Renewal Application

In Ballymoney National School, the pupils are working towards an ASF Renewal Status.
There are a number of criteria in order to achieve this acknowledgement:
1. Physical Education: Priority Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) and PE Homework
2. Physical Activity: Decreasing Sedentary Time
3. Partnerships: ASF Questionnaires
4. Active School Week

1. Physical Education

In Ballymoney National School, all pupils are provided with 60 minutes of timetabled PE per week, as a minimum. The juniors have PE on Thursdays and the seniors have PE on Mondays.
All pupils are taught at least 5 different PE strands each year. Our PE programme for 2021-2022 will include Athletics, Dance, Gymnastics, Games, Outdoor and adventure activities, and Aquatics.
Both class teachers have ensured that each of the different PE strands is given a balanced amount of teaching time.
Every year, a different PE strand is chosen and all teachers work together to strengthen their delivery of this strand. This year's priority PE strand is Athletics. There are four strand units within this strand: running, jumping, throwing, and understanding and appreciation of athletics.
The PSSI lesson plans and the Move Well, Move Often resources are used by both teachers to guide their delivery of the Primary PE Curriculum.
In our school, all PE activities are carefully planned and differentiated so that they are accessible by all pupils.
Each pupil's progress and achievements in PE is discussed with the parents at PT meetings and feedback is also included in the annual school report.

The Land PAWS (Primary Aquatics Water Safety) water safety programme is taught to all class levels every year. Pupils engage with the lessons and games and become certified PAWS heroes at the end.
Our teachers have undertaken CPD in Physical Education during the past 12 months and new ideas and resources gained from this course were shared with other members of staff.

Every year, our school carries out a PE equipment audit and compiles an inventory. Old and broken equipment is disposed of and new equipment is purchased as it is needed.
Here is a photograph of our PE shed. All of our PE equipment and resources are kept in clearly-labelled, transparent boxes and other suitable storage facilities. The pupils have free access to the equipment during break/lunch times.

Both classroom teachers use the Move Well, Move Often resource and have prioritised 4 fundamental movement skills (FMS) for further development within their PE programme this year. These skills include: running, jumping, landing and throwing.
All pupils receive PE homework every night of Active Week and for the whole month of June.

Aquatics

Aquatics forms part of our PE programme.
For 6 weeks after Easter, all pupils went for swimming lessons at The Water School in Kealkill.
The pupils were put into different groups: Seahorses, Otters, Salmon, Dolphins and Advanced.

Athletics

Athletics forms part of our PE programme.
We were lucky enough to enjoy 6 sessions of athletics training with Martin from Jog 4 All in Term 1.
These sessions took place every Thursday and Martin taught us how to build on and improve our running skills. He also worked on our hopping and jumping skills and travelling backwards.
Take a look at the photos below:

Dance

Dance forms part of our PE programme.
We dressed in green for Lá Glas on 16th March and had a céilí outside. It was great fun to be together as a whole school for this event.
Take a look at the photos below:

Games

Games forms part of our PE programme.
We are always playing games in school; from warm-ups to cool-downs, informal games, imaginative games, co-operative games, practising skills and much more.
The pupils enjoyed 6 weeks of the Cycle Right programme with Caoimhe and Katie in Term 2.
Tadg Sheehan visits our school every Thursday to facilitate GAA lessons (6 weeks).

Gymnastics

Gymnastics forms part of our PE programme.
The pupils enjoy lessons on travelling, jumping, rolling, balancing, partner-work and using apparatus down in the Parish Hall.

Outdoor and adventure activities

Outdoor and adventure activities forms part of our PE programme.
The whole school went to West Cork Secret on the 29th September. The pupils engaged in orienteering activities and lots of assault courses and forest runs.
Ms. Hawkins made little wooden doors and houses in her garage and the pupils painted them. The end result is a Fairy Trail of 30 houses and doors up a quiet cul-de-sac beside our school. Lots of people go walking up this roadway and admire the pupils' work.

2. Physical Activity

Ballymoney National School provides twice daily playground breaks for all classes. Since the restrictions were lifted back in March, both classrooms now share the same outdoor play times. It's wonderful to see the older pupils mixing with the younger pupils.
The pupils are allowed to run during playground breaks and they are also allowed to play with the sports equipment from the PE shed.
Playground leaders are active in our school yard. All pupils in the senior classroom automatically qualify to be a leader. Playground leaders facilitate games, exercises, skills or just lend a helping hand. They wear their playground leader vests, name-tags and whistles.

We have a 1km Active School Walkway on a quiet, tranquil, cul-de-sac outside our school grounds. We regularly use this walkway for running, nature observations and orienteering. Take a look at some photos and videos of our walkway. We also have a fairy trail ticker with a QR code and people in the community can also take part in spotting our fairy doors as they embark on their walk.

During the month of November (2021), every pupil in the school completed the Active Break Every Day challenge. This was a whole school initiative that was run over a 4 week period. Activities included Go Noodle, running laps, circuits and Exercise with Emer to name a few.
The pupils complete an extended classroom-based physical activity break on the days when they are unable to play outdoors. Luckily this year, we have been very fortunate with the weather and our break times. We also have an outdoor shelter where we can get some fresh air on wet days.

All pupils have participated in the daily running challenge as a whole school initiative over a 4 week period. The whole school engaged with the Run Around Ireland part 2 initiative and the progress was recorded every day. In total, the pupils and staff ran 528km and made it to 5 different landmarks: Fota Island, Doneraile Wildlife Park, Story Telling Festival (Cape Clear), Puck Fair (Killorglin) and Thomand Park.

Our school incorporates physical activity into annual calendar events throughout the year e.g. Reindeer Run, Active Halloween.
Our school ensures that all ASF activities are planned so that they are accessible by all pupils.

22nd Oct Active Halloween

17th Dec Reindeer Run

Both class teachers agreed with their classes, a set of actions to decrease sedentary time and these were placed on the notice board.
We play music in the yard.

3. Partnerships

The senior pupils worked together to find and agree on an Active School Flag slogan.
An Active School Flag team of staff and pupils was established at the outset of the process. There are 9 pupils and 1 staff member on our ASF Committee. These range in age from 1st class - 6th class.
At Ballymoney National School, the pupils are given many and varied ASF leadership roles e.g. playground leaders, faciliitating games at break, enabling younger children to get involved, having a say in purchasing new equipment, etc.

The pupils undertook a 'What Club Are You In?' survey to find out about physical activity opportunities in their local community.

Our school acknowledges and celebrates physical activity effort and success both during school and outside of school hours.

Our school emailed the Local Sports Partnership (LSP) to find out about opportunities for young people, of all abilities and their families to get active in their local community e.g. St. Mary's GAA, Enniskeane and Districts Community Games, etc.
Our school emailed the local Sports Inclusion Disability Officer (SIDO) to find out how we can become more inclusive as a school in terms of the PE and physical activity opportunities that we offer.
Our school distributed an ASF questionnaire for pupils and for parents, discussed the feedback and implemented actions in response.

Our school commits to having Active School Week (#ASW) as part of our annual school calendar. This year, our ASW ran from 3rd-6th May 2022.
Our school ensures that all #ASW activities are planned so that they are accessible by all pupils.
The ASF committee invites suggestions from all pupils about the design of the #ASW programme.
The pupils are encouraged to wear tracksuits, leggings, shorts for the duration of #ASW.
Both classrooms use the walkway route to promote physical activity in a cross-curricular way during #ASW.
Written homework is replaced with physical activity tasks during #ASW.
Our school organises a whole school fun event during #ASW.
A pupils vs. teachers event is organised as part of the #ASW programme.
Our school invites local sports clubs and physical activity providers to give taster sessions during #ASW.
Our school makes use of local physical activity amenities during #ASW.

Monday 2nd May: Bank Holiday
Tuesday 3rd May: A 1km run, circuits, swimming lessons at The Water School in Kealkill, active homework
Wednesday 4th May: Morning 1km run, circuits, exercise class with Mary Cooper, whole school soccer tournament, active homework
Thursday 5th May: 1km run, circuits, a walk to the playground & tennis courts, a tug-of-war challenge, music in the shelter, GAA with Tadg, active homework
Friday 6th May: (wet weather) 1km run, circuits, active playtimes, fun games in the Parish Hall.

Click on the Irish flag to visit the Get Active Ireland website. Here you can find active based events for your local area

Physical Education

In Ballymoney National School all pupils are provided with 60 minutes timetabled PE per week, as a minimum.
All classes are taught at least 5 different PE strands each year (This year, we are teaching Games, Gymnastics, Dance, Gymnastics, Swimming and Athletics.
Our school PE programme allocates a balanced amount of teaching time to each of the different PE strands.
Our school prioritises a different PE strand for further development every year, this year we are focusing on the integration of Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) within Games.
Our school ensures that all PE activities are planned so that they are accessible by all pupils.
The Senior Room pupils and the Active School Committee ensure that the PE Store is kept tidy.
Our PE Store has been labelled and organised so that we can easily find equipment when needed.

Active School Week

10th - 14th June 2019

10th 1km run vs teachers

11th Swimming

12th Pilates and Aerobics

13th Gymnastics/Orienteering

14th Sports Day

Well done to Tomás Markey who won the Active School motto Poster Competition. Our school motto is

'Get Fit, Don't Quit'

Physical Activity

Ballymoney National School provides twice daily playground breaks for all classes.
Children are allowed to run during playground breaks.
Our school facilitates the use of sports equipment during break times.
Children are encouraged to 'Do your Talking as you are Walking' during break times.
Every class incorporates short physical activity breaks into their daily routine e.g. 10@10 and GoNoodle.
On the days when children are unable to play outdoors, each class teacher will incorporate an extended classroom-based physical activity break into the school day.
In the fine weather, we regularly run or walk a marked 1km in the mornings to wake up our bodies.
Our school incorporates physical activity into annual calendar events throughout the school year.
Our school ensures that all ASF activities are planned so that they are accessible by all pupils.

On Monday we started to warm up for our one kilometre race against the teachers. When we added up the distance each pupil did, we ran the same distance as running to Cork. We loved it! We didn't get many photos because everyone, including the teachers were so busy running. Eli just about bet Ms Rountree. It was a very close call. We will have a re-run during the summer term. We timed our runs and will check if we improved our personal best then too. Eli, we hope you are training hard!

On Tuesday we went swimming in Dunmanway Swimming Pool. We did front crawl, back crawl, breast stroke, diving, pencil jumping, tumbles, handstands and canon balls. We had to pick up rings and sinker seals from the bottom of the pool. Here we are on the bus on the way to the swimming pool. We had great fun!

On Wednesday we did pilates and aerobics with music with Will and Lucy's mum. We did lots of stretches, movements and running. Some girls from the senior room made up a dance to go with our school 'Get Active' rap. They made a dance video and the whole school learned it - it was like our very own GoNoodle!

On Thursday, we went orienteering in Ballincollig Regional Park. Then we went to the gymnastics club for a taster session. We loved jumping on the trampoline. We did tuck jumps, jumping jacks, stretches, star jumps, cartwheels and tumbles. We played cops and robbers and flush the toilet. We then went back to Ballincollig Regional Park and played in the playground.

On Friday we got some active travel in and walked from the school to the BEDA hall playground. We played soccer games on the court and we played on the swings, slides, zip-wire. Then we walked back to school.

Every morning before school, we do circuits to wake up our bodies. We find learning much easier when our bodies get to exercise first. The Active School Committee set it up every morning for the school. We always play music too. It is great fun!

Active School Week

The following pupils have been elected for the Active School Committee:

Jonah Canty
Leonie Corish
Cillian Kelly Paillard
Anna O' Halloran
Miya Sullivan
Katie O' Mahony
Tomás Markey
Emma Eady

Couch to 5k

Every Thursday, a parent of the school Mary Cooper does aerobic exercises and running with us at the BEDA pitch. Every week we run more and more. On the 15th June we are hoping to ran 5 kilometres. It was great fun and was wonderful to see everyone in the school community involved!

What is the Active School Flag all about?

Ballymoney National School is working towards receiving the 'Active Schools Flag'. The Active School Flag is a non-competitive initiative which highlights the importance of physical activity and sport in schools and communities in which they are based. The programme encourages all schools to evaluate their current position regarding the provision of Physical Education (P.E.) and after-school sports. Another area that requires attention is investigating community based activities for the children and increasing parents' awareness of facilities, teams and clubs in the community. The school has selected representatives from Junior Infants- 6th Class to form an 'Active Schools Committee' with these pupils working co-operatively with school staff and parents.

The committee meet and discuss activity-based topics within the school and community. The committee will also encourage their classmates to 'Be Active' both during school and after school. It is our overall aim to provide a wide and varied approach to physical health in Ballymoney National School through the medium of P.E. We want to raise the awareness of the importance of being active, how fun it can be, how you can make friends and enjoy the benefits of a happy, healthy lifestyle. Watch this space as we endeavour to achieve Active School Flag status over the next year.

Active School Noticeboard

Keep an eye out for our Active School noticeboard and ‘Well Done Wall’ . This is a special area to recognise any sporting achievements of our students, both inside and outside school. You can also find out about upcoming events such as: Information on matches, information on any school activities, and information about community sports will also be available. So if you are thinking of taking up a new sport or activity outside of school, come and have a look here.

Renewal Application

In Ballymoney National School, the pupils are working towards an ASF Renewal Status.

There are a number of criteria in order to achieve this acknowledgement:

1. Physical Education: Priority Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) and PE Homework

2. Physical Activity: Decreasing Sedentary Time

3. Partnerships: ASF Questionnaires

4. Active School Week

1. Physical Education

In Ballymoney National School, all pupils are provided with 60 minutes of timetabled PE per week, as a minimum. The juniors have PE on Thursdays and the seniors have PE on Mondays.

All pupils are taught at least 5 different PE strands each year. Our PE programme for 2021-2022 will include Athletics, Dance, Gymnastics, Games, Outdoor and adventure activities, and Aquatics.

Both class teachers have ensured that each of the different PE strands is given a balanced amount of teaching time.

Every year, a different PE strand is chosen and all teachers work together to strengthen their delivery of this strand. This year's priority PE strand is Athletics. There are four strand units within this strand: running, jumping, throwing, and understanding and appreciation of athletics.

The PSSI lesson plans and the Move Well, Move Often resources are used by both teachers to guide their delivery of the Primary PE Curriculum.

In our school, all PE activities are carefully planned and differentiated so that they are accessible by all pupils.

Each pupil's progress and achievements in PE is discussed with the parents at PT meetings and feedback is also included in the annual school report.

The Land PAWS (Primary Aquatics Water Safety) water safety programme is taught to all class levels every year. Pupils engage with the lessons and games and become certified PAWS heroes at the end.

Our teachers have undertaken CPD in Physical Education during the past 12 months and new ideas and resources gained from this course were shared with other members of staff.

Every year, our school carries out a PE equipment audit and compiles an inventory. Old and broken equipment is disposed of and new equipment is purchased as it is needed.

Here is a photograph of our PE shed. All of our PE equipment and resources are kept in clearly-labelled, transparent boxes and other suitable storage facilities. The pupils have free access to the equipment during break/lunch times.

Both classroom teachers use the Move Well, Move Often resource and have prioritised 4 fundamental movement skills (FMS) for further development within their PE programme this year. These skills include: running, jumping, landing and throwing.

All pupils receive PE homework every night of Active Week and for the whole month of June.

Aquatics

Aquatics forms part of our PE programme.

For 6 weeks after Easter, all pupils went for swimming lessons at The Water School in Kealkill.

The pupils were put into different groups: Seahorses, Otters, Salmon, Dolphins and Advanced.

Athletics

Athletics forms part of our PE programme.

We were lucky enough to enjoy 6 sessions of athletics training with Martin from Jog 4 All in Term 1.

These sessions took place every Thursday and Martin taught us how to build on and improve our running skills. He also worked on our hopping and jumping skills and travelling backwards.

Take a look at the photos below:

Dance

Dance forms part of our PE programme.

We dressed in green for Lá Glas on 16th March and had a céilí outside. It was great fun to be together as a whole school for this event.

Take a look at the photos below:

Games

Games forms part of our PE programme.

We are always playing games in school; from warm-ups to cool-downs, informal games, imaginative games, co-operative games, practising skills and much more.

The pupils enjoyed 6 weeks of the Cycle Right programme with Caoimhe and Katie in Term 2.

Tadg Sheehan visits our school every Thursday to facilitate GAA lessons (6 weeks).

Gymnastics

Gymnastics forms part of our PE programme.

The pupils enjoy lessons on travelling, jumping, rolling, balancing, partner-work and using apparatus down in the Parish Hall.

Outdoor and adventure activities

Outdoor and adventure activities forms part of our PE programme.

The whole school went to West Cork Secret on the 29th September. The pupils engaged in orienteering activities and lots of assault courses and forest runs.

Ms. Hawkins made little wooden doors and houses in her garage and the pupils painted them. The end result is a Fairy Trail of 30 houses and doors up a quiet cul-de-sac beside our school. Lots of people go walking up this roadway and admire the pupils' work.

2. Physical Activity

Ballymoney National School provides twice daily playground breaks for all classes. Since the restrictions were lifted back in March, both classrooms now share the same outdoor play times. It's wonderful to see the older pupils mixing with the younger pupils.

The pupils are allowed to run during playground breaks and they are also allowed to play with the sports equipment from the PE shed.

Playground leaders are active in our school yard. All pupils in the senior classroom automatically qualify to be a leader. Playground leaders facilitate games, exercises, skills or just lend a helping hand. They wear their playground leader vests, name-tags and whistles.

During the month of November (2021), every pupil in the school completed the Active Break Every Day challenge. This was a whole school initiative that was run over a 4 week period. Activities included Go Noodle, running laps, circuits and Exercise with Emer to name a few.

The pupils complete an extended classroom-based physical activity break on the days when they are unable to play outdoors. Luckily this year, we have been very fortunate with the weather and our break times. We also have an outdoor shelter where we can get some fresh air on wet days.

Our school incorporates physical activity into annual calendar events throughout the year e.g. Reindeer Run, Active Halloween.

Our school ensures that all ASF activities are planned so that they are accessible by all pupils.

22nd Oct Active Halloween 17th Dec Reindeer Run

Both class teachers agreed with their classes, a set of actions to decrease sedentary time and these were placed on the notice board.

We play music in the yard.

3. Partnerships

The senior pupils worked together to find and agree on an Active School Flag slogan.

An Active School Flag team of staff and pupils was established at the outset of the process. There are 9 pupils and 1 staff member on our ASF Committee. These range in age from 1st class - 6th class.

At Ballymoney National School, the pupils are given many and varied ASF leadership roles e.g. playground leaders, faciliitating games at break, enabling younger children to get involved, having a say in purchasing new equipment, etc.

The pupils undertook a 'What Club Are You In?' survey to find out about physical activity opportunities in their local community.

Our school acknowledges and celebrates physical activity effort and success both during school and outside of school hours.

Our school emailed the Local Sports Partnership (LSP) to find out about opportunities for young people, of all abilities and their families to get active in their local community e.g. St. Mary's GAA, Enniskeane and Districts Community Games, etc.

Our school emailed the local Sports Inclusion Disability Officer (SIDO) to find out how we can become more inclusive as a school in terms of the PE and physical activity opportunities that we offer.

Our school distributed an ASF questionnaire for pupils and for parents, discussed the feedback and implemented actions in response.

Our school commits to having Active School Week (#ASW) as part of our annual school calendar. This year, our ASW ran from 3rd-6th May 2022.

Our school ensures that all #ASW activities are planned so that they are accessible by all pupils.

The ASF committee invites suggestions from all pupils about the design of the #ASW programme.

The pupils are encouraged to wear tracksuits, leggings, shorts for the duration of #ASW.

Both classrooms use the walkway route to promote physical activity in a cross-curricular way during #ASW.

Written homework is replaced with physical activity tasks during #ASW.

Our school organises a whole school fun event during #ASW.

A pupils vs. teachers event is organised as part of the #ASW programme.

Our school invites local sports clubs and physical activity providers to give taster sessions during #ASW.

Our school makes use of local physical activity amenities during #ASW.

Monday 2nd May: Bank Holiday

Tuesday 3rd May: A 1km run, circuits, swimming lessons at The Water School in Kealkill, active homework

Wednesday 4th May: Morning 1km run, circuits, exercise class with Mary Cooper, whole school soccer tournament, active homework

Thursday 5th May: 1km run, circuits, a walk to the playground & tennis courts, a tug-of-war challenge, music in the shelter, GAA with Tadg, active homework

22nd Oct Active Halloween

17th Dec Reindeer Run

What is the Active School Flag all about?