Active Schools 2025/2026 |
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We are a very ACTIVE School! We have been an active school since 2021 and we were granted our second active flag in June 2025! Last years committee worked extremely hard to earn our flag. Our social media- Facebook and Instagram page are updated regularly- check them out to keep up to date with all of our active school activities and initiatives. We got a new active school uniform last year so we can engage in our daily sporting/movement activities with comfort. Our Active School Committee compromises of representatives from Junior Infants- 6th class. The active committee are very busy. Some of their jobs include organising whole school active initiatives, tidying the P.E. store, playground leaders, organising active homework, conducting surveys, updating the active notice board in the hall to name but a few. Our Active School Committee members this year are Freddie, Líadan, David, Callum, Lucy, Logan, Kelvin, Maebh, Sophie, Clara, Charlie, Eimear, Nicole, Freya & Robyn. Our current active school slogan was created by two pupils in 5th class. Physical Education Curriculum: All of the classes in our school are taught the six strands of the PE curriculum each year (five strands- infants). We all teach the same strands concurrently and we also focus on the same two fundamental movement skills while engaging with each strand. Most teachers use the P.S.S.I. lessons to guide their planning and teaching. P.E. Curriculum Plan- Strand/Fundamental Movement Skills Plan Sept/Oct- Athletics- Running/Jumping Nov/Dec- Dance- Hop/Skip/Side step Jan/Feb-Gymnastics-Landing/Balancing March/April- Games- Catch/Throw/Kicking May/June-Outdoor Activities -Running/Skipping We are also very lucky to be in such close proximity to the pool. 1st class -6th class always engage in an eight week swimming programme. They will go swimming in the summer term. The children in the Rock hub completed an eight week swimming programme in September/October of this year and will have another 8 weeks of swimming in the summer term. All classes engage with the PAWS Water Safety Programme every June. All classes engage in 60 minutes of P.E. lessons per week. Some classes split this 60 minutes into two 30 minute slots per week. Strand & Fundamental Movement Skill Focus: As part of our Active Flag we decided to put a focus on the Strand “Outdoor and Adventure Games” this year. We also choose 4 Fundamental Movement Skills to focus on this year. October- February 1) Running 2) Hopping March- June 1) Striking with the hand 2) Side stepping School Breaks: We have 2 breaks each day (11:00-11:15 and 13:00- 13:25) and all children are encouraged to engage in physical activity and movement. During term 2 and 3 we have Playground leaders who play various playground games with the younger classes. Movement Breaks: Every class engages with various different movement breaks throughout the day. These breaks helps the children to focus when engaging with the curricula, improves memory and reduces stress . Some movement breaks that are popular in our school include: Go Noodle Outdoor sensory path- infant yard Indoor trampoline Scooter Boards Climbing Wall Cosmic Kids- Yoga Dance Party 10 @ 10 exercise breaks Danny Go dances Joe Wicks workout Walk on Wednesday initiative Skipping break Running around the school perimeter We also engage with the curriculum in an active manner on a daily basis. Check out Senior Infants autumn hunt and 2nd classes outdoor shape hunt as some prime examples. More examples will be added throughout the year! Partnerships: Our Active School Notice Board- P.E. Hall This keeps everyone in the school community (pupils, parents, staff, visitors) informed about upcoming A.S. events and different ways in which our school keeps active. We also have a suggestion folder attached to our notice board where pupils and active school committee members are encouraged to suggest activities. We also recognise some of our Sporting heroes on our notice board. Parents & Active Schools: Parents/ guardians are informed about different initiatives/ activities that we are doing as part of Active Schools in a variety of ways. Through the: Active School Notice Board Facebook & Instagram page School email School Website- active school section and class pages Principal's Termly Newsletter Our parents are very supportive of our active endeavours. Many of our them are involved in different sporting activities during the year. Some of our parents volunteer to help out during Active School Week. Some of our infant parents engage with Sugradh Le Cheile. Through our H.S.C.L., many of our parents will come into the school this year to partake in various physical activities such as Dance Fit classes, Pilates classes and Walk & Talk activities. We also have many parent volunteers who join us every Thursday morning for our Cycle Bus. Local Sporting Partnerships: We have a very well established partnership with our local G.A.A. club Aodh Ruadh which is located directly behind the school. We have G.A.A. coaches that work with us on a regular basis- Brian Roper, Sylvie Maguire and John Larkin (hurling). Declan Sherlock from Ulster GAA visits the school on an annual basis and teaches the children fundamental movement skills and hurling. Aidan Mc Guinness who works with Irish Water Safety Ireland visits the school on a regular basis to teach us about water safety. We also have a very well established relationship with Ballyshannon Leisure Club and the children from 1st- 6th and our Rock Hub classes partake in swimming lessons every year. Ag Súgradh Le Cheile is run by our H.S.C.L. teacher, Anita. We work with Ray Gallagher from the Ballyshannon Rugby club who has taught the children how to play tag rugby. Physical Activities 25/26: 3rd & 4th class Cumann na mBunscol Blitz in Munday's- Thanks to Brian Roper for organising this. 3rd and 4th class pupils from schools across south Donegal partook in a mixed school blitz. The children really enjoyed themselves. Cycle bus -every Wednesday morning - September & October- Thanks to all of the parents, the Gardaí & pupils and staff from Gaelscoil Eírne who joined us each week. It is always a great way to start the school day. Skipping Around the World- 6th - 23rd October- all of the classes partook in this A.S. initiative. Classes traveled to places such as the Sahara Desert, Mount Everest & the North Pole to name but a few. South Donegal Cross Country running event- 9th October- Well done to our pupils from 2nd-6th who represented our school so well at this event at the Rugby club in Donegal town. We were very proud to bring home 6 individual medals and that three of our teams were placed in the top three (under 9 boys, under 11 boys and under 13 girls). Golf taster session (22nd October) with Cian from Golf Ireland- 3rd-6th class. I think we might have some future Lowrys, McIlroys or Leona Maguires in our midst! The children really enjoyed their session of putting and chipping. 23rd October- whole school Halloween Disco to raise funds for Temple Street & our Parent’s association. 6th November- Finals of the Winter League. Well done to our four teams captained by Robyn, Eira, Una & Ruth. Some great matches over the course of the league with pupils from 3rd-6th class taking part. Well done to Robyn’s team who won the league after going to extra time. Nov. 25 -Our Active Committee were busy voting for their favourite school jersey design. Pupils from 3rd-6th designed their dream jersey online & the active committee chose their favourite one. Well done to Tadhg in 6th whose jersey design was chosen. We can’t wait to see our jersey's in the flesh. Senior infants enjoyed a Súgradh Le Chéile session with their parents on the 13th of November. Nov./Dec. 25- Junior infants- 6th class have enjoyed their G.A.A. (football and hurling) sessions with Brain Roper. They have been working hard on their fundamental movement skills. Nov./ Dec. 25- Pupils from 4th, 5th and 6th have been playing games with junior infants, senior infants and 1st class during their lunch breaks (3 x per week). The younger classes have really enjoyed having yard buddies! 1st, 2nd & 3rd class all participated in the Goal Mile challenge in Mundays field on December the 12th. Everyone ran 1 mile for a very worthy cause. January 26- Our new sports kit arrived which was designed by Tadhg in 6th class. We will be looking the part at all of our sporting events going forward. On the 13th of January our boys and girls hurling teams took part in the Cumann na mBunscol Indoor Hurling County finals in Burt. We were so proud of their performances on the day. Cumann na mBunscol- indoor u12 5 a side football- Well done to our boys and girls team who traveled to Donegal Town on the 27th of January. They played some great matches demonstrating great team work and ball handling skills. January 2026- Senior Infants have started their 'Walk on Wednesday' as part of our active and amber flag initiatives. |
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