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Health and Play

Almondsbury Primary School highly values the health, fitness and well-being of all their pupils. Our ethos promotes an active and enriched healthy lifestyle through a progressive and motivating PE curriculum, Play, Forest Skills and Healthy Schools enhanced through a large range of extra-curricular activities, events and competition.

Play

At Almondsbury Primary School children are given the opportunity to:

  • Explore the complexities of the world around them through playful experimentation of concepts and ideas.
  • Develop social skills, enhancing communication, collaborative learning and problem solving.
  • Encourage self-confidence and resilience.
  • Think creatively and imaginatively.
  • Develop independence and take responsibility to make the right choices.
  • Develop physical and emotional health, allowing the balance between their right to act freely and respect for others.
  • To develop skills in self assessing and managing risk.

We aim to enhance playtimes through:

  • The PlayPod - enables and enhances a positive, creative, and freely chosen play experience for the children.
  • Key Stage 2 Playground Leaders - through their leadership skills they engage younger children to participate in active, social playground games.
  • Year 6 Sports Council Leaders - Organise and lead playtime and lunchtime sports clubs for the younger children e.g. ball skills, cricket, running.

Early Years Foundation Stage

In Reception the children learn through focused play. The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework highlights that:

  • Each area of learning and development must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity.
  • Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems, and relate to others.
  • Children learn by leading their own play, and by taking part in play which is guided by adults.

Forest Skills

At Almondsbury Primary School the children are given the opportunity to participate in Forest School activities, in the natural environment within the school grounds. These aim to:

  • Support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world.
  • Promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners.
  • Give them the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.

Forest skills is run by qualified Forest School practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice. We believe that Forest Skills should be an exciting, hands-on learning experience and provide opportunities such as pond dipping, den building, creating things using natural resources and exploring the world around them. Forest Skills sessions are taught in all weather conditions, to develop an understanding, respect and love of the environment around them.  

Healthy Schools

The school council have helped to develop a healthy school dinner menu alongside the kitchen staff and children are encouraged to make healthy choices at lunchtimes. All Key Stage 1 children are encouraged to eat a piece of fruit each day and children in Reception, until their 5th birthday, receive a carton of milk. All children throughout the school are able to order a carton of milk. The children are encouraged to bring in water bottles and drink throughout the day. We also have water fountains both inside and outside. In Key Stage 2 the children are encouraged to bring in healthy snacks for playtimes and are also able to buy toast.