Physical Education

Physical Education

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PE lessons in Lucan Educate Together are supported by The Primary School Sports Initiative. Teachers refer to the support materials from the PSSI for the five strand units of the physical education curriculum: Athletics, Dance, Games, Gymnastics and Outdoor and Adventure Activities. Each teacher has access to a copy of the PSSI lesson plans for each of the PE strands, appropriate to the age group that they are teaching. All class teachers allot equal time to each of the strands and the school PE timetable has been structured accordingly. In addition to this, many classes take place in additional PE lessons outside of school or facilitated by external coaches. Our first to fourth classes take part in 8 weeks of swimming lessons in Stewarts Pool.

Teachers decide on playground games to teach during PE lessons and pupils are encouraged to play these games on yard also. At our Monday morning meetings, senior children are invited to demonstrate games they have learnt in PE or games they have made themselves. The children love trying out the new games independently.

The school now has an overall PE timetable ensuring that every class has one and a half hours of timetabled PE per week. This can be in the hall or on the astro turf. Every class also has a time tabled slot in the playground for additional physical activity. There are free time slots on all the timetables allowing teachers to make use of the hall, astro turf and playground for discretionary time.

At the start of the school year 2016/17 gymnastics was chosen as focus area for development in PE. As a result, the gymnastics strand was a huge success this year because of a whole school approach. Teachers engaged in CPD in order to facilitate gymnastics teaching. The school also organised gymnastics coaching for junior infants and first class in May 2017. From this, teachers learned new ways to teach the gymnastics along with ideas for warm-ups and cool-downs. It is school policy that teachers remain in the hall/yard at all times when coaches are present and actively assist the coach as far as possible. This offers teachers the opportunity to up skill across a number of different activities. We also make sure that in advance coaches are made aware of children with special needs so that they can adapt their activities. This certainly encouraged the teachers towards teaching gymnastics and generated a sense of enthusiasm and excitements among the children also. Several children participated in a gymnastic display to showcase what they had learnt.

Based on the success of the gymnastics strand this year, teachers have agreed to prioritise one PE strand for further development each year. Copies of the PSSI lesson plans for gymnastics were made available to assist teachers with their planning for gymnastics. The focus area for 201/18 will be chosen prior to the commencement of the next school year.

All the children tried out Zumba last year during Active Week and loved it! This year teachers decided to offer our Fourth Classes the chance to enjoy an extended set of 4 weekly Zumba lessons. The children have had great fun dancing and singing to lots of their favourite songs.

First and second classes took part in 6 weeks of Gaelic football training facilatated by Lucan Sarsfields. They focussed on imoroving skills such as passing, throwing and kicking and worked towards participating in mini games of football.

The PE storage area has been re-organised by Adrian’s fifth class to make it a more user-friendly space. All boxes are clearly labelled. Fifth class have volunteered to be responsible for keeping it tidy and ensuring that all equipment is returned to its’ correct place.

We have bought and replenished playground specific equipment for the yard. These were chosen by the children on the Student Council with input from all the children. The toys are chosen with an aim to provide something which will appeal to all children – balls, basketball nets, skipping ropes, large maze game, hopscotch, pinball etc. The portable items are stored in an area convenient to the yard. Senior pupils have been assigned the responsibility for its maintenance, distribution and collection.

A number of our Senior classes took part in the Super Troopers Programme this year. This assigns healthy homework to children and encourages them to track their own health and well-being. The programme includes short burst, fun activities around physical activity, wellbeing and nutrition. Children participating in Super Troopers will receive a Super Trooper’s Activity Journal which includes short activities to do each night as part of their homework. Children can complete these fun activities alone or get their family & friends involved.

A healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body which is why we’ve introduced even more fun wellbeing activities such as GoNoodle active lesson transitions and we have introduced Food Dudes for our Junior classes.

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