Create active environments
Create active environments – good access to, and integration in the school/college day of, open space, forests, parks and playgrounds are positively associated with physical activity levels. Access to a range of equipment, along with non-traditional play materials also support physical activity among children and young people.
How to achieve this:
- Cultivate a positive, active environment, both indoors and outdoors to encourage unstructured opportunities to be active
- Reduce barriers to physical activity, how do you encourage children to be active in bad weather, what equipment is available at break and lunch time?
Further Information:
Cultivate a positive, active environment, both indoors and outdoors to encourage unstructured opportunities to be active
- This principle is about the whole school environment, not just the PE department or play area.
- Take into account
- classrooms and corridors
- halls
- outdoor space (onsite - fixed and removeable resources)
- outdoor space (off site)
Helpful Resources:
Reduce barriers to physical activity, how do you encourage children to be active in bad weather, what equipment is available at break and lunch time?
- Consider your school's current policy when there is wet or extreme weather. Do activities just stop?
- How might you ensure that pupils have access to fresh air and/or physical activity in those situations?
- Remind pupil's and parents to provide raincoats/ wellies/overtrousers
- Agree as a school that break/PE still goes ahead in light rain
- Have a drying area for wet things & a shoe rack for muddy shoes
- Provide access to undercover areas or create new ones if needed
- Open up large spaces (halls, drama studios) during wet break times and/or provide equipment or games for pupil's to access indoors during wet play"