by Mr. Paul Marron. (P.E Teacher)

Physical Education has been an integral part of the curriculum in St. Paul’s for many years now. One of my main concerns as PE teacher here is ensuring that when our young people leave school, they will continue to engage in exercise because they accept it as a worthwhile activity.

The key to taking part in any activity is enjoyment and if our students derive enjoyment from physical education classes then participation will remain high.

The PE program in St. Paul’s includes the following activities:

• Invasion Games: Soccer, Gaelic football, Basketball etc.
• Striking Games: V.B.B, (volleyball, basketball, baseball), rounders.
• Athletics: sprints, middle distance, discus, shot putt, high jump, long jump.
• Aquatics: water confidence, activities, stroke improvement.
• Individual Games: 10 pin bowling, carpet bowling, golf, table tennis. tennis, badminton.
• Outdoor Pursuits: Orienteering, hill walking, absailing, canoeing, rock climbing.
• Sports Science: Basic physiology, bio mechanics, warm-ups, cool down, exercise physiology, training methods (5th & 6th yrs).
• Exercise and Fitness: Cardio vascular endurance.
• Flexibility.
• Muscular strength and endurance.
• Body composition.
• Health Education is an integral part of the Social, Personal, Health Education (SPHE-classes).

With PE soon to be included as an exam subject for the Leaving Certificate, all students are already getting experience of all of the activities and exam areas of the proposed new curriculum.

Classes at present take place in our own school yards, as well as Ballykelly GFC, Killenard Community Centre and Portarlington Tennis Club.

We also have a very comprehensive programme of integrated activities with people with learning disabilities. We work with athletes in Moore Abbey at sports such as: Basketball, 10-pin Bowling, Golf, Table Tennis and Carpet Bowling.

St Paul’s is one of only 3 to 4 schools in Ireland using the very successful model of P.E.-teaching known as SEPEP (Sports Education Physical Education Programme).

This model of education is widely used in the Secondary Schools of Australia. The core element of this programme is that the students themselves learn to take responsibility for a season of competitive sport within the class.....the sport being chosen by the class. The class elect a sports board who have responsibility for preparation of equipment, picking teams, organising competition/prizes, delegating roles such as coach/captain/score keepers/referees, devising adapted rules, writing reports for newspapers and so on.