St Breock engages in Active Recovery Curriculum
Children feeling ‘fitter’ and ‘stronger’ as St Breock Primary School puts physical activity at heart of learning.
Children at St Breock Primary School in Wadebridge are among hundreds across the country who have reported feeling fitter and stronger - not just physically but mentally - since returning to a more active way of learning following a year of disruption.
St Breock has been working with children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust to introduce and evaluate an ‘Active Recovery Curriculum’ which has seen its children spend more time learning outdoors, completing regular bursts of activity across the day in lessons other than PE, and an increased focus on learning about health and lifestyle.
And the results are promising, impacting positively not only on pupil’s physical fitness, but their academic progress and mental stamina. Of the 470 young people who were surveyed as part of the research, The Centre for Sport, Physical Education & Activity Research (spear) which carried out the research on behalf of the Youth Sport Trust, revealed that since taking part in an Active Recovery Curriculum:
- 75% of teachers reported improvements in academic progress
- Three quarters (74%) of pupils said being active at school helps them learn
- 71% of pupils increased their physical activity
- 68% of pupils reported an improvement in their resilience
- 86% of teachers said children’s mental wellbeing had improved
Sian Hall, Head of School at St Breock Primary School, now plans to maintain an Active Recovery Curriculum into future academic years.
Sian comments:
When our children returned to school in March, their stamina for schoolwork had significantly reduced. Their physical fitness had also declined. After introducing an Active Recovery Curriculum, we saw increased engagement, stamina, progress and a more resilient attitude towards their learning.
The Youth Sport Trust has been working with Sport England in association with National Governing Bodies of sport, charities and associated organisations to promote the idea to more schools.
Schools, local authorities, and families can access free ideas and resources for getting children active before, during and after the school day through a National Lottery funded ‘Active Recovery Hub’ which sits on the School Games website. Click on the link below for more information:
https://www.yourschoolgames.com/active-recovery/
About the Youth Sport Trust
The Youth Sport Trust is the UK’s leading charity improving every young person’s education and development through sport and play. The children’s charity was founded in 1995 and it works with around 20,000 schools. It harnesses the power of sport to help young people to achieve their own personal best, and it equips educators to changes lives through sport and Physical Education.
About the School Games
The School Games, which is funded by Sport England National Lottery funding and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, is a government led programme designed to deliver competitive school sport to all young people. The network of School Games Organisers and School Games County Alliances have worked alongside the Youth Sport Trust in delivering three distinct levels of competition since the Games' inception in 2010 - ranging from intra/inter school activity, in addition to the National Finals, which is supported by National Governing Bodies.
To read the spear Active Recovery Curriculum case study on St Breock, please click the link below:
ARC Case Study - St Breock Primary School
For the ARC article, published in Education Business, click the link below: