timetables
Every class is timetabled for one hour per week for Physical Education instruction as per Primary School Curriculum Guidelines 1999. This is broken into 2 half hour slots. Please note all PE is taking place outside currently due to Covid 19. All classes have 2 half hour slots for PE in the yard and 1 half hour slot for the courtyard/playground. Teachers are welcome to use the garden and Active Walkway whenever they wish.
planning
- Teachers refer to the whole school PE plan to guide their own plans and we use the PSSI lesson plans and Move Well Move Often resources also.
- The whole school PE plan includes a timetable for the year of when each strand of the PE curriculum should be taught. This is to ensure that the children are getting access to each of the 6 strands throughout the year.
- Every teacher teaches the same strand at the same time.
- As a whole school we also chose 1 fundamental movement skill per month to focus on and teach. Teachers use videos and activities from the Move Well Move Often resource to aid in their teaching of these skills.
fundamental movement skills
- We came to a staff decision this year to focus on 1 FMS per month. This skill will be taught in all PE lessons and Active homework will be assigned once a week based on the skill. Below is our plan for teaching the fundamental movement skills over the next 2 years.
pe equipment
- PE equipment is stored in the PE cupboard in the hall. It is tidied regularly and audited every year. Resources are updated as needed.
professional development
- In January 2017 teachers took part in Professional Development in the strand of Gymnastics and completed 8 hours training in the GymStart programme. This was provided by Gymnastics Ireland.
- In 2018 teachers completed training in the games strand with information sessions on the Fundamental Movement Skills delivered by our Games Promotion Officer Teresa Molohan.
- This year we will be focussing on the Outdoor and Adventure strand. We will create a walkway around our school garden that will include a fairy trail and a nature trail. Please see photos of all of our 'Outdoor and Adventure' activities in both the 'Physical Activity' and 'Outdoor and Adventure' tabs
paws

Every class in the school takes part in the PAWS programme in May and June of each school year.
Every child can now learn water safety skills in the classroom.
Water Safety Ireland has created a free educational resource for primary schools called PAWS (Primary Aquatics Water Safety). PAWS outlines life-saving guidelines for children of every age and is available digitally to every school in the country. It teaches children how to be safe around water in homes, farms, pools, beaches and on our waterways.
Every child can now learn water safety skills in the classroom.
Water Safety Ireland has created a free educational resource for primary schools called PAWS (Primary Aquatics Water Safety). PAWS outlines life-saving guidelines for children of every age and is available digitally to every school in the country. It teaches children how to be safe around water in homes, farms, pools, beaches and on our waterways.
In Ireland, thirty children aged fourteen and under drowned every ten years. That’s the equivalent of an entire classroom. By encouraging school children to be more conscious about water safety we can change that statistic for good.
Fundamental movement skills through gaa with teresa
- 1st and 2nd class children partake in a half an hour of GAA training with our Games Promotion Officer each week. During this time the children get to practice many of the fundamental movement skills through fun games and activiities. Senior Infants children also enjoy a 6 week period of working with Teresa.
5 star flag for gaa
In 2019 we were awarded a 5 star flag for GAA. We are very proud of all of the children for achieving this. They have worked hard all year. A special thank you to Teresa Molohan, our Games Promotion Officer for all of her help with GAA over the last few years.
The GAA 5 Star initiative aims to support and recognise Primary Schools that provide pupils with 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous Gaelic Games activity per week in a manner that ensures the children will experience fun, friendship, fairness and ultimately improve their fitness. Recognition as a “GAA 5 Star Centre” is awarded to Primary Schools that undertake to deliver a programme of Gaelic Games activity that is age-appropriate and meets the developmental needs of children within the school.
The GAA 5 Star initiative aims to support and recognise Primary Schools that provide pupils with 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous Gaelic Games activity per week in a manner that ensures the children will experience fun, friendship, fairness and ultimately improve their fitness. Recognition as a “GAA 5 Star Centre” is awarded to Primary Schools that undertake to deliver a programme of Gaelic Games activity that is age-appropriate and meets the developmental needs of children within the school.
PE with peter
- This year we have been very lucky to welcome Peter Fijolek to our school. Peter is a Sports Science student in DCU and is completing his work placement with us from March-June 2021. He takes every class for 1 PE lesson per week and works on the Fundamental Movement Skills through lots of fun games.