Local Programmes

Active Schools Motor Skills programme

The Motor Skills programme is a targeted intervention aimed at improving the gross motor skills of those children with motor difficulties. Gross motor skills are important movement skills involving the large muscles groups required to walk, run, jump, climb, catch, throw and kick for example. These movement skills can have an impact on a child’s ability to take part in physical activity and sport.

During the Active Schools motor skills sessions the children are taking part in a series of fun activities to develop each of these skills using colourful and engaging equipment. The sessions are planned and progressive focusing on the core skills including balance, coordination and core stability. Repetition and consolidation of the skills during physical activity can have a positive impact on gross motor ability as well as improving confidence and self-esteem allowing more children the opportunity to take part in physical activity and sport.

An initial practical assessment is carried out through observations of the children performing a series of movements. This allows us to tailor the remaining sessions to the individual child/children within the group and to ensure that they are practicing activities that are specific to their needs.

Extra curricular provision in primary and secondary schools is one of the key areas for Active Schools to get more children more active. Coordinators work closely with schools to organise clubs before, during or after school with the aim to offer all children the opportunity to take part in these clubs. School clubs range from basketball to badminton and football to netball and are delivered by teachers, school staff, students, parents, senior pupils and club coaches. Many of these clubs have a direct pathway from school to community club, and the Angus Active Schools team work closely with these clubs to encourage children to learn more about these clubs.

Extra-curricular clubs in schools are great opportunities for children to take part in sport/physical activity and develop physical and social skills and where possible . To find out more about what is going on in your child's school contact your Active Schools Coordinator .

The majority of these clubs are led by enthusiastic volunteers who are wanting to ensure that school aged pupils have these opportunities to be active as well as develop their own coaching/leading skills. The Active Schools teams support these volunteers through initial inductions, session ideas, mentoring as well as directing them coach education to gain qualifications to further their coaching knowledge and experience.

Primary Sports Leaders is one of the main programmes that is coordinated across Angus primary schools. Upper primary aged children learn about how to organise the space and equipment that they are using, how to explain the rules of the games, how to organise children into teams and how to adapt games to suit the age and ability of the participants.

The leaders then go onto lead playground games to younger children, organise and lead lunchtime clubs under supervision from school staff or help organise school sports event.

There are various opportunities for primary aged pupils:

• Introduction to Primary Sports Leaders:

  • this programme has been created to offer pupils in P5 or P6 a taste of leadership and learn how to organise games.

  • once complete the 2 or 3 sessions they could then support staff with warm ups in PE or lunch clubs.

• Primary Sports Leaders:

  • this programme equips P6 or P7 pupils with the skills to organise and lead games for younger pupils.

  • once completed the 4 or 5 sessions they will have learned how to instruct others how to play games, organise the space and equipment and how to make games/activities easier or harder.

  • pupils do not need to have completed Introduction to Primary Sports Leaders before starting Primary Sports Leaders.

• Sports Club Leaders or Sports Event Leader:

  • this training will be offered to pupils who have completed Primary Sports Leaders and want to go onto lead a club or event to younger pupils.

  • the training will be more specific to the activity and the target age group and consider the promotion and organisation of the club or event.

  • most pupils will have completed Primary Sports Leaders before taking part in Sports Club/Event Leader training, but depending on their experience, it is not a requirement.

More information on the programmes can be seen here or you can speak to your Active Schools Coordinator.

Similar to Young Ambassadors in secondary schools, primary pupils are giving leadership to promote extra-curricular clubs in schools, work in sports committees/councils with school staff or their Active Schools Coordinators to work out how they can get more children at their school active, promote local community clubs or to increase the health & wellbeing of pupils and staff in their school. They may also look at ways of recruiting new volunteers to offer more extra-curricular clubs at their school.

Many schools have used these pupils to gather evidence of programmes and opportunities for primary pupils as they work towards achieving sportscotland's School Sports Award.

Sports Leadership Academy

Our Sports Leadership Academy is a programme that supports young people to develop their skills and experience in sports coaching and officiating. The programme is a partnership between Active Schools, Secondary Schools across Angus and Dundee and D&A College. The aim is to give young people from Angus and Dundee the opportunity to gain qualifications and practical coaching experience, enhancing skills for life and work.

The project combines sports qualifications or awards with practical experience in a school or club setting, providing vital skills to help pupils flourish in education and employment.

Through these partnerships we are able to offer these qualifications at a heavily discounted rate.

If you are a pupil in S3 or above and are interested in developing your leadership skills through sport, we would like to offer you the opportunity to apply for a range of sports coaching courses.

Applications for the programme will go live in (add in when) this year so keep in touch with your Active Schools Co-ordinator.

In addition to the Sports Leadership Academy we have a range of other volunteering and leadership opportunities, pupils and parents are encouraged to Contact your Active Schools Coordinator for more information.

What last year’s leaders thought of the programme

“I have learnt a lot of different rules in various sports and how to coach whilst centering around participants abilities”

“The SLA experience has given me much more confidence and cooperation skills”

“I am now more confident when talking to new people”

"The SLA has given me a lot of experience I can call on in the future, it has grown and developed my skills and passion for sport itself"

“I learned a lot about leadership and how to handle a role itself”

“I can communicate better which will improve my ability to go out and talk to people more openly, instead of closing myself off and being perceived as shy"

The Active Schools Resilience programme aims to help young people understand their feelings in challenging situations and provide them with tools to succeed when challenged. The situations will relate to day to day challenges such as class talks, sports matches, friendship arguments and transition into secondary school. The programme is run across 6 sessions. The theme of these sessions is outlined below:

· Session 1

o Me, myself and I: Analysing the differences between perceptions, beliefs and facts

· Session 2

o Understanding Talent: Analysing your perceptions of others and how this relates to reality

· Session 3

o Understanding Anxiety: Looking at the ‘fight or flight’ concept and exploring tools to manage anxiety

· Session 4

o Goal Setting: Focusing on each pupils short, medium and long term aspirations

· Session 5

o Managing Emotions: Understanding your emotions and controlling them for positive outcomes

· Session 6

o Pupil and Parent Workshop: Looking at the previous learnings and discussing the next steps.

We have developed short programmes around a specific sport, designed to engage children and young people in learning, through the medium of their favourite sport. Small groups of learners work through various activities, challenged and workshops themed around that sport supporting learning in wider curricular areas.

Joint outcomes in ensuring learners are more widely engaged in school whilst developing their interest in their chosen sport are crucial to the success of these programmes.

Speak to your Active Schools Coordinator for more information.