Challenging times and recent celebrations

Just as we prepare to close to most of our pupils we want to celebrate some recent successes and share some of our strategies to keep our kids moving :)

Just before all interschool competition stopped we had a few notable successes:

• Our Micro Skills Team made up of Year 3 and 4 pupils were victorious at the competition which was earlier this term winning their division.
•  Our Gymnastics team made up of Year 3 and 4 pupils also performed exceptionally well at the competition where they showcased their vaulting and floor skills. The team came 2nd in their division and one of our boys clinched 3rd place in the individual placings. 

We also had a very successful staff meeting where the P.E. staff showcased some of the whole school ideas to help meet our 'Super Sixty Minute Mission'. That is for all children to exceed being physically active for over 60 minutes per day. These ideas included lots of brain breaks  from  Brain Breaks – Alistair Smith ‘Move it – Physical Movement and Learning’  and physical challenges. We also shared knowledge from   from the book 'Spark':  John J. Ratey, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain  to explain some of the thinking behind the mission. 

Part of our mission included piloting using under the desk pedal cycles to be active whilst multitasking! 

 Despite the school closures which are imminent we have posted the following on our website to inspire the mission to continue at home.

  

Physical Education at home

Task : Daily Super Sixty Mission

Who for? : All Children

What is it and how? 

Being physically active for at least sixty minutes throughout the day. This could involve helping with housework, or following an online routine or one of the tasks that follow. 

Task: Master basic movements including running, jumping, throwing and catching, as well as developing balance, agility and co-ordination.

Who for? : All Children particularly KS1 pupils

What is it and how? 

This is part of a key stage 1 expectation – so something we aim for all children to be able to do before the end of Year 2. 

Suggestions: 

Simon Says: Run on the spot, jump high on the spot, balance on one foot, balance with one foot and one hand etc

Sing songs such as ‘This is the way we jump on the spot’ replacing the action each time – to e.g: skip, hop, gallop; to the tune of: ‘Here we go round the Mulberry Bush’

Set a challenge to hopscotch on the spot and complete repeated knee to elbow (opposite knee to tag opposite elbow) touches to keep up coordination and agility, or if space is available do the ‘sidewinder’. 

Play throwing and catching games. You could use a rolled up pair of socks, if space is tight or you don’t have a ball. Encourage underarm throws to start with and progress from two handed catching to one handed. Develop passing from hand to hand also. You could use cardboard boxes, empty cans, washing baskets, plastic bottles, or cushions as targets too. Make it fun or cross curricular by adding pictures or numbers to targets. Use an empty box or wash basket – how close or how far can you throw into the target from?

Task: Develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance 

Who for? : All Children (particularly Key Stage 2) 

What is it and how? 

This is a Key Stage 2 expectation but elements of this could be employed with younger children. 

Follow online routines such as those on the websites listed below – these include activities that will develop the above attributes

Have a one foot balance family competition who can hold a stork or tree balance for the longest?

Ask your child to come with a series of moves that they can repeat and complete for periods of 30 seconds – e.g. sprint on the spot, tuck jump, sit ups, press ups, step ups on the bottom stair – this could be repeated and a target number of repetitions could be decided. Could more be completed next time? Ensure that the child is using the correct technique. 

Other active ideas: 

Try saying the alphabet whilst using a body part on both sides, or the right, or left side of the body. 

see pic

Here is a list of websites that could be useful as a starting point to keep your child and perhaps yourself happy and active. 

uBBC Premier League - Primary Stars Super Movers 

uPublic Health England resources

uhttps://www.activekidsdobetter.co.uk/

uhttps://www.gonoodle.com/

uhttps://www.cosmickids.com/

There are also likely to be more resources available to families learning from home from the BBC and other sources. 

Stay well and safe.