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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
NOW OPENPDST PE: Physical Literacy - Seminar 4
This seminar focuses on developing pupils’ motivation and confidence to participate in physical activity for life. Participants will explore a variety of strategies that can be easily implemented in PE lessons to motivate and develop pupils’ confidence to improve participation in the PE lesson. Resources will be provided to teachers in attendance and this seminar will run from March to May in venues around the country. Sub cover is available for 2 teachers to attend from each school. BOOK Your Place
NOW OPENPDST PE: Cooperative Learning Workshop
Cooperative learning can be used across any strand of the PE curriculum and has been shown to enhance pupil motivation, confidence and ability to work together positively in PE. This workshop will run from March to April around the country. BOOK Your Place
PDST PE: In-School Support
PDST in-school support is ongoing at this time. A primary PE advisor can visit your school to support you with planning and preparation of your PE programme, to facilitate lesson modelling across all strands of the PE curriculum and whole staff professional development sessions. Schools can apply for in-school PDST PE support through the online application system HERE
NOW OPENIPPEA Annual CONFERENCE: Booking for the IPPEA 2022 annual conference is now LIVE!
The conference will take place in Marino Institute of Education, on Saturday, 7th May It's jam packed full of great workshops including including 'Oodles of Noodles', creative dance, Frisbee golf and many more. Not to be missed! BOOK Your Place Twitter - Facebook - Instagram
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Run Around IRELAND - Part 2
(March 14h - April 8th)
WELL DONE to the many schools across the country that are currently completing the 4-week 'Run Around Ireland' challenge. You are free to 'run' this challenge at any point in the school year. It's an ideal activity for term 3 and really good way to ENERGISE learning during your #ASW22 programme. FIND OUT More
#FeelGoodFridays: WALKWAY Day (March 25th)
THANK YOU to everyone that shared their WALKWAY Day photos and videos with us. Awards were sent out to the following schools for their whole-of-school engagement, on the day.
Marshalstown NS, Co Wexford
Coolcappa NS, Co Limerick
St Luke's NS, Tyrellstown, Dublin 15
St Brigid's NS, Co Meath
Castleconnell NS, Co Limerick
#FeelGoodFridays: LOCAL HERO Day (May 6th) Our next #FeelGoodFriday will take place on the first teaching Friday in May, during national Active School Week (#ASW22). ASF encourages schools to find a local or a national role model to set a physical activity challenge for their school. 2021 was the year of the 'Wall Sit' challenge. We cannot wait to see what challenges this year will bring, or WHO will set them for your school.
Bizzy Breaks (Irish Heart Foundation)
Join IHF, online, later this month to find out more about Bizzy Breaks. Topics discussed will include:
1. Optimising physical activity and mindfulness in the classroom for better concentration, focus and learning. 2. How to build your toolkit of resources with Bizzy Breaks for an active and mindful classroom. 3. Using physical activity and mindfulness to meet curriculum learning outcomes/objectives. 4. Tips and ideas for introducing mindfulness in the classroom.
Webinar: Thursday, April 28th (7-8.30 pm) Sign Up HERE
10@10 Active Breaks Videos (Fingal Sports Office)
WELL DONE to the 100+ schools around the country that joined us every Friday morning for the second series of 10@10 sessions. We really hope you enjoyed them and the kids got something out of them. All the videos from parts 1 and 2 of the series are up on our Healthy Fingal Learning Portal so you can go back and check them out if you ever need a quick 10-minute movement break for your class.Could be useful for your #ASW22 programmes!
ACTIVE SCHOOL WEEK
National Active School Week(#ASW22) will take place 3-6th May, 2022 As always, if this week doesn't suit your school, you are free to organise your #ASW22 programme at a different time.
#ASW22 - Ideas and Inspiration The #ASW22 website page is now live, full of IDEAS to INSPIRE. More content will be added on a weekly basis, including a suite of Cycling Ireland videos/resources to help schools set up a cycling obstacle course on their school grounds. Visit Website Page
REGISTER Your School for #ASW22 to ensure that you are kept up-to-date with new resources and offers of support as and when they become available. Register My School
WINNERS: Pool Noodle Sets THANK YOU to everyone that inputted their #ASW ideas and suggestions in to the Chat at the recent webinars. 25 school schools were drawn out of a hat, for each webinar. If your school roll number is listed below - WELL DONE. You will receive a set of pool noodles, after the Easter holidays. We look forward to seeing the imaginative ways that you put them to use.
THIS WEEK Opportunity to WIN (Irish Heart Foundation) REGISTER your school for the IHF Primary Schools Resources Mailing List to be in with a chance to win, one of five, Bizzy Breaks resource boxes (beanbags, balloons, stickers etc.). Register before Friday (April 6th) to be included in this #ASW22 draw. REGISTER My School
#ASW22 AWARDS
We are always on the look-out for NEW ideas, successful initiatives and whole-of-school engagement with ASF activities. This year we have three #ASW22 awards categories:
THIS WEEK 'Nearly There' Webinars These webinars are for ALL schools (new applicant and renewal) that plan to submit their ASF application before the end of 2022. Topics include:
Land PAWS
What Clubs Are You In?
Website Showcase
Readiness to Apply
Preparing for the Accreditation Visit
Webinar 1: Tuesday. April 5th (4-5pm) Webinar 2: Wednesday, April 6th (7-8pm) BOOK Your Place
Reminder: OUTDOOR BANNERS
RENEWAL schools that attend boththe 'Getting Started' and the 'Nearly There' webinars will, in addition to their renewal flag, receive an ASF outdoor banner for their school railings.
Applications Process (Primary) - IMPORTANT Dates Your school is ready to apply for ASF when you have completed 100% of the ASF criteria and you have visual evidence of this on your school website/submitted PowerPoint. Screening and accreditation visits take place throughout the school year (October - June).
Here are a few important dates for schools planning to submit their ASF applications during term 3: We strongly advise against rushing in applications at the end of the school year. Work undertaken during 21/22 will remain valid in to 22/23..
May 10th - If you wish to secure an in-school accreditation visit before the end of June 2022 you mustfully complete the process and submit your online application form before the above date. If your application is approved by the screening committee we will do our very best to ensure that your school is visited before the end of the school year. If a 'Request for Further Information' or a 'Request for Further Development' issues, this will delay your application and the visit may have to be scheduled at a later date.
June 10th - We will continue to process applications until June 10th. Accreditation visits that are not possible before the end of June will be scheduled in October.
Early October - Screening and accreditation visits will resume at the start of October.
Please UPDATE School Profile Page ALL primary schools with current ASF status, and schools due to renew their ASF this year, are asked to LOG IN to their online ASF school account to update their SCHOOL PROFILE page. This is particularly important for RENEWAL schools. Out of date/incomplete information will result in delays to your application being processed.
Email Queries We always endeavour to reply to queries as quickly as we can.
From April 18th onwards we will be dealing with large volumes of applications and will have to prioritise this work. We, therefore, may not be able to respond to your queries as quickly as usual. Thanking you in advance for your understanding. .
CONTACT US In all correspondence with ASF, please remember to quote your school ROLL NUMBER in the subject line.