What's new
About the school
Located 145 kilometres from Sydney and 11.5 kilometres from Cessnock, Kurri Kurri is an old coalmining town. In conjunction with neighbouring Weston it has a population of 13 628. Kurri Kurri Public School has a population of 760 K-6 students. It provides low cost, quality outcomes in a caring and supportive environment. The school has an established reputation for quality student welfare practices catering for the low socio-economic community in which it resides.
How did this project come about?
The Structured Active Playground (SAP) was a program devised at our school, initially to develop leadership qualities in senior students. The aim was to involve them in leadership roles, during lunch times. They created organised opportunities for students in Years 3-6 to participate in round robin games. The students would sign up for a team at the beginning of each term. With a move towards a whole school anti bullying initiative, it was decided to make our playground the main priority. The over-crowding in the playground was a major issue for which a solution had to be found.
SAP became a program that targeted students who often had problems with positive behaviours in the school playground. We found that if children were given the opportunity to engage in a sporting activity in a controlled, non-threatening environment, their skills, confidence and participation increased. With a small playground to student ratio, SAP withdrew children from the condensed environment, allowing more space for others.
What we did
Instead of aiming to improve leadership, we started to look at improving communication and relationship skills amongst those children who would normally struggle in social settings. We asked for students who were not already Prefects, Captains, Sports Captains or Sports Prefects and gave them the role of SAP leaders. We asked for students interested in leading the program to put forward a written application stating why they wanted to be a SAP leader. In the end we had 10 eager volunteers who were each rewarded with a SAP shirt at our school assembly.
The SAP leaders were asked to brainstorm with staff, a list of games and activities that were not competitive. These activities were run by the students during the second half of lunch. We found that children who were having difficulties in the everyday playground culture would turn up and be willing to participate in these activities. The children who coped well in the playground tended to shy away from the activities because they already had well-developed social networks.
An initial core group of 50 children became involved. These children began, for the first time, to learn to throw, catch and have fun in the good old red in the cheeks sporting way.
Games were deliberately chosen to avoid those games where children were picked for teams or got out quickly. Games had to be both fun and structured. It became a common thing to see behaviourally challenged children involved and ready to have fun. They enjoyed the routine and structure in an environment that was non-threatening or intimidating. We also found that as social groups changed in the playground different children would become involved in SAP activities.
Proof of the success of SAP came when the program was acknowledged this year with an Education Week District Award.
How does it work?
A staff member is appointed SAP co-ordinator and is excluded from normal playground and bus duties. Instead, the SAP teacher spends each second half lunch over seeing the SAP games daily and most importantly developing a strong rapport with students.
SAP is run in a normally out of bounds area, utilitising an otherwise unused space, freeing up precious playground area. This allows children who may have follow-up classroom work to complete during first half of lunch, to be able to join in too. After all they are the sorts of children we are hoping to assist.
The program targets students in Years 3 to 6, however, if any other children from other grades need extra help socialising in the playground they are invited to join in anytime from the second half of the year.
There is a different game or activity introduced at the beginning of each term. Teacher professional learning time is used to teach the term focus activity to every staff member who then in turn teaches these to their class during PE time. This means all children know the activity and can join in confidently. SAP has become very popular and we attract between 20-50 children each lunch time.
The SAP leaders prepare for the activity during first half lunch and are ready to begin at second half bell time. SAP leaders choose two ‘best and fairest’ players each day and award them with a merit slip at our after lunch assembly lines.
What we found
SAP attracted more players when we changed it from a sign up team event to a second half activity time.
Advertising also helped establish the new activity. Leaders announce today’s game to be played, at each assembly as a reminder to students.
The teacher overseeing SAP became more aware of playground politics amongst students.
Children’s confidence grew and skill development improved.
Children with the ‘bully tag’ learnt how to better interact with other children’.
Lessons Learned
- Choose games where children aren’t sitting or waiting for a go.
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Make sure SAP leaders are aware that they are making a commitment.
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Talk to SAP leaders or children involved to ensure personality conflicts are minimised between children.
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Invite students to join SAP activities who you feel may need encouragement or distraction from the playground.
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Encouragement, Encouragement, Encouragement!
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Talk to the whole school about sportsmanship and what is expected at SAP.
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Make your SAP environment consistent but fun and exciting.
Where to from here
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Encourage other teachers to take on the role of SAP co-coordinator so it becomes a whole staff experience.
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Keep up student attendance.
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Broaden the variety of games/activities.
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Maybe in the future take it to the infants playground.
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Review, reflect and listen to what other students/teachers have to say!
