Holy Family School
Active Schools Flag
‘We’re sporty, we’re cool, we’re Holy Family School!’
Why did we choose to undertake the Active Schools Flag?
Our school prides itself on our many wonderful physical activity achievements - Gaelic Football, Soccer, Boxing, Basketball, Swimming, Athletics, Gymnastics. As physical education provides opportunities to be active every day, exposing children to team sports that they may not have thought about doing, learning new skills and also promoting academic achievements, we thought why not show everyone how active our pupils and staff can be!
Physical Education In Schools
Physical Education (PE) provides children with learning opportunities through the medium of movement. It contributes to their overall development by helping them to lead full, active and healthy lives. Children can experience the joy of physical exertion and the satisfaction of achievement while developing the skills of positive attitude that enhance self-esteem.
Through PE, Holy Family School aim to help children develop physically as well as socially, emotionally and intellectually. We use PE in our school to support children in every aspect of their lives and development. To achieve that goal, we use our agreed approach to teaching PE and the content of the curriculum programme at each year level.
The PE curriculum is for children from junior infants to sixth class. P. E. is allocated 1 hour per week. It provides a balanced range of activities for children through the six strands. Each of the six strands are taught every year. At staff meetings, we collectively discussed the PE strand we will be carrying out that month.
• Athletics
• Dance
• Gymnastics
• Games
• Outdoor and adventure activities
• Aquatics
Meet Our Active Flag Committee 😊
Mia Mateusz Destiny Oskar Tyreek
Meet Our Active Flag Committee 😊
Evan Tisha Anna Marie Jamie Kyra
Our Committee in front of the active school display board
Our Active School Committee is made up of five representatives from Fifth Class and five from ixth Class.
We met regularly to discuss updates and the progress we are making towards our Active School Flag.
Our Active Flag Slogan
Our Active School Committee had a tough decision picking the winning slogan for our Active Flag Campaign.
Playground Leaders
Our dedicated playground leaders have been super at keeping the children active during yard time.
They also made sure the children didn’t miss an opportunity to exercise on the rainy days!!
Playground leaders
Playground leaders in full swing
PE Strand:
Athletics
Running
Jumping
Throwing
Catching
Hopping
Coordination
Balance
Agility
ATHLETICS
At the start of the year, we came together and decided as a whole staff to focus on improving the Athletics strand.
Athletics is taught under the strand units of running, jumping, throwing and understanding and appreciation of athletics.
Some of the fundamental movement skills are taught alongside this strand. They include: walking, running, jumping and throwing.
Teacher planning: All teachers have been given copies of the PSSI (Primary School Sports Initiative) lesson plans for their class level along with a bank of warm-up and cool-down activities. These plans have been extremely useful throughout the year for all strands. Each class has two timetabled slots for PE each week. One of these is in the hall and the other is on the yard.
ATHLETICS
Every class participates in daily movement breaks, incorporating our Athletics strand focus into each day. Here we see Senior Infants on their ‘Good Morning Walk’.
ATHLETICS
Run around Ireland Challenge
Each class took part enthusiastically in the Run around Ireland Challenge. We ran to so many different places, such as Blennerville, Banna Beach and Fenit.
Athletics
Climb the Heights Challenge
Athletics
Fifth Class took part in a full body warm-up before starting their school day.
Athletics
Ms. O’Donnell’s 3rd class were learning all about different types of clothes and then had a relay race as to who could get the most clothes on! They had a great time doing this!
Dance
Junior Infants doing some Zumba classes with SNA/Zumba Instructor Pádraig
Irish Dancing with Ms.Heaslip
Ms. Heaslip was on her teaching practice in Fifth Class and decided to teach the class how to Irish dance. Ms. Heaslip is a very talented Irish dancer, Fifth Class were very fortunate to have such a very skillful teacher who taught them how to dance a four hand.
An Haca Gaelach i rang a Ceathair
Bhí Rang 4 na scoile ag cleachtadh an Haca Gaelach le linn Seachtain na Gaeilge agus bhain siad an-spraoi as. Féach ar an físeán iontach a chur siad le chéile!
GAMES
Games is taught under the strand units of Sending, Receiving and Traveling, Creating and Playing Games and Understanding and Appreciation of Games. Some of the fundamental movement skills taught alongside this strand are dodging, sidestepping, kicking and striking with hand/implement. See of the games at play here:
Soccer World Cup
The boys and girls in 5th Class were very fortunate to participate in their very own Soccer World Cup. The final was played in Mounthawk Park here in Tralee. This competition instilled the love of soccer in many children who never played soccer before. Every child in 5th Class participated and many children joined local soccer teams after this competition. Trophies and prizes were awarded to many children for MVP, Team Player, Most Improved Male and Female and Golden Glove.
Soccer World Cup
GYMNASTICS
A massive well done to Mia in Senior Infants for receiving a medal for gymnastics. Keep up the great work Mia!
OUTDOOR AND ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES
The Infants enjoying their Autumn Nature Walk.
OUTDOOR AND ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES
3rd class went out for a brisk walk on our Walkway during the cold snap. They were well wrapped up but enjoyed the crisp fresh air!
Fifth Class enjoying a leisurely stroll to the Island of Geese. They even made the Kerry’s Eye Newspaper!
Kerry County Clean Up Day 2023
This year, Fourth Class participated in Kerry County Clean Up Day.
Well done Fourth Class and thanks for all your help for making Tralee clean and tidy.
Easter Egg Hunt!!!
AQUATICS
We are very fortunate to have Tralee Sports Complex at our doorstep. Many classes availed of swimming lessons throughout the school year. These lessons took place once a week for a 12 week period. The children learned some fantastic skills and strategies. They learned how to do the backstroke, front stroke and the dolphin swim. These lessons inspired many children to take up swimming outside of school.
PAWS Programme
PRIMARY
AQUATICS
WATER
SAFETY
Fifth Class engaged in the PAWS Programme throughout the year. They learned about water safety and the importance of staying safe and being sensible around water. They also learned different coping strategies and what to do in a drowning emergency.
Partnerships with our school
ASF schools work in partnership with others to promote a physically active active school community. Pupils, staff, parents and local community are at the heart of this programme.
SLiabh Luachra Boxing Club
Sixth Class pupil Tommy Murray won an All Ireland title in boxing in his age group in April 2023. What a fantastic achievement at such a young age, he has a bright future ahead of him! Tommy is a member of SLiabh Luachra Boxing Club.
Tralee Mountaineering Club
Sixth Class were very fortunate to be taken on a walk up Mount Brandon. Many thanks to Tralee Mountaineering Club for volunteering their time and effort to ensure Sixth Class had a very enjoyable day.
Irish heart Foundation
3rd Class received their booklets from The Irish Heart Foundation. They documented their activity levels for 4 weeks and completed tasks from their booklet. Their levels of engagement with the booklet was outstanding. They learnt so much about how activity can help with their body function along with keeping their heart healthy!
Third Class with their Irish heart Foundation Booklets
Aldi Play Rugby Sticker Competition
We worked very hard here in Holy Family School to collect enough stickers to fill three Aldi Play Rugby posters. It was a whole school effort and everyone worked very hard to collect as many stickers as possible. Our Active Committee were responsible for collecting the stickers from each class every week and placed them on the poster.
Kerry Swimming Club
Delta from Fifth Class represented the Kingdom Swimming Club at a gala. Delta came fourth in her race, what a fantastic achievement.
Soccer Coach John Carmody trains
4th, 5th & 6th Class
GAA Coach Morgan
Continuing Professional Development
Two teachers who are Active School Committee members engaged in a CPD training course in the Brandon Hotel Tralee on February 9th 2023. This course was titled ‘Well Being Through Physical Activity’, the ideas and strategies provided at the course were then used in classroom practice throughout the school. We learned that physical activity can be used to implement all subject areas and allow for cross curricular links. Physical activity can be used to reinforce learning and check for understanding.
Continuing Professional Development
We had the pleasure of welcoming Keith Costello, who is teaching in CBS primary school, presenting to all staff on our chosen focus strand ‘Athletics- Fundamental Movement Skills’.
Check out our Active Walkway
Many thanks to our caretaker John O’ Brien who very kindly offered his help and advice in creating our Active School Walkway.
Some of Ms. Bhreathnach’s 3rd class children gave John a helping hand in putting up our Active Walkway signs!
Active School WEEK 2023
As part of our quest to attain the Active School Flag we organised and planned Active School Week 2023. The Active School Committee were extremely busy in the weeks leading up to ASW, they helped the teachers to organise the necessary equipment needed every day and helped to keep the PE cupboard very neat and tidy throughout the week. They also ensured that every class followed the timetable for the week.
We held our Active School Week from Monday 29th May to Friday 2nd June.
The focus of Active School Week was fun and inclusion.
Active school week timetable
Active Week Homework
For Active Week Homework, each child got a list of fun and engaging activities that they had to complete for their homework. It was a huge success with very positive feedback from the parents, teachers and students.
Active Week Day 1
Scheduled today on our timetable was our Summer Stroll on our Active Walkway. The day was beautiful and sunny and everyone enjoyed their walk, observing all the nature around them!
Active Week - Day 1
Active Walkway Summer Stroll
Active Week Day 2
Zumba with Pádraig
Every Class from Junior Infants to 4th Class got moving on Tuesday with some energetic Zumba Classes. They carried this out to some lively songs on the yard. It created a brilliant atmosphere around the school and really got everyone into the summer spirit.
Active Week Day 2
Zumba with Pádraig
Here are some video snippets from the day:
Active Week Day 2
Tralee Boxing Club
5th and 6th Class were invited up to Tralee Boxing club as part of Tuesday’s ASW activities. The children were exposed to lots of new skills and got a real taste of the sport.
Active Week Day 3
Futsal
On Wednesday, every class in the school got the opportunity to play a game of FUTSAL, which we heard about during one of our Active Flag Webinars. John Carmody (MTU Student) and Luke O’Regan (TY student) were very kind to volunteer their time to run this activity on the day.
Active Week Day 3
Futsal
First and Second Class having great fun in the sun practicing their Futsal skills!
Active Week Day 4
Gaelic Football
Kerins O’Rahilly’s and ex-Kerry footballer player Barry John Keane was in today to develop Gaelic football skills with some of the classes. There was great excitement from all, knowing that he was coming in for Active Week!
Active Week Day 4
Gaelic Football
John Carmody took the remainder of the classes for Gaelic football games that day. Between the weather and playing some games, everyone had a fantastic day!
Active week day 5
Whole school Rock the boat
We picked up some wonderful ideas from the various Active Flag Webinars we engaged with throughout the year. One of these ideas was a ‘Whole School Rock the Boat’. At 10am every class in the school went into the school corridors and linked together for a whole school Rock the Boat dance. The music was played on speakers around the school and a fantastic atmosphere was created. It was a lot of kids first time experiencing this dance.
Active week day 5
Whole school Rock the boat
Active week day 5
Staff vs Student dodgeball game
What better way to finish off our Active School Week than with a Staff versus Student Dodgeball Game. All of the staff and 6th class pupils were extremely enthusiastic and really got stuck in! There was fierce excitement and sports rivalry created throughout the school that week.
Active week day 5
Staff vs Student dodgeball game
What better way to finish off our Active School Week than with a Staff versus Student Dodgeball Game. All of the staff and 6th class pupils were extremely enthusiastic and really got stuck in! There was fierce excitement and sports rivalry created throughout the school that week.
Active week day 5
Staff vs student dodgeball game
See the excitement in action in these videos!!
Active School Week Snapshots
Many thanks to the talented pupils in Ms. Breen’s Fifth Class who made this frame for Active School Week. It was perfect and every looks snap happy!
Snap happy
CHeck OUT OUR PE PRESS
BEFORE
AFTER
The Active School Committee spent many days clearing out and tidying up the PE press. This was a very challenging task as all equipment had to be collected from every classroom, storage boxes were bought and balls were pumped.
After School Activities
Basketball
The 5th and 6th class boys and girls have been very busy with basketball training all year. They trained in our outside basketball courts and also in our local community hall ‘Cumann Iosef’ when the weather got cold.
After school activities
They also competed with lots of other local schools during the year!
Challenge match-
Holy Family vs Moyderwell Mercy Primary School
After school Activities
Mounthawk Basketball Blitz
After school Activities
Mounthawk Shield Cup Competition
After school activities
Gaelic Football & Soccer
The boys and girls also spent every Tuesday evening training hard, practising their GAA skills. They competed in the Sciath na Scol Competition and Primary FAI 5’s throughout the year and did the school very proud.
After school activities
After school activities
Well done to Tyreek, Eddie, Denis, Katelyn, Mia and Anna Marie for taking part in the Cumann na mBunscoil GAA Skills competition in Blennerville!
After School Activities
Tag Rugby
The boys and girls in Second Class spent every Wednesday evening practising their tag rugby skills. Thanks to Mr.Highland for his time and efforts.
#FeelGoodFridays
Here in Holy Family School, everyone looked forward to our Feel Good Friday Events. Check out some of the activities in the following slides.
#halloweengames
A bank of active resources and ideas were created and shared with all members of staff to enjoy with their classes-based on the Halloween Theme. Here is a snippet of 3rd Class playing some spooky halloween playground games:
#climbtheheights
Drop Everything and Jump Challenge!
Holy Family JUMPED into January for Feel Good Friday. Each class jumped, skipped and danced collectively at the same time for 10 minutes to their favourite music! This created such a great atmosphere in the school and certainly got every boy active! Watch our video below to see all of the fun!
#dropeverythinganddothedreoilín
For Seachtain na Gaeilge, each class in the school took part in a ‘Drop Everything and Do The Dreolín’ Challenge. A message was called out over the intercom for everyone to stop what they were doing and ‘Do the Dreoilín’. This was a dance we had been practising as a whole school that week. Great fun was had by all!
#TableTennisTakeover
3rd class had great fun for the #TableTennisTakeover, taking part in a table tennis tournament using our fantastic table tennis sets! Everyone had great fun and seeing how everyone worked as a team to enhance their skills was fantastic to see!
Linkage and integration
Linkage and integration is an integral part of the curriculum. Check out how Holy Family linked activity with maths, geography and science.
Here we see 5th Class enjoying some outdoor challenges for maths week. Patterns, shapes and measures were all explored using natural materials.
Linkage and integration
6th Class went on a field trip to Ardfert Quarry. They spent the day outdoors, learning about Rock production. They were lucky to see the quarry before it fills up completely. Thank you to Adrfert Quarries for having us!
Linkage and integration
Senior Infants made colour patterns using our PE tops. They had sets of yellow and red and school uniforms to make our patterns. Can you spot them?
A visit from the Kerry Team and the Sam Maguire
We were very fortunate to have members of the Kerry team visit our school with the Sam Maguire.
When Kerin’s O’Rahilly’s Team Came to Visit
Mr. Griffin and his teammates from Kerin’s O’Rahilly GAA brought in some silverware from their Munster Final win. We had some #1 Narrie supporters who gave them all a huge welcome!
Other Achievements
We are very fortunate here in Holy Family School to have such talented students who have achieved so much both in school and outside of school. Here is just a snippet of some of the talented students.
We’re sporty, We’re cool, We’re Holy Family School
All pupils and staff alike had an extremely active year.
Our pupils have a new enthusiasm for getting and staying active. We have learnt about the benefits of staying fit and healthy, and look forward to continuing on these traditions each year.