At St. John's SNS each class receives at least an hour per week of physical education. All classes are taught at least 5 different PE strands each year: Games, Athletics, Dance, Gymnastics, Aquatics and Outdoor and Adventure. By taking part in the Active School Flag programme it has helped us to focus on an improved provision of Physical Education in the school. All strands are supported by the visiting coaches we have in rugby, GAA, soccer and dance.
In order to receive our active school's flag , St. John's SNS needs to focus on improving one strand from the primary curriculum. St. John's SNS have decided to focus on the strand of Games this year by implementing the Move Well, Move Often programme. The Move Well, Move Often programme focuses on improving physical literacy within children. Physical literacy is the underlying goal of all physical activity. Physical literacy addresses the whole child and respects each pupil as an individual. The physically literate child can be described as having the motivation, confidence, movement competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take part in physical activity throughout their personal lifelong journey. You can read more about the Move Well, Move Often Programme here.
Take a look at the poster below which shows the Fundamental Movement Skills and strands.
Games
The strand units of the Games curriculum include:
Sending, receiving and travelling
Creating and playing games
Understanding and appreciation of games
Athletics
The strand units of the athletics curriculum include:
Running
Jumping
Throwing
Understanding and appreciation of athletics
Dance
The strand units of the dance curriculum include:
Exploration, creation and performance of dance
Understanding and appreciation of dance
Gymnastics
The strand units of the gymnastics curriculum include.
Movement
Understanding and appreciation of gymnastics
Outdoor and Adventure
The strand units of the Outdoor and Adventure curriculum include:
Walking
Orienteering
Outdoor Challenges
Aquatics
(3rd/4th classes attend swimming lessons in term 3 and 5th/6th continue learning water safety sings PAWS)
The strand units of the Aquatics curriculum include:
Hygiene
Water safety
Entry to and exit from the water
Buoyancy and propulsion
Stroke development
Water-based ball games
Understanding and appreciation
of aquatics