Active Schools
What is the Active School Flag?
The ASF is a Department of Education and Skills initiative supported by Healthy Ireland.
The ASF is awarded to schools that strive to achieve a physically educated and physically active school community.
The process aims to get more schools, more active, more often. It promotes the message that all children should have 60 minutes of physical activity every day. An Active School Is a school where physical activity is valued, promoted and enjoyed by all.
The ASF is a whole school process that promotes physical activity in a fun and inclusive way for all members of the school community. As an Active School our teachers work to develop strategies to energise the school day and to reduce sedentary time.
We work together to deliver a strong PE programme and to promote the physical literacy of our pupils, by developing their fundamental movement skills.ASF schools enable children to see that there are many ways to be active within their local area. In particular, ASF schools try to find ways to encourage less active children to enjoy physical activity more. Physically active children can concentrate and learn better. They get in trouble less often and they enjoy school more.
We are currently working towards our second Active School Flag. (ASF2)
Physical Education
In Holy Family School all pupils are provided with 60 minutes of timetabled PE per week as a minimum, and are taught at least 5 different PE strands each year from the primary curriculum that includes Aquatics, Athletics, Dance, Games, Gymnastics and Outdoor and Adventure pursuits, We are lucky to have access to a large hall and two playgrounds and a large green area at the back of the school.
Over the years we have built up our store of resources for PE and they are carefully monitored, regularly replaced and extended. Children wear their school tracksuit and runners to school on the days that they have PE.
Gymnastics
Each class gets 6 weeks of gymnastics tuition with Tanya. Class teachers remain in the hall during these lessons. Tanya consults with Ms. Giles, who has responsibility for PE in our school and ensures that the work covered is in line with the Primary Curriculum for Physical Education and the Fundamental Movement Skills we are working on. This year because of Covid restrictions class teachers are following the PDST guidance and using the suggested resources to implement the gymnastics strand themselves.
Games & P.E. Homework
This year we decided to prioritise the Games strand for further development. All classes will teach this strand at the same time this year. The Move Well Move Often Resource and the PSSI Lesson Plans for Games are used by all teachers PE homework is prescribed on a weekly basis and is related to the strand being covered in PE class. Pupils in First and Second classes engaged in the WSP’s Active Homework Challenge/Diary initiative in 2019/2020
Athletics
Each year pupils from First and Second Classes enjoy participating in the Waterford City Inter Schools track and field and cross country events.
Aquatics
The Aquatics strand is covered in First and Second Classes. Children travel to ‘Splashworld’ in Tramore for 8 weeks of swimming lessons. Land Paws (water safety) lessons are taught in all classes. In 2020/2021 swimming lessons were paused due to Covid restrictions.