At Caherconlish National School, we are committed to ensuring that all pupils are provided with plenty of opportunities to participate in physical activity throughout the school day. As a whole-school community, we have worked collaboratively to promote and increase physical activity levels among all pupils. Through careful discussion, planning, and teamwork, we have introduced a variety of initiatives that have successfully encouraged pupils to become more active during the school day.

The Playground Leaders

The Playground Leaders initiative has provided many positive benefits for both junior and senior pupils in Caherconlish National School. Sixth Class pupils spend time on the junior yard during lunch breaks, organising games, leading group activities, and encouraging younger pupils to become involved in active play.

This initiative has helped to create a more inclusive, positive, active and enjoyable playground environment for all children. Junior pupils benefit from having structured games and support during playtime, which helps to build confidence, improve social skills, and encourage teamwork and cooperation. It also promotes higher levels of physical activity and ensures that all pupils feel included during break times.

For Sixth Class pupils, the programme provides valuable opportunities to develop leadership, communication, organisation, and responsibility skills. Acting as positive role models allows them to build confidence and strengthen relationships across different class levels. Overall, the Playground Leaders initiative has greatly enhanced lunchtime experiences and contributed positively to the wellbeing and active participation of pupils throughout the school.

Lunch time : Basketball and Soccer matches.

Lunchtime basketball and soccer matches provide pupils with valuable opportunities to take part in regular physical activity during the school day. These games encourage children to be active in a fun and enjoyable way while improving their overall fitness, coordination, balance, and teamwork skills. Participating in matches during lunch breaks helps pupils to develop healthy habits and promotes the importance of daily exercise.

These activities also support pupils’ social and emotional wellbeing. Children learn important skills such as cooperation, communication, fairness, and respect for others while working together as part of a team. Lunchtime matches help to create a positive and inclusive school environment where pupils can build friendships and feel involved in school life.

Our Active Walkway

Our Active Walkway has been a fantastic addition to the school since its installation earlier this year. A designated route, consisting of two laps around the school grounds, was created and clear walkway signage was put in place. Hooks were also installed beside each sign to allow posters and activity charts to be displayed on clipboards. The walkway is used regularly by all class groups, as well as during whole-school celebrations and special events.

Teachers have made excellent use of the walkway through a variety of learning and challenge charts. Pupils have taken part in many engaging walkway activities across a range of subject areas including Gaeilge, Literacy, Maths, and SESE, using worksheets and posters designed by class teachers. The walkway has also been used to support active breaks throughout the school day, encouraging pupils to stay active while learning. In addition, it played an important role during both our Wellbeing Week and Active School Week, where it was enjoyed by pupils and staff alike.

Skip Around the World Challenge

As part of our ‘Learning on the Move’ challenge, all pupils in Caherconlish National School participated in the Skip Around Europe initiative. Every class engaged in 15 minutes of skipping each day over a four-week period. Skipping quickly became a highly enjoyable and popular activity among the pupils and continues to be strongly encouraged by all staff members.

The positive impact of these daily skipping breaks was clear to see throughout the school. Pupils showed significant improvement in their skipping skills, while their overall fitness and coordination also developed. In addition, the movement breaks helped to increase pupils’ concentration, alertness, and readiness to learn when returning to the classroom. The initiative provided a fun and active way for pupils to incorporate regular physical activity into their daily routine while also promoting positive wellbeing and healthy habits.

Photos from our Skip Around the World challenge! Pupils and teachers took part in daily skipping sessions over four weeks and had great fun improving their skills along the way. Everyone challenged themselves to learn new techniques, including backwards skipping and partner skipping. The ropes provided by Active Schools have been a fantastic resource and are still being enjoyed every day.

Active Break- Croke Park Movement Break Challenge

Our whole school proudly took part in the Active Break – Croke Park Movement Break Challenge to promote physical activity and encourage children to be more active throughout the school day. Pupils and staff enjoyed participating in a variety of fun movement breaks that helped boost energy, concentration, and wellbeing in the classroom. The challenge inspired everyone to get moving regularly and showed children that being active can be enjoyable and accessible for all. It also encouraged teamwork, positivity, and healthy habits across the school community. Taking part was a fantastic experience, and the movement breaks continue to be used daily in our classrooms.

Integrating PE with other Curricular Areas

As a school, we place great importance on integrating Physical Education with other curricular areas, particularly Literacy and Mathematics. Through active, engaging lessons, pupils develop key skills while participating in physical activity. In Literacy, children build communication, listening, and vocabulary skills through activities such as movement stories, word hunts and spellings basketball. In Mathematics, pupils apply concepts such as counting, measuring and problem-solving during games and activities. This cross-curricular approach makes learning meaningful, enjoyable, and active, while supporting both academic development and physical wellbeing.