Festival News: reflections on a session about promoting physical activity

Ensuring children get 60 minutes of Physical Exercise throughout the day

The Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines report that children should aim for 60 minutes of physical activity per day; 30 minutes in school time.

Many of the key benefits of being physically active were emphasised, such as: improving achievement and cognitive functional; suffering less anxiety and stress; improving confidence and social interaction; improving resilience and physical fitness and improving classroom behaviour.

Adam Fuller (Arches School Sport Partnership Development Manager) signposted a wide range of very helpful websites/resources to help schools provide regular opportunities for physical exercise throughout the school day. However, Adam stressed the importance of checking the most recent national guidance and adhering to the school’s own risk assessment.

 www.activeschoolplanner.org - a free tool to help increase physical activity in schools.

Active lessons: Several are currently running free trials.

·         Te4ch Active (250 active maths and English lessons)

·         TaGTIV8: tag belts and physically active games

·         BURN2LEARN: ‘Box of tricks’ – 7 or 8 games that can be used in any topic/subject.

·         QUESTR: using QR codes to put up trails etc

Breaks and Lunchtimes: suggestions were to consider embedding daily challenges. Some schools are providing a different box of equipment for each bubble, which is then cleaned at the end of the week and then rotated round to another bubble.

Active Interventions: For example: The Daily Mile; Marathon kids; i-moves; Wake Up Shake Up; Standing Desks (Eiger); Sheffield School Skipathon in Nov. 2020

Active Travel: For example: Bike to School Week; 10-day active travel challenge; Modeshift Stars

Active Environments: For example: playground markers; providing and outdoor classroom space and displays to encourage physical activity.

Home Learning: factor physical activity into home curriculum plans

·         Sheffield Schools Get Active home timetable, includes a physical activity each day

·         ‘PE at Home’ videos on you-tube

·         i-moves videos and on-line fitness sessions

Please see the recorded session for additional information and contact details

Thank you very much Adam for providing such an information session