At Waterford Educate Together National School, we are proud to hold three Active School Flags, awarded most recently in June 2023. These achievements recognise our commitment to promoting physical activity, wellbeing, and a positive, healthy lifestyle for every child.

The Active School Flag (ASF) is a Department of Education initiative that celebrates schools who make physical activity a core part of school life. WETNS first received the flag in 2018, and since then we have continued to develop a wide range of initiatives, activities, and partnerships to support an active, happy school community.

We look forward to building on this success as we work toward renewing our flag in the years ahead.

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Stay Up to Date

You can follow our Active School initiatives and school activities through our Active School Padlet:
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We also run an annual Wellbeing Week, which focuses on movement, mental health, and positive wellbeing.
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Physical Education at WETNS

Every child takes part in 1 hour of P.E. per week.

The Primary P.E. Curriculum focuses on seven key messages:

1. The importance of enjoyment and fun

2. Maximum participation for all

3. Development of skills and understanding

4. A balance between competitive and non-competitive activities

5. Equal opportunities for all children

6. Achievement that every child can experience

7. Activities that include boys and girls equally

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P.E. Equipment

Our school is fortunate to have a large, well-equipped P.E. storeroom, with clearly labelled resources that are easy for staff to access. Through our partnership with Waterford Sports Partnership, we have expanded our equipment to include badminton sets, balance bikes, rackets, climbing and balance equipment, and more.

This allows us to provide a high-quality and varied P.E. programme across the school.

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The P.E. Curriculum

Each year, all pupils engage with the five P.E. strands from the national curriculum:

• Athletics

• Aquatics

• Dance

• Gymnastics

• Games & Outdoor Adventure Activities

Athletics

Using our large school hall, pupils develop skills such as running, throwing, jumping, and coordination.

Aquatics

Children in 3rd, 4th, and 5th Class attend swimming lessons during the school year. All classes also follow the PAWS Water Safety Programme.

Dance

Teachers deliver dance lessons through the PSSI scheme, often linked to events such as Seachtain na Gaeilge and whole-school celebrations.

Gymnastics

With access to a wide range of gymnastic equipment, children experience station teaching with support from PSSI resources.

Games

This year, Games was our priority strand. We introduced initiatives like Together Tuesdays, new playground games, and Active Schools Committee activities that encourage cooperation and inclusion. We also benefited from coaching through Mount Sion GAA for all levels.

Outdoor Adventure Activities (OAA)

All classes explore OAA during Term 3. We also introduced the Choose-YAY initiative, allowing classes to choose between a Scouts programme and a Walking Group — both supported by staff and volunteers.

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Professional Development

In May 2023, several teachers completed the PDST Physical Literacy: Fundamental Movement Skills – Move Well, Move Often seminar, gaining valuable insights and resources that are now used in classrooms across the school.

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Active Homework

In Term 3, pupils are given P.E. homework on days when they do not have a P.E. lesson. This helps to build the habit of daily movement and keeps children active at home as well as at school.

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Physical Activity Throughout the Day

We promote movement during break times and throughout the school day:

Playground Leaders

A team of trained 5th Class Playground Leaders lead games and set up equipment for younger pupils.

Walk and Talk

Children are encouraged to walk and chat during breaks, supported by staff on yard duty.

Short Activity Breaks

Classes regularly take part in short movement breaks using resources like GoNoodle, Just Dance Kids, and 10@10.

Staff Physical Activity Initiative

Our staff previously established a Swim Club, meeting weekly to swim together — an initiative that became a highlight of the school year.

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Partnerships

We are proud to work closely with a range of organisations that support our Active School work, including:

• Mount Sion GAA Club

• Waterford Sports Partnership

• Greenway Bike Hire

• The GDA Office

• Déise Óg

These partnerships provide coaching, equipment, training sessions, bike skills, Gaelic football coaching, and whole-school PE opportunities — enriching our programme throughout the year.

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Our Commitment

Physical activity is at the heart of life at Waterford ETNS.
Through our Active School Flag work, we aim to ensure that every child experiences joy in movement, confidence in their abilities, and the lifelong benefits of staying active.