Sports and Outdoor Education Unit
City of Edinburgh Council
New Parliament House
Building 1, Room 5
5 - 7 Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH7 5BL
Tel: 0131 550 6838
Fax: 0131 556 4254
Active Play programmes help to encourage children to be physically active in the playground. It nurtures young children's natural enthusiasm, and introduces them to essential basic sporting skills: running and jumping, throwing and catching, striking and kicking. Playground buddies systems, zoned play areas, skipping challenges, teacher training and access to equipment boxes are all examples of areas of Active Play programmes.
One of the easiest ways to promote physical activity is to encourage walking and cycling in the daily routine, such as during the journey to and from school. The Active Schools programme works in partnership to promote cycling and walking as health promoting activities to implement programmes such as cycle training, walking to school, ‘Ready Steady Bike’ and mountain bike skills.
Pupils are encouraged to participate in breakfast, lunchtime and after-school clubs. Co-ordinators explore the wants and needs of the pupils and staff and endeavour to offer a wide range of activities in each school. A pathway approach is followed which allows pupils to not only participate in activities in their own school but in the local community. Examples of clubs include judo, street dance, rugby, hockey, basketball, outdoor activities, clubgolf and girls football.
Active Schools Co-ordinators look to work closely with Sport Development Officers to deliver a pathway approach to sports development. Taster sessions, after school clubs, competitions and cluster festivals are developed through this pathway approach.
The role of the Active Schools Co-ordinator is to develop sustainable programmes by putting structures in place to enable children to be physically active through out their lives. Active Schools Co-ordinators deliver training to teachers, parents, coaches and volunteers to help sustain activity programmes.
Active Schools Co-ordinators can assist with the organisation and running of Good Health events for example Health Weeks.
Active Schools Co-ordinators work to develop partnerships with the PE specialists, Sports Development Officers, key community projects and organisations to deliver pathway programmes.
The success of the Active Schools Programme depends up on the recruitment and training of not only coaches but volunteers and teachers who are interested in sport and physical activity to help deliver activities to pupils.
Each Active Schools Co-ordinator will be responsible for providing up to date and relevant information and the promotion of all physical activity within their cluster through e-mail, letters, flyers and other promotion material. Each school will have an Active Schools notice board to display information regarding the Active Schools programme and other opportunities for pupils to become involved in physical activity.
All schools are required to become a Health Promoting School by 2007. A Health Promoting School is one that works together to provide pupils with integrated and positive experiences and structures which promote good health. Active Schools is working in partnership to help develop a cohesive approach towards improving the health of the school community.