Tipperary school announced as part of pilot physical education programme

Clonoulty National School has been selected as one of the 24 schools across the country that will receive funding to implement a new programme focused on physical activity in teaching and learning. Under the new pilot programme the grant designated to Clonoulty National School will be used to introduce a project titled: Run, Learn, Explore: Integrating Athletics into Cross-Curricular Learning. The pilot programme will run in the selected schools for the 2024/25 school year.  

This funding was announced by the Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, Thomas Byrne.  

Announcing the schools that were accepted for this pilot programme Mr. Byrne said:  

“The wide range of selected projects under the new physical activity pilot programme illustrates the many ways that physical activity can be used as a means of delivering teaching and learning outcomes. The significant number of applications received under the new pilot programme also demonstrates the interest that schools have when it comes to integrating physical activity into the teaching and learning of a curricular or cross-curricular area. I want to sincerely thank every school who applied under the pilot programme and for taking the time to do so. I look forward to seeing the rollout of the 24 selected school projects which will inform our continued work in this area.” 

The applications submitted by all schools looking to be part of the pilot programme were assessed under the following criteria.   

• How the project will support the school in integrating physical activity in teaching and learning in the chosen curricular or cross-curricular area (20 marks) 

• The benefits the school hopes to gain from participation in the Pilot Programme and how senior leaders in the school will support the project (10 marks) 

• How the teachers and school leaders will ensure that learners will play a central role in developing and implementing the project (10 marks)  

•  The extent to which the project will sustain a long-term cultural change in physical activity in teaching and learning in the school (10 marks)