Active School Broombridge 2022
Active School Flag
Active School Flag (ASF) is an initiative established by the Department of Education and Skills aimed at guiding, supporting and incentivising schools to become more physically educated and to become a more physically active school community.
For more information on ASF, follow the link: https://activeschoolflag.ie/
Physical Education Curriculum
The Primary P.E. Curriculum is made up of the following strands and strand units:
For more information on the Primary, P.E. Curriculum go to https://www.curriculumonline.ie/Primary/Curriculum-Areas/Physical-Education/
Physical Education Programmes
At Broombridge ETNS, we use a mixture of P.E. programmes to assist in the teaching and learning of Physical Education. We use Move Well, Move Often in accordance with the different class groupings, along with the Primary Schools’ Sports Initiative. Both programmes have excellent online resources which can be accessed here: Move Well, Move Often PSSI
Fundamental Movement Skills
There are fourteen different Fundamental Movement Skills as outlined by Move Well, Move Often. These FMS are walking, running, hopping, skipping, jumping, dodging, side stepping, landing, balancing, catching, throwing, kicking, striking with the hand and striking with an implement. Each month at Broombridge ETNS, we have a focus of one or two of these FMS. Through the exploration of these skills, it is hoped that each child will become physically literate and develop confidence and competence in their movement.
More information on FMS can be accessed here.
Developing an ASF Committee
This year at Broombridge ETNS, we are working towards getting our first Active School Flag. To get started, Eira, Neil and Shannon B. decided to join forces on the ASF Committee. From there, they had an initial meeting with Chantal and Paddy to discuss the aims for the ASF Committee for the academic year 2021-22.
ASF Notice Board
The ASF Teachers Committee designed a notice board as a means of communicating with the whole school regarding upcoming dates/ events. This notice board is updated monthly to identify our Fundamental Movement Skills and suggested activities specific to each skill. Any news regarding the ASF will be posted on the notice board.
ASF Committee Campaign
With the upcoming ASF committee elections looming, all children at Broombridge ETNS have been given opportunities to create posters, speeches, badges and so on to convey why they think they should be elected as an ASF representative in their class. Two students from each class Junior Infants – Fourth Class will be elected to the ASF Committee. Each class will vote for two people who they think will be a great addition to the Active Schools effort in Broombridge ETNS.
Wednesday 26th January 2022: ASF Election Day
Our ASF Committee required much needed assistance from the students at Broombridge ETNS. Eira, Neil and Shannon B. organised an ASF Committee Election. Two children from each class will be voted onto the committee. On election day, each child will vote for two children who they believe have the best ideas for the ASF Committee and who they believe will be a great asset to the team.
Pictured is Ross’ class posting their ballot sheets into our ballot box.
ASF Committee
Eira, Neil and Shannon B. tallied the votes and announced the new ASF Committee during Assembly on Friday 28th January.
Our ASF Committee 2021-22 is as follows:
| Class | ASF Committee Member | ASF Committee Member |
| J.I. (Chantal) | Sam | Ellie |
| J.I. (Ross) | Fleur | Oscar |
| S.I. (Patrick) | Zack | Elliot |
| S.I. (Shannon W.) | Chloe | Hailey |
| 1st (Saoirse) | Amelia K. | Michal |
| 1st /2nd (Shannon B.) | Leo | Helen |
| 2nd (Eira) | Étienne | Mollie |
| 3rd (Kate) | Eva | Johnnie |
| 4th (Neil) | Louis | Eden |
| Outreach 1 (Vikki) | Grace | — |
| Outreach 2 (Caroline) | — | — |
Our ASF Committee is now made up of Eira, Neil and Shannon B., as well as 19 students who are named above. We will meet most Fridays at lunch time to discuss our ideas, suggestions, goals and to represent our classmates. We are aiming to work super hard to obtain an Active School Flag at Broombridge ETNS!
Our Active School Committee will:
- Attend ASF Committee meetings.
- Represent classmates and their ideas/ suggestions.
- Encourage our peers and teachers to become more active in school, at home and in the community.
- Organise active events and activities throughout the school year.
- Manage sports equipment.
And much, much more!
Our First ASF Meeting
We held our first ASF meeting in Eira’s room 7 on 4th February 2022. During this meeting we discussed our responsibilities as ASF committee members. Shannon B. gave us each a copybook where we can write our classmates suggestions for how they would like to make Broombridge ETNS a more Active School. We can also write down our own ideas and suggestions and present these at future meetings. Our job now is to create and decide on an ASF slogan for our school.
Creating a Slogan
We set about brainstorming a slogan to promote an Active School community at Broombridge ETNS. ASF representatives from each class could make a note of suggested slogans in their copybooks. Children could also record their suggestions on our Active School Flag notice board.
ASF Meeting
At our ASF meeting on 04/03/2022, we decided on our Active Schools slogan suggested by Grace from Vikki’s class: “Exercise and time flies!” We agreed that this slogan is true to us at Broombridge ETNS as we enjoy exercising, especially with our friends. We think that time goes by quickly when we are exercising, especially during our P.E. lessons!!
We discussed how we want to make Broombridge ETNS more active throughout the day. We decided to begin this during our yard time. Each fortnight, the ASF Committee will choose a game that we will encourage the children to play on the yard. A special responsibility will be given to the children in 3rd and 4th class who will be asked to teach these new games to the children in Junior Infants and Senior Infants. These children will be called our Playground Helpers and will alternate from week to week. As a sign of thanks, each Playground Helper will receive a special certificate. We want to encourage play in the younger children and teach them how to play different games, learn how to take turns, create various roles in games etc. Our first ‘Game of the Fortnight’ is What Time is it Mr. Wolf? These games will be advertised on our ASF notice board and each class teacher will receive the instructions for the game. Teachers will be encouraged to practice these games during their P.E. time too.
Here you can see a photograph of Shannon B. explaining the job of Playground Helpers to the ASF Committee.
Playground Helpers
Four Playground Helpers will be chosen from 3rd and 4th class. New Playground Helpers are chosen every week. We recognise our Playground Helpers at yard time because they wear their Hi-Vis jackets.
What do our Playground Helpers do?
- Teach games to Junior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st Class and 2nd Class.
- Play with younger children.
- Demonstrate how to take turns.
- Introduce sports equipment to younger children.
- Encourage new friendships.
- Promote the concept of working as a team.
- Help children who don’t know how to play or what to play.
- Teach rules of games.
- Play Game of the Fortnight in groups.
- Help children to overcome issues with winning and losing.
- Encourage leadership skills amongst children.
Playground Helpers
Four Playground Helpers will be chosen from 3rd and 4th class. New Playground Helpers are chosen every week. We recognise our Playground Helpers at yard time because they wear their Hi-Vis jackets.
What do our Playground Helpers do?
- Teach games to Junior Infants, Senior Infants, 1st Class and 2nd Class.
- Play with younger children.
- Demonstrate how to take turns.
- Introduce sports equipment to younger children.
- Encourage new friendships.
- Promote the concept of working as a team.
- Help children who don’t know how to play or what to play.
- Teach rules of games.
- Play Game of the Fortnight in groups.
- Help children to overcome issues with winning and losing.
- Encourage leadership skills amongst children.
G.A.A. with Johnnie
We have been so lucky here at Broombridge ETNS to have G.A.A. coach Johnnie with us every Friday for the last few months. Johnnie is a brilliant coach from Naomh Fionnbarra in Cabra where lots of our students are members! Eira’s 2nd class are pictured here enjoying their lessons with Johnnie. He taught them lots of football and hurling skills in a fun and engaging way. Their favourite game from their sessions was Rob the Nest!!
G.A.A. began on Friday 12th November for 2nd, 3rd and 4th Class.
G.A.A. will begin on Friday 21st January for both Junior Infant classes, both Senior Infant classes, Outreach 1 and 2, 1st class and 1st /2nd class.
Each class will have completed their G.A.A. sessions with Johnnie by the Easter break!
Lá Glas
Seachtain na Gaeilge (1st – 17th March 2022) provided a perfect opportunity to combine our Active School Flag efforts with the annual celebration of our native Irish language.
With the help of the management team at Broombridge ETNS, it was decided that we would organise a whole school effort to work towards obtaining our Active School Flag. Everyone in the school, students and teachers, would try to wear the colour green, speak as much Gaeilge as possible and be as active as possible on Lá Glas.
We arranged for Lá Glas to take place on Wednesday 16th March 2022, the day before St. Patrick’s Day. Each class prepared for a céilí and rehearsed the song Trasna na dTonnta.
Lá Glas was a huge success. Three different dances were performed at the céilí and we even had a solo Irish Dance from Marley in Saoirse’s class!
Junior and Senior Infants performed the Irish Stew Folk Dance (The Rakes of Mallow).
1st and 2nd Class performed The Siege of Ennis.
3rd and 4th Class performed The Walls of Limerick.
We all had a great day and are looking forward to the break!
Active Stars
We have been learning more about the activities the children at Broombridge ETNS participate in outside of the school day. To encourage exercise in the local community, the ASF Committee have decided to commend our ‘Active Stars’. Each Active Star will find a photograph of themselves on the ASF notice board. We hope that this will encourage other students to take up a sport or an activity in the local community. We also hope that our Active Stars segment of the notice board will broaden the children’s interest into sports they may never have even heard of. Any child who features on the ASF notice board is encouraged to write/ draw about their favourite activity so that other children will learn more about it.
Our first Active Star is Aoife from 4th Class. Aoife loves to kickbox.
Dris from 1st Class has also become an Active Star at Broombridge ETNS. Dris has received his yellow belt in Taekwondo!
Silent Disco
To celebrate Autism Acceptance Week (28th March – 3rd April 2022) Caroline and Vikki organised some exceptional activities for everybody at Broombridge ETNS to enjoy. Among the activities planned were two whole school active activities. The first activity planned was Bubbles for Autism. With the help of the Student Council, each child received their own pot of bubbles and enjoyed 15 minutes of fun bubble blowing. Secondly, a silent disco was organised before we finished school for the Easter holidays. This activity was appropriate for all students who could dance and enjoy their choice of music at their preferred volume. The silent disco was a great hit with students and teachers alike at Broombridge ETNS and a great way to get active!
Fit Friday’s
To increase the use of movement and exercise throughout the school day, the ASF Committee have introduced Fir Friday’s. On Fit Friday’s, each class are encouraged to participate in as many active movement breaks and active lesson transitions as possible. The ASF Committee compiled a resource of various suggested movement breaks and active lesson transitions. Fit Friday’s can integrate P.E., Music and Maths. Senior classes have been encouraged to add up the number of minutes they spend being active each Friday and to aim to beat this time weekly.
Crazy Hat Day Parade
To celebrate finishing school for the Easter holidays, a Crazy Hat Day was organised by the Student Council to raise some funds for Buddy Benches for our yard. All classes were encouraged to create and design their own crazy hat to celebrate the day. On the day, each class paraded around the school yard in turn. Paddy enjoyed giving some silly instructions to each class before they began parading (like jelly legs, bunny hopping and side-stepping).
