Active School Flag

The Active School Flag is a Department of Education and Skills initiative and it is awarded to schools that strive to achieve a physically educated and physically active school community. This is a non-competitive initiative highlighting the importance of physical activity in schools and communities in which they are based.  

We were awarded our first Active School Flag in 2018 and we are hoping to renew it this June. While we are proud of our flag, we are very conscious that the AS initiative is an ongoing process and our challenge now is to continue raising awareness of the importance and benefits of physical activity. To learn more about this initiative visit the Active School Flag website www.ActiveSchoolFlag.ie

Physical Education

In Riverchapel N.S. teachers use Move Well, Move Often, PSSI lesson plans and PAWS programme to supplement and plan their P.E. lessons. There is a whole school time table and a clear format to the administration of the P.E. curriculum.

In Riverchapel N.S. we endorse the aims of the primary school curriculum for P.E.

1. To promote the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of the child.
2. To develop positive personal qualities.
3. To help in the acquisition of an appropriate range of movement skills in a variety of contexts.
4. To promote understanding and knowledge of the various aspects of movement.
5. To develop an appreciation of movement and the use of the body as an instrument of expression and creativity.
6. To promote enjoyment of physical activity, develop a positive attitude towards physical activities and develop an appreciation of its contribution to lifelong health and related fitness.

Physical Activity

As well as teaching Physical Education lessons we strive to encourage physical activity throughout the day. At break times our pupils have opportunities to play on ground markings, dance to music, get involved in a soccer game or use yard equipment such as skipping ropes. We are also fortunate enough to have lots of space for traditional games such as tag.

We encourage initiatives such as:

1. ‘Do your talking while you’re walking’
2. 10@10
3. ‘K a day challenge’
4. Classes participate in Go Noodle, Cosmic Kids, Escape your Chair Challenge for movement breaks during the day or for rainy day entertainment.
5. Some staff and pupils have completed the ‘Playmakers’ course.
6. We encourage ‘Scoot to School on Wednesdays’ in line with our Green Schools initiative.
7. We enthusiastically participate in Active Schools Week
8. Specialist teachers provide a variety of opportunities for children to try a new activity for a given block of time e.g. dance
9. Other physical activity ideas vary from year to year but we have had Halloween Discos, Autumn trails, Sponsored Walks, Easter Egg Hunts, etc.

Partnerships

At Riverchapel N.S. we work with lots of different partners to deliver our programme of physical activities to pupils.

1. G.A.A. Coaches
2. Gorey Rugby Club
3. Soccer Coaches
4. Previously Forest Park Centre (swimming)
5. Courtown RNLI –Water Safety
6. Sports Inclusion Officer
7. Various visiting teachers at specific times during the year.
8. Parents

This year our Well Done Wall is up and running and we would like to ask parents to send a photo to their child’s class teacher of any physical activity achievements their child may have completed outside of school, e.g. virtual walks etc. We would love to encourage a greater population of the school to be active outside of school hours. If you know of any clubs in the local area that start returning in the coming months please share the information with us. We can then share it with others through our website or our Active School Flag notice board.

There are so many benefits that come with being active; the obvious health benefits, increased self-esteem, greater concentration levels, along with the development of teamwork skills. So with this is mind we are going to work towards renewing our ASF .