Support for schools in Merseyside around  COVID-19 

The COVID-19 outbreak has undoubtedly made school look a whole lot different at the moment. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that physical activity is just as valuable, if not more so, for children’s physical and mental wellbeing right now.

With that in mind, we’ve pulled together a range of carefully chosen resources to help both teachers still delivering in school and parents who are home-schooling to keep children moving.

As life’s complicated enough at the moment we’ve kept the focus on easy activities that can be done in bite-sized chunks to break up the day, plus all of the physical activity content has been chosen to be relevant to the PE curriculum. There’s also information about healthy eating, ways to keep children safe online and more.

Going forward we’ll be looking at other ways to help schools react and adapt to the changes that COVID-19 is bringing, so please bookmark this page, so you can visit for updates as things evolve.

KEY STAGES 1 & 2
COVID-19 UPDATES:

The government document
‘Guidance for full opening: schools‘ states:

 

“The curriculum should remain broad, so that the majority of pupils are taught a full range of subjects over the year, including sciences, humanities, the arts, physical education/sport, religious education and relationships and health education”

 

 

 

 

Key take-outs from government guidance in relation to physical education and activity in schools:

  • Each employer should interpret and instruct you on how staff should work to remain as safe as practicable in your own/each setting
  • Pupils should be kept in consistent groups, sports equipment thoroughly cleaned between each use by different individual groups, and contact sports avoided.
  • Outdoor sports should be prioritised where possible, and large indoor spaces used where it is not, maximising distancing between pupils and paying scrupulous attention to cleaning and hygiene.
  • External facilities can also be used in line with government guidance for the use of, and travel to and from, those facilities.
  • Activities such as active miles, making break times and lessons active and encouraging active travel help enable pupils to be physically active while encouraging physical distancing.
  • Where any equipment is shared, for example when throwing a ball back to a peer, it is important that the equipment is kept as clean as possible by ensuring it is cleaned before and after each lesson using the cleaning agents provided by your school.

You may find the Association for Physical Education’s guide ‘COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions‘ useful:

Physical activity ideas

The Daily Mile™ 

  • MSP has been working to give every primary school in Merseyside the chance benefit from doing The Daily Mile™ and the good news is that the vast majority of pupils can still enjoy the benefits whether they are being home-schooled or attending the school itself.

#ThisIsPE

  • Developed by one of the organisations in our wider network, Yorkshire Sport Foundation, the resources available through #ThisIsPE are recommended by the Department for Education. Working with physical educators around the country they are posting two-minute videos every Monday, Wednesday and Friday that will show parents and teachers free, fun and easy to follow PE activities.
    www.yorkshiresport.org/get-active/thisispe/

The FA superkickers:

  • The FA SuperKicks app, has hundreds of fun active challenges as well as
    cool creative tasks. Earn Super Points for trying different challenges and get
    rewarded with special badges.

http://www.thefa.com/get-involved/the-fa-superkicks

YST PE Home learning:

  • PE activities that can be done individually or in pairs/small groups with
    a focus on the development of physical competence and actively
    learning the importance of personal skills to support social, emotional
    and mental wellbeing.
  • https://www.youthsporttrust.org/pe-home-learning

YST Support for schools

  • You will find a range of resources to support the widening of provision in your school with some year groups returning from 01 June. The resources should be used in line with Government and statutory guidance and are focused on the principles and practicalities of delivering PE and sport under current restrictions.
  • https://www.youthsporttrust.org/coronavirus-support-schools

GoNoodle

SEND activities and resources

Activity Alliance

  • Activity Alliance is sharing the top ways to adapt activities so more people can move more while at home. The STEP tool is one of the most effective ways to use household items to be active.
  • Free inclusion training to teachers and school staff, so they can deliver a high- quality inclusive PE curriculum for all young people. 

Help Kidz Learn

  • HelpKidzLearn is a collection of software for young children and those with learning difficulties to play online. The software is split into five sections: Early Years, Games and Quizzes, Stories and Songs, Creative Play & Find Out About.

Sensory App House

  •  Sensory App House creates apps for stimulation, relaxation, fun, digital art and speech therapy.

Guidance & online safety links

Association for Physical Education guide: 

Public Health school zone

Cyber security resources and guidance

NSPCC safeguarding advice for remote teaching

Mindfulness and Healthy Living

Cosmic Yoga

Change for Life

Healthy Futures:

  • Sign up for a weekly food and activity log, plus daily exercise videos to keep children active. Healthy Futures signup.

Anna Freud:

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