General Information
More Children, More Active, More Often
What Active Schools is all about
Active Schools works with schools & communities to help make sure children start active and stay active. The fundamental aim of Active Schools is to offer children and young people the opportunities and motivation to adopt active, healthy lifestyles, now and into adulthood.
Sportscotland manages the Active Schools Network nationally. Sportscotland Partnership Managers work with Scotland's local authorities to develop and support the infrastructure for Active Schools in the wider community.
Active Schools Managers and Coordinators recruit, support and sustain a network of volunteers, coaches, leaders and teachers who in turn deliver physical activity and sport before, during and after school, and in the wider community.
The Aim of Active Schools
Active Schools aims to get everyone involved in giving children an active start and encouraging them to stay active as they grow up. Active Schools does this by:
- Increasing opportunities for all children and young people to be engaged in physical activity and sport.
- Strengthening pathways to participation and performance through sustainable school to community links.
Who is involved?
- Sportscotland
- Sportscotland Partnership Managers
- Network Staff Active Schools Managers
Active Schools Managers are responsible for managing, coordinating and implementing Active Schools in schools and the wider community within their local authority. They work with national and local partners to plan and develop opportunities for all children within the authority. They manage the building of volunteer infrastructures in their local authority. They also plan how to target 'hard to reach' groups. Active Schools Managers are directly responsible for managing Active Schools Coordinators in their area. - Active Schools Coordinators
Active Schools Coordinators work with everyone involved in delivering Active Schools. This means teachers, students and parents as well as other Coordinators, PE staff, school travel coordinators, health promotion and sports development staff – to name a few. Coordinators build volunteer networks in schools and in the community as well as help set up pathways from schools to community clubs, venues and organisations. Coordinators work within a cluster of schools and have an important role to play in bringing together key local partners to create a comprehensive approach to physical activity and sport.
Wider Impact
National Outcomes
The principal focus of Active Schools is on improving physical health through an increase in activity levels. There is a very clear potential for Active Schools to contribute to achieving two specific national outcomes within local authority Single Outcome Agreements.
- Outcome Four:
Our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens. Participation in sport and physical activity raises the confidence, skills and abilities of young people; while volunteering in sport and physical activity affords young people further developmental opportunities and raises their contribution as citizens. - Outcome Five:
Our children have the best start in life and are ready to succeed.
Physical activity is essential to provide children with a healthy start in life. It also raises the confidence and skills of young people, teaching key social and life skills, and contributing to educational attainment.
Active Schools & Curriculum for Excellence
A Curriculum for Excellence is seen as the totality of experiences planned for children and young people through their education, regardless of where they are educated. Active Schools contributes to Curriculum for Excellence by sending out strong messages on physical activity and sport throughout the school and into the wider community.
The following are key components of health and well-being within Curriculum for Excellence:
- Working towards the provision of two hours of quality physical education for every child per week.
- Providing quality, safe and fun physical activity opportunities, including sport before, during and after school.
- Increasing activity opportunities by linking more with the community.
- Actively promoting positive attitudes towards participation in physical activity with pupils, teachers, families and the community.
- Ensuring that physical activity, health and well-being complement the school policy on inclusion and equal opportunities.
- Encouraging and supporting pupils to reach their full potential within physical education, physical activity and sport.
What does Active Schools do?
In a nutshell
"The fundamental aim of Active Schools is to offer children and young people the opportunities and motivation to adopt active, healthy lifestyles, now and into adulthood."
Here's what we can do for you
- Help facilitate / coordinate projects – e.g. Young Persons Leadership Award (P7s), Bikeability 2 Training (P6s), ClubGolf (P5s)
- Support & provide project / cross curricular links (e.g. CfE, Vikings = Rowing event, Olympics, Mini Highland Games)
- Targeted sessions (e.g. P1-3, Nursery, Bullying, Behaviour, Disability Inclusion)
- Help set up After School / Lunch Clubs (e.g. Sport Specific, Mini Motiv8)
- Transition Events (N-P1) (P7-S1) (School Transitions)
- Work with & help identify children who need additional help in physical activity, including 'hard-to-reach' groups (we have links to external agencies where our intervention can only be limited) (Activ8 / Let's Move / Fit for Girls)
- Staff Twilight Sessions / Training (Cycle Tutor Training / Games Ideas / Additional Class PE Ideas / Transition sessions / Project Training e.g. Let's Move)
- Provide links to the school with our partners (Sports Development, Northern Constabulary, Health Promotion, Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Physiotherapy, Action for Children, Outdoor Education, External Agencies – SFA, SRU, Sustrans, HFA, Cycling Scotland, Volunteer Centre etc)
- Support existing activity clubs - Youth Clubs / Groups, Community Groups, Local Clubs
- Assist with Funding Applications
- Support schools at Sports Festival & Inter Schools Calendar events & other Festivals such as Fun Fours & Touch Rugby tournaments
- Volunteer Recruitment, Support & Development
- Support staff with devising sessions etc, provide contacts, assist with ideas for equipment etc
- Appropriate paperwork – child protection, PVG
- Relevant resources – rules booklets, activity booklets & games
Our website is full of resources which we will strive to update regularly. This includes games ideas, Sports Skills & Drills Booklets, Rules Booklet, interactive videos, YLA Games Booklets & Sport & Health event reports.
Unfortunately we sometimes have to say no…
- We cannot deliver blocks of lessons – must be sustainable
- Attend school trips
