At any age, the bodily benefits of movement and of being active are huge. Yet for children, this is dramatically increased due to both short-term health and wellbeing gains and to the embedding of behaviours that will support a good, long life.
Schools that build physical activity into the fabric of their culture offer their students the opportunity to grow stronger, more agile and more resilient bodies with stamina, flexibility and balance that will likely stay with them for a lifetime. Read more.
Mind
Perhaps the most obvious reason schools exist is to exercise the young minds of our community, to embed learning, exploration and problem solving as key themes in the early lives of children.
It is well established that active children do better when it comes to comprehension, concentration and a host educational outcomes across the board. Active schools are therefore better performing schools. Read more.
Spirit
Movement and being active, especially in children, encourages exploration, learning and creativity, as well as connectivity and empathy with others and an appreciation of nature and space
Active schools offer their students to opportunity to benefit collectively, and as a culture to thrive. Physical activity is well proven to have positive mental health and wellbeing outcomes, that make for more positive, connected individuals. Read more.
Place
Having a sense of place is important for anyone to feel true belonging. Yet for children, the stability of a safe, welcoming and inspiring place is crucial for development, particularly when it comes to relationships and confidence in later life.
Schools that consider the friendliness of their atmosphere, and how the physical architecture supports and engages their students, thrive when it comes to student wellbeing, creativity and attainment. Read more.
People
As everyone is different, a focus on people is critical to improving individual health and wellbeing, and a strong community is proven to dramatically increase developmental learning and good wellbeing in children.
Schools are the centre of many communities, but strong communities require energy, empathy and solidarity, and improving communication and a supportive culture goes a long, long way. Read more.
Planet
Children who engage with nature are known to do better than those who don’t, and learning about the planet and our environment are pillars of good wellbeing, and a strong special cognition.
Schools that integrate outdoor play and learning, and showcase the wisdom of our interconnected relationship with nature, open up a world of possibilities for their students. Read more.
Schools Hub
Active Devon’s Online Community for Schools and Teachers
This area of our website has been designed to support you with all things physical activity within and around schools and education.
What’s more, it is our hope that this will become a place where you can help one another, providing collaborative, supportive and non-judgement advice to help you navigate PE, primary PE premiums, Ofsted, active travel, and all else.
