Improving physical activity opportunities for primary school children

• Active Schools aims to increase awareness, skills and education regarding quality physical activity and physical education within school communities.
• Active Schools aims to enhance teacher and student physical activity and overall wellbeing.
• Active Schools will achieve this by building the confidence and competence of teachers and students in physical activity, so they choose and enjoy participating in sport and recreation for life.

SPARC's Active Schools Initiative and Toolkit

• New Zealand research data indicates that overall physical activity levels of children and young people are declining (SPARC 2003)
• SPARC has launched the Active Schools initiative to support the Ministry of Education's announcemnent (October 2004) that physical activity would be given greater priority in schools from January 2006.
• The Active Schools initiative aims to increase awareness, skills and education regarding quality physical activity and physical education within school communities to enhance student physical activity and overall wellbeing.  This will be achieved through a partnership approach with the Ministry of Education and school community development.
• It's about building confidence and competence in our children so that they choose and enjoy participating in sport and recreation for life.  Furthermore, it's about giving children the life skills and opportunities they need to realise their potential.
• An Active Schools Toolkit has been developed to support schools in meeting this challenge.  It will support teachers with co-curricular and cross-curricular physical activities.
• Toolkit training is open to all schools and is available through Sport Taranaki.  

 For further information on the Active Schools initiative please contact: