Physical Education

Every class is timetabled to use the PE hall for one hour per week for Physical Education instruction as per Primary School Curriculum Guidelines 1999. Some teachers chose to break this into 2 half hour slots. Please note all PE is taking place outside currently due to Covid 19.
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.
PE equipment is stored in the PE cupboard in the hall. It is tidied regularly and audited every year. Resources are updated as needed.
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 hope to create a walkway around our school grounds with the help of the PDST.
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.
2nd class children attend swimming lessons for the first term of every school year. In other year groups the strand of aquatics focuses on Water Safety. Please note this is on hold due to Covid 19.
1st and 2nd class children also 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 activiites.