Primary school pupils get active!
Date published: 01 February 2010
COMPETITIVENESS is inspiring young children in Oldham to new heights and getting them fit and active.
Youngsters aged five, six and seven don’t normally get to compete against other schools as it’s difficult to transport them around the borough without acquiring booster seats.
But a new Multi Skills project is setting young children activities and recording their results so they can go head-to-head with other schools.
The aim is to inspire them to do better and they can also keep doing the activities to beat their own personal bests - while getting fit and healthy. Results can be fed on to a website that other school can access and compare.
Activities include a one-lap relay, 30 second shuttle runs, a speed bounce over low obstacles and a bean bag balance test.
Steve Tyrrell, competitions’ manager at Oldham Sports Development, said: “Tasks are based on speed, power and skills - qualities we are trying to instil in children to give youngsters that compete the opportunity they would not otherwise get. Once we test children over a range of activities we can test them throughout the year and it gives them an incentive to improve.”
Back to basics at St Martin’s
Exercise lessons are going back to basics at St Martin’s Primary School, Fitton Hill, where children are learning simple gymnastics.
The sessions for the seven-year-olds in Year 2 have been organised by Steve Tyrrell, competitions’ manager at Oldham Sports Development, to encourage the pupils to take part, and to give the teachers more confidence to run lessons in gymnastics.
He said: “It is basic movement and body management, very, very simple stuff. We are giving the schools resources to teach more and giving the teachers confidence to try and get on courses.”
The scheme has started in clusters of a dozen local schools, and by March the boys and girls will be taking part in competitions with their neighbouring school.
Eventually one team will be chosen to represent Oldham at a Greater Manchester schools’ competition later this year.
Any other schools wanting to take part cam contact Steve Tyrrell on 770 3677 or by email (steve.tyrrell@oldham.gov.uk).
Wake and shake start to the day
YOUNGSTERS at Fir Bank Primary are bursting with energy after starting their school day with a rousing exercise routine.
The Royton school’s council conducted a survey which showed that pupils wanted to take part in more exercise.
So staff decided to open the doors 15 minutes early every morning to let the children take part in Wake and Shake to get their blood pumping and their minds active in readiness for the day ahead.
Parents, teachers and staff are also encouraged to take part in a bid to get everyone more fit and active.
