Our Active Schools week took place from the 5th to the 8th of May. Active events and activities were organised for all class groups throughout each day of the school week. During Active Schools Week, all children and staff wore tracksuits and runners. Additionally, there was no written homework assigned during Active Schools Week and instead the focus was on encouraging the children to be active and to play outdoors in the evenings. All children were given an ‘Active Homework’ template in their homework folder.

Whole school shake out

During Active School Week, our whole school took part in a fun and energetic “Shake Out” to get everyone moving and active at the start of the day. Pupils and staff came together to enjoy music, movement, and exercise, creating a positive and exciting atmosphere throughout the school. It was a fantastic way to wake up our bodies, boost energy levels, and promote the importance of daily physical activity for everyone.

Whole school walk/cycle/scoot to school– link to Active Travel Flag

We encourage children to walk, cycle, or scoot to school each morning as part of promoting healthy and active lifestyles. Travelling to school using physical activity allowed the children to start their day with healthy choices, fresh air and quality time with their friends as they travelled to school. Actively travelling to school created a fun, positive environment and the children seemed more refreshed and ready for the school day.

Our lunch time basketball league

Boys and girls from 3rd to 6th class were divided into 4 Basketball teams for our lunch time soccer league. The teams played games at lunch time on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The league finished with a play off and final on Friday, played in front of their peers, the cheers of support and encouragement could be heard all around the school.

GAA Training Sessions/ Cricket with Hugh

All children had GAA training sessions during Active Schools Week. We had training sessions with Matthew on Monday, focusing on fundamental movement skills with Junior Infants to 1st class and hurling skills with 2nd to 6th class. Evan was here, every Wednesday for 10 weeks, helping improve our hurling and football skills. The children really enjoyed training with both coaches and looked forward to their session every week. It was a huge success.

Active walkway activities

Pupils from Junior Infants to 6th Class completed an active walkway challenge everyday during active school week. In groups the children followed the walkway route. At each number/check point the children followed the instructions and answered the questions. Using the walkway incorporates physical activity while also learning new things and working as part of a team. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the active walkway challenges and looked forward to the new challenge everyday. 

Teachers vs Students Tug-of-War

Our school recently held a whole-school Tug of War competition, and it was a fantastic day filled with fun, teamwork, and school spirit. Everyone got involved, from the youngest pupils right up to the teachers!

Classes competed against each other throughout the day, with juniors taking on seniors and each year group battling it out — 1st Class against 2nd Class, all the way up to 6th Class. There was great excitement and cheering from the sidelines as teams gave it their all.

The highlight of the event was the final challenge, when 6th Class faced off against the teachers in an unforgettable match. It was a brilliant way to bring the whole school together, and a wonderful atmosphere was enjoyed by all.

Thursday Takeover- Obstacle Courses

Our Active Schools Committee recently organised a fantastic whole-school outdoor obstacle course for all classes to enjoy during our Active schools  Week . The course included 6–7 different activities that challenged students to use their fundamental movement skills, balance, coordination, and athletic abilities to complete each section.

There was a great buzz of excitement throughout the day as every class had the opportunity to take part. The obstacle course was not only active and challenging, but also great fun, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed getting involved.

A special mention must go to our 6th Class students, who played a huge role in helping to set up the course and keep everything running smoothly throughout the day. They demonstrated excellent leadership skills by supporting, encouraging, and motivating each class as they completed the activities.

Healthy Picnic

The highlight of the week was our wonderful whole-school Healthy Picnic. On a beautiful morning, all classes gathered outside in the yard to enjoy a delicious selection of fresh fruit together.

Students had the opportunity to taste and enjoy many different types of fruit, including watermelon, apples, pears, oranges, grapes, melon, bananas, raspberries, blueberries, and peaches. The fruit was freshly prepared and shared among everyone, creating a lovely atmosphere across the school.

The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience and could not get enough of the tasty and healthy snacks. It was fantastic to see everyone sitting together with their friends, chatting, laughing, and trying different fruits. The picnic was such a huge success that many students are still talking about it as one of the best mornings in school!

It was a brilliant way to promote healthy eating while also bringing the whole school together.

Active Homework

As part of Active Schools Week, we introduced Active Homework for all students throughout the week. Instead of their usual written homework, students were given a variety of fun activities and physical challenges to complete each day. Teachers were advised to use the PDST- PE homework ideas booklet.

The children really looked forward to their active homework every evening and were excited to share their efforts and achievements with their classmates the following day. It was a refreshing change from their normal homework routine and encouraged everyone to stay active outside of school hours.

With the lovely weather during Active Schools Week, students also had the opportunity to enjoy fresh air and sunshine while completing their challenges each day. The initiative was a huge success and helped promote healthy, active lifestyles in a fun and enjoyable way for all students.

See link to Active Homework Ideas- https://activeschoolflag.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/20200131-ASF-Active-Homework-Chart-D-ENGLISH.pdf

Some Quotes from students about their Active Schools Week experience!       

“I loved it it was so much, the picnic was my favourite part of the week”

“The picnic was my favourite because the fruit was so nice and fresh”

‘The obstacle course was so much fun, especially the giant card game’

‘My favourite part of Active Schools Week was the Tug of War competition against the teachers’.

“The obstacle course was really fun and the picnic was very tasty”

“My favourite was the obstacle course because it was fast, fun and kinda hard”

“I hurt my knee so it was nice to have the healthy picnic because I felt involved”

“I really enjoyed taking part in the obstacle course”

“The tug of war was very entertaining and funny when everyone fell over”

“Active Schools Week was such a good week. We all loved it”

“All of the events were really fun and enjoyable especially the basketball tournament”