks.
GAA Coaching – Our pupils get a chance to take part in GAA lessons which are designed to meet the aims of the primary school curriculum and our teachers work together with the coaches to maximise the impact for students.
Barrowhouse GAA – Our school has a very strong school – club link with our local GAA club. Our school has access to the local GAA pitch and coaches from the club are heavily involved in our training for Cumann na mBunscol games.
Athy Rugby Club – Coaches from the Rugby club teach rugby skills to our pupils from 2nd - 6th class and we take part in tournaments in the club.
Athy tennis club – Our pupils from Junior Infants - 6th class have received coaching in Tennis skills from the coaches in the Athy tennis club for the last number of years during Active week.
GAA 5-star – Our teachers and pupils have taken part in the GAA 5-star programme to become a GAA 5-star centre. This initiative aims to support and recognise primary schools that provide pupils with 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous Gaelic Games activity per week in a manner that ensures the students well experience fun, friendship, fairness and ultimately improve their fitness.
Super Troopers – All of our pupils have taken part in the Super Troopers programme. The pupils were given a journal which gave them active homework each night.
Active Flag Committee – Our active flag committee is made up of staff and pupils from each class. Meetings are held regularly to discuss upcoming events and ideas and improvements to physical education in our school. Pupils are given many jobs to carry out throughout the school year such as organising and distributing equipment, making announcements, carrying out surveys, promoting physical activity on the yard and helping out during Active week.
5 km Run – Our school holds a 5km run during Active week every year for the school and community. The event involves the school, parents and community to work together to make the event a success. It is enjoyed by all.
Laois Sports Partnership (LSP) – Our school works very closely with Laois Sports Partnership throughout the school year. We are constant in contact about physical activity programmes, Teacher training, inclusion, resources, physical activity programmes for families and local support. We have had many sessions with LSP coaches in athletics for classes and it has been a huge success. Our school has signed up to take part in Laois Sport Bubbles and Pods Programme this year.
Pupils and Parent Questionnaires – Our pupils and parents input into physical education are very important to our school. Our school distributed the ASF Pupil and Parent questionnaire, discussed the findings and acted upon the feedback.
What club are you in? Our pupils took part in a what club are you in survey to find out about physical activity opportunities in the local community. We discovered that the pupils in Shanganamore NS are involved in a total of 14 different clubs in the area.
These are:
Barrowhouse GAA
Athy Town AFC
St Brigid's Ladies GAA
Shooting Stars Dancing
Karate club Athy
Athy Bootcamp
Athy Rugby
Athy GAA
Athy Gymnastics
Athy Basketball club
Jiu-Jitsu
Swimming club K Leisure
Irish dancing
Horse riding
Active Flag Wall – Our active flag wall acknowledges the physical activity effort and success during and outside of school.
ASF Slogan – Our school worked together to find an ASF slogan. Our slogan was written by Adele McDonald in 6th class – SWIM, WALK OR EVEN RUN! BEING ACTIVE IS SO MUCH FUN!
Active School Week
Active school week is a week of fun physical activities held in the summer term each year. It is a huge part of our physical activity for the year. Our pupils, Staff, Parents and community look forward to it every year. Our pupils are hugely involved in the planning and organisation of the event. It is a week where tracksuits replace uniforms for all. We have a huge variety of activities throughout the week such as Zumba, Yoga, Tennis, GAA, Tag rugby, Gymnastics, Badminton, an activity picnic in the GAA pitch welly throwing, egg and spoon races, 3 legged races and orienteering. We also walk to school with our parents during ASW. This is the week in which we hold our 5 km run in Barrowhouse. We work alongside the parents and community and it is always a very successful evening and is enjoyed by all. Active week is one of the most enjoyable weeks in our school year.
Due to COVID-19 our Active Week was a little different this year and the whole school took part in Active Home Week from April 27th-3rd May 2020. Each day the teachers would upload activities for the children to complete on Google Classroom. The children really got behind this idea and did a great job making sure they were active for 60 minutes every day. Although it was very different to our normal Active week the children were great sports and really enjoyed getting involved. Four of our students even made it on TV as they entered their active videos to RTE’s School Hub.
