The Active Flag
The Active Flag is a Department of Education and Skills initiative that recognises schools that “strive to achieve a physically educated and physically active school community”. See website www.activeschoolflag.ie for details. Our pupils, staff and parents are committed to making activity and exercise a fun and everyday way of life in our school. We have been enjoying our active flag journey over the last number of years and our active flag committees have been leading us in many initiatives to keep us healthy and active.
Physical Education programme
Each class participates in a minimum of one hour timetabled physical Education per week. Pupils take part in lessons that cover the strands of the Physical Education Curriculum - Athletics, Dance, Games, Gymnastics and Outdoor and Adventure activities. Senior classes now take part in the aquatics strand also. These lessons take place in the hall and in the playground and school grounds.
Physical Activity Initiatives
In addition to PE lessons pupils take part in many fun activities to stay active. Our school day is regularly revitalized within the classroom with ‘brain break’ activities such as yoga, dance, aerobics and Zumba thanks to the Go Noodle website, the Bizzy Breaks programme and teacher led physical movement breaks. These regular brain breaks boost energy levels fuelling the children’s brains for further learning. These breaks are particularly important on rainy days when we can’t get outside and movement breaks are extended on these days.
We have many initiatives to promote activity throughout the day and school year. These include the K a day, game of the week, zoned playground games, the 10@10,school discos, the walking bus, whole school walks, céilís, using the playground markings and having active rewards, such as for line of the week.
Teachers also use activity throughout the curriculum. For example maths trails, nature walks, tours of the school, Deir O Gradaigh as Gaeilge.
Active Flag Committee
The Active Flag Committee 2022/23 is being led by Niamh W, Mark, Paudie & Niamh D.
Partnerships
We have good partnerships with local sports clubs, who come in during the year to give taster sessions, including St. Olaf's GAA club, Rosemont tennis club and De La Salle Rugby Club.
2023 What club are you in?
The children and parent representative on our active flag committee surveyed children and parents about what sports clubs the children in our school take part in outside of school.
Sport |
Clubs |
Soccer |
Granada FC, Enniskerry, Mount Merrion, St. Mary’s FC, Wayside, Templeogue, Dundrum, Mount Merrion, Fernhill |
Swimming |
UCD, Newpark, Loughlinstown, Monkstown, Meadowbrook, Swan Leisure |
Golf |
Stepaside |
Gymnastics |
Trojan Gymnastics ,Supersonic |
Basketball |
UCD Marion Basketball Club, Raiders |
Tennis |
L.C Tennis, Westwood Tennis |
Horseriding |
Ticknock Horseriding |
Kickboxing |
Global Kickboxing |
GAA |
Kilmacud Crokes, Stars of Erin, Naomh Olaf |
Taekwondo |
Loughlinstown Taekwondo |
Rugby |
De La Salle Rugby Club, St Brigids Rugby Club |
Active Schools News
Run Around Ireland Challenge
April 2023
The Run Around Around Challenge proved very successful throughout the school. The children really enjoyed doing there laps everyday and we managed to reach as far as Devenish Island in Fermanagh which was 180 km from our school. Other landmarks included Corlea Bog, Armagh Observatory and Leap Castle. We are looking forward to our next challenge.
Active Break Challenge
March 2023
Different classes got to play table tennis for our Feel Good Friday. We really enjoyed making the tables and had fun playing against each other. We look forward to the next Feel Good Friday.
February 2023
Feel Good Friday
The school had a great time last Friday listening and dancing to some of their favourite songs at yard time. Some of the highlights were ‘The Macarena’, ‘Rock the Boat’ and ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’. We are looking forward to the next feel good Friday.
January 2023
Active Flag: Climb the Heights Class Challenge
The school had a fun time completing the Feel Good Friday challenge. Junior and Senior Infants teamed up to climb Carrauntoohil, 1st and 2nd reached Mont Blanc in France and 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th reached Mount Bianco in Italy.
December 2022
The school has really enjoyed taking part in the Active Break Challenge every day for the last month.
Each class completed a variety of workouts during lessons including running, dancing, walking,
meditation ,yoga and HIIT workouts. It has proved very popular with the children and we look
forward to completing more challenges in the New Year. Here are some of the classes taking part in
the different activities.
Marathon Kids
November 25, 2022
Last week, 5th & 6th ran the equivalent of a marathon over 8 weeks, learning also about the importance of physical and mental health and the positive impact of exercise on these. They ran their final 1km in Fernhill followed by a medal presentation.
Gaeilge 24 - HIIT Challenge
November 15, 2022
As part of Gaeilge 24, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th class took part in a HIIT challenge in the hall.
