PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Please see below the following supports offered to schools by the PDST PE team: 

Let's Talk PE: Parent Teacher Meetings and Report Cards 
Physical Education is one of the CORE primary school subjects and it is important that parents understand the  work that is being covered in the PE programme and the progress their child is making. This prompt sheet is designed to support teachers preparing for Parent Teacher Meetings and to give guidance in terms of school reports. PLEASE SHARE with Colleagues 
'Let's Talk PE' Prompt Sheet  

Also, check out our Parent Handout: Supporting Your Child’s PE Learning at Home which can be given to parents to help provide them with practical suggestions to further develop learning in PE at home and in the community.

PDST Primary PE: Cooperative Learning Workshop 
(Apply NOW)
Cooperative learning is an instructional approach which can be used across any strand of the PE curriculum and has been shown to enhance pupil motivation, confidence and ability to work together positively in PE. In November, these exciting 2 hour cooperative learning workshops will take place in Ballincollig, Cellbridge, Portarlington, Ballina, Cappoquin and Clonmel. These workshops are a great opportunity to engage in PE CPD and further details along with booking available HERE

PDST Primary PE: In-School Support
(Apply NOW)
Applications are now open for PDST in-school support. A primary PE advisor can visit your school to support you with planning and preparation of your PE programme, to facilitate lesson modelling across all strands of the PE curriculum and whole staff professional development sessions. Schools can apply for in-school PDST PE support through the online application system HERE

IPPEA Conference - Workshop Notes 
If you missed the recent Irish Primary PE Association (IPPEA) conference - DON'T WORRY!
JOIN the IPPEA and you will be able to access ALL of the conference workshops notes in our Members' Area.
Individual Membership = €10 per year 
Student Membership = FREE
JOIN the IPPEA
 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY 

'Active Break Every Day' Challenge
November 14 - December 9, 2022
ASF encourages all schools to take on the 'Active Break Every Day' challenge. This 4-week challenge is designed to motivate, and to support teachers to build movement breaks into their daily routine. It is one of the KEY whole of school activities that schools working towards ASF must undertake and should form part of the annual calendar for ALL ASF schools. As always, if the national dates for this challenge don't suit your school you are free to run it at a different point in the school year. 
Active Breaks Challenge Chart 
An Dúshlan Sos Gníomhach 

BENEFITS

• Energises the school day in a FUN and inclusive way
• Restores concentration and focus.
• Mindfulness breaks can bring stillness and calmness into the day.
• Can be linked with curricular work

ADVICE

• Identify lead teacher(s) for this aspect of the ASF process. 
• Create a staff share point to store ideas and resources. 
• Laminate the challenge charts and hang them outside of classroom doors to create a buzz around the school.
• Identify two pupils as 'challenge leaders' in every class. Their job is to remind teachers about the active breaks and to record them on the laminated challenge charts.  
• Keep the challenge simple. 
• At a minimum, one active break (5-10 minutes) should take place in every class, every day. 
• An alternative approach is to build short active breaks (2-3 minutes) in to lesson transitions,  throughout the day. This is a very effective way to restore concentration and focus. 
• Active Breaks can take place indoors or outdoors. 
• Vary the activities to keep pupils interested
• Why not try something NEW like cardio drumming? Recommended by lots of teachers at this year's webinars. 
• Teachers could use this 4-week challenge to encourage pupils to work together, as a class, towards a specific goal (eg; 'Climb the Heights' /'Run Around Ireland) 
• Staff members are encouraged to join in the movement breaks with their pupils. 

RESOURCES
Jam Jar Active Breaks  (Ideal for use during lesson transitions) 
Climb the Heights - Class Challenge 
Dul in Airde - Dúshlán Ranga
Movement in the Classroom (PDST Primary PE)
Bizzy Breaks + Other Resources (Irish Heart Foundation) 
NEW - Let's Get ACTIVE Challenge (Irish Heart Foundation) 


#FeelGoodFridays: Active HALLOWEEN - Award Recipients 
WELL DONE to the following schools who will shortly receive sports equipment from ASF in recognition of their #ActiveHALLOWEEN initiatives  

• HALLOWEEN-ified Walkway: St George's NS, Balbriggan  
• Enchanted Forest: Castletown NS, Gorey
• Halloween Circuits: Scoil Mhuire Junior School, Newbridge

#FeelGoodFridays: ACTIVE BREAKS (25/11/22) 
We’d LOVE to find out the movement breaks activities that your students like the most.
Please share your #FeelGoodFridays ACTIVE BREAKS with us on Friday, November 25^th, to be in with a chance to sports equipment for your school.
Twitter @ActiveFlag @HealthyIreland @Education_Ire
Email resources@activeschoolflag.ie 
(Please include your roll number in the subject line of all emails).  

Active SLOGAN Competition (9/12/22) 
On Friday, December 9th, we are asking as many schools as possible (primary/post primary/special schools) to share their Active School slogans with us via
Twitter: @ActiveFlag @HealthyIreland @Education_Ire 
Email: resources@activeschoolflag.ie   
(Please include your roll number in the subject line of all emails).  

ALL slogans will be entered in to a draw for prizes that include an outdoor speaker, scooter boards and table tennis sets. This is an ideal first activity for ASF committees/lead classes in schools working towards ASF this year. Selecting the winning slogan should be undertaken as a whole-of-school process. 
 

PARTNERSHIPS

'OLYMPIANS Live!' Webinar (16/11/22)
Students from all over Ireland are invited to join two of Ireland’s biggest sport stars, bronze medallists from the Tokyo Olympics, rowers Aifric Keogh and Eimear Lambe, for an OLYMPIANS Live! webinar on November 16th. Students can ask the rowing stars anything about their Olympic journey, winning the medal, rowing, growing up, mindset, teamwork and anything else.
FIND OUT More 
REGISTER for Primary Schools Webinar  (10.30-11 am) 
REGISTER for Post Primary Webinar (11.30 – 12 pm) 

(NEW) Let's Get ACTIVE: Physical Activity Challenge 
This FREE initiative from the Irish Heart Foundation challenges pupils (2nd - 6th) to be active for at least 60 minutes every day. Pupils will have FUN getting active and learn about motivation, goal setting and health along the way. Every participating pupil will receive a challenge pack which includes a booklet, stickers and a certificate.Ideal for use in conjunction with the 'Active Break Every Day' Challenge. 
FIND OUT More 
To order your CLASS sets of resource packs email schools@irishheart.ie