HALP small grant scheme
Case studies
Braddock CE Primary School Braddock is a small rural school with two classes totalling forty-four pupils. Staff felt that there were not enough different school sports-based clubs and noticed that some children did not feel comfortable playing tennis. The Healthy Schools Coordinator felt that badminton would appeal because it is easier to play and more children would be engaged, active and more healthy. After discussing this with the children, a badminton club was started. As a result of introducing the badminton club the number of pupils attending went up to as many as twenty-four. The club is open to all and all pupils enjoy the sessions and have fun.
Burraton CP School The HS Coordinator wanted to promote healthier eating and physical activity starting with the staff because staff are key to spreading the message to the pupils. The grant was used to purchase pedometers, water and healthy snacks for staff. Lunchtime and after-school walks were organised and staff were encouraged to join exercise clubs. The focus will now move to the parents and children in a Fit for Life programme.
Caradon Pupil Referral Unit Staff felt that students had very little concept of the need for a healthy lifestyle. The PRU needed to initiate a PE programme supporting healthy lifestyles so the grant was used to purchase PE equipment and entry level PE is now on the curriculum.
Connor Downs Primary School The school used the grant to encourage children and their parents to do more walking as families. The school purchased pedometers, created Walking Record Cards, and awards certificates for steps achieved. Replies to the parental questionnaire confirmed that parents were very positive in their response to the project.
Cusgarne CP School The school takes part in the Walk to School initiative, but encouraging children to walk to school safely is problematic because of the school's setting, the fact that virtually all families live some distance from the school and because the lanes are very narrow and dangerous. So a Big Wheely Walk Day was organised, consisting of a community walk and cycling on the Bissoe Cycle Trail (further to Year 6 road cycle training and the training for adults to deliver it). All were welcome to join the community walk which was advertised around the community and at local playgroups. During the walk, stops were made to learn about local features and places of interest. Years 4,5 and 6 and the parents and individuals who wished to take part were taken to the Bissoe Cycle Trail with their cycles (bikes were hired for those who had none). Two routes were used, depending on participants' cycling experience. Meanwhile, the foundation to Year 3 children brought wheel toys to school to use in the playground, road safety materials were hired and used and the police were involved. A survey of children shows that since the Big Wheely Walk Day approximately 40% more children have undertaken similar activities with parents.
Millbrook CE VA Primary School Millbrook chose to spend their small grant on outdoor play equipment. There are 115 pupils at the school, but there is no school field and the school grounds are sloping so they cannot play team games. The children need to get their physical activity from fixed play equipment. The School Council chose "up and over bars" and the school purchased these. Unfortunately, during the winter term the grass is too wet. They can't wait for summer!
Mullion CP School Some children were often late and classes were slow to get started. It was felt that a whole-school activity would pull everyone together and get the day off to a good start. Ruth Mitchell provided Wake Up Shake Up training for all children and a staff meeting enabled staff to plan. The school day was altered slightly. The school now plans to buy a better sound system to use outdoors. Latecomers have reduced in number as parents have become aware that Wake Up Shake Up is happening every day. Some children are really shining in the delivery of the sessions.
St. Cleer Primary School The staff realised that although the children live in a rural area many were actually taking very little exercise as parents drive children everywhere because it is too far to walk to the shops etc in Liskeard or further afield. The HALP small grant enabled the school to launch an exciting Family Active project. This was publicised through the school newsletter and through assemblies, one of which was attended by an Olympic athlete. Every family in the school was presented with a Keep Active Journal in which families recorded all their physical activity. The most impressive journals won prizes of free admission Family Tickets to the Lux Park swimming pool. The project proved to be a big success and the school is continuing the family Keep Active Journals this academic year. Families have reported that the journals have given them that extra incentive to do active things together. This has promoted emotional health and wellbeing as well as improved access to physical activity.
St. Ives Junior School The Head identified a need for more physical activity. The grant money enabled the school to purchase an aerobic instuctor's headset to motivate the children and get them going. The Healthy Schools Coordinator learnt wake and shake and initiated it. The aerobic instructor's headset works very well indeed. Among the children levels of enthusiasm were very high to begin with but have dropped a little, however the school will begin Take 10 En Francais shortly.
St. John's Catholic Primary School The staff wanted to encourage pupils to walk or cycle to school in order to build on the good work done in Walk to School weeks. But there was no designated area for pupils to leave bikes or scooters so some were being damaged and pupils were becoming discouraged. The school used the grant to purchase a cycle / scooter rack and had an assembly to encourage pupils. Pupils voted and some were given responsibility to organise their peers with bicycles or scooters at the beginning and end of the school day. Junior Road Safety Officers and Bikeability have been introduced. The next steps will be a cover for the rack, then hard core for the current soil and grass surface, enabling all-weather activity.
St. Michael's VC CE Primary School Boredom during lunch hours was leading to discontented pupils who were looking to entertain themselves using the wrong activities. Staff, school councillors, dinner supervisors, governors and the P.T.A. were invited to a meeting to share ideas and suggestions. Fund-raising activities followed and together with the small grant the money raised enabled the purchase of a shed and suitable equipment for Huff 'n Puff for lunch hours. The result is happier children and fewer arguments. The school plans to build on this in a positive way in the future.
Threemilestone CP School The school community felt that increasing the levels of physical activity for pupils would be a good focus for the school and that the use of pedometers would be an excellent way of measuring the amount of physical activity that all were enjoying. They researched a variety of pedometers then bought enough for two classes to have one each. Several of the KS 2 classes have been using them and the children have really enjoyed measuring and comparing their levels of physical activity.
Tregony CP School The school used the small grant to buy new Huff 'n Puff equipment. Huff 'n Puff has been running at the school for three years and because of regular use toys and games were broken or lost and needed to be replaced. Older children and lunchtime supervisors take responsibility, maintain the exchange of key rings and keep the shed tidy. Some money is generated through the sale of key rings but the school does not like to ask to renew the keys too often. Huff 'n Puff changes the nature of play, encouraging imagination and joint play among children who would not otherwise play together. Quieter and more static children get involved and new children always comment that they like it.
Treloweth CP School The school identified a need to improve pupils' health and fitness and to increase opportunities for developing pupils' social skills at breaktimes. The small grant was used to purchase a PA system so that they could run Fun Fit sessions outside in the spring and summer and indoors in the Hall in winter. Pupil sports leaders were trained, information and training sessions were held for staff and awareness was raised throughout the school by the school council, through assemblies and in parental newsletters. So far, the work has increased awareness among the staff of their own responsibility to improve and maintain fitness. All are more aware of the need to look after our own bodies. The project is continuing to focus on pupils with low levels of fitness and low self-esteem.
Truro High School for Girls The school offers extra-curricular activities both during lunchtimes and after school and wanted to explore the impact of these upon pupils' motivation and engagement. PE staff instigated a register of pupil participation in the activities, and the school discussed rearranging the House system as regards rewards and the positive affirmation of pupils' achievement. The House system has now been rejuvenated, with student Heads of House and student representatives from Years 9 and 10. House Points are awarded for competitive activities. This has resulted in a much greater emphasis on structured games and competitions, and in taking part in aqua-aerobics, dance keep-fit and drama competitions. It has created an increased "buzz" about the school and also improved pupils' leadership skills.
Whitstone Head The need for the project was identified from pupils' feedback and suggestions through PSHE. There was a desire to increase the number and location of physical activities on offer. Staff were also aware that pupils resistant to physical activity were withdrawing from "traditional" physical activity. So the school provided fitness room activity with the objective of increasing the duration of moderate intensity training (MIT) among those pupils who were resistant to physical activity and / or overweight. A comparative study pre- and post-fitness would suggest (using attitude responses as well as heart rates and levels of participation) that resistant pupils feel more confident to participate in all PE activity and, depending on fitness room activity, have increased the duration of their MIT.
