Active Schools (5-13yrs)

Active Schools is a nationwide initiative aimed at encouraging young people to be more active, more often. Funded by SPARC, and aimed at primary and intermediate schools, the initiative focuses on assisting school communities to offer a greater range of quality physical activity experiences for its students. Schools are encouraged to follow a whole school approach to achieving this. The five components of a whole school approach are school ethos and organisation; curriculum; co-curriculum; environment, and community partnerships. Working with an Active Schools Facilitator for two years each school identifies areas of need then develops an action plan to meet these needs. The goal is to ensure that children receive multiple positive physical activity experiences during both in-class, and out-of-class time. Creating links between the learning that takes place during physical education lessons, and the “doing” and practising of skills while in the playground and on the sportfield, will build the confidence and competence of students. This in turn encourages them to keep playing and/or try new things.

How do Active Schools Facilitators work with schools?

Some examples include:

- Working with the Principal and SMT to develop a school wide policy or philosophy that demonstrates the school values and prioritises physical activity
- Conducting a needs analysis by surveying teachers, parents and students to establish their physical activity needs
- Running practical staff meetings to upskill teachers in physical education and provide them with a range of games/activities to teach their students
- Training senior students to lead lunchtime games/activites/sports for younger students
- Running parent coaching workshops to upskill parent coaches
- Working with local sports clubs to create partnerships with schools
- Linking schools with other organizations (eg. Team Solutions) to assist them meet their needs as identified in the needs analysis

For more information on the Active Schools Initiative please contact the Active Schools Facilitators at Harbour Sport on Ph (09) 415 4610