Under the guidance of our PE teacher, Mr. Byrne, St. Laurence’s BNS has registered for the Active School Flag. Our aim is join a group of 626 schools around Ireland in becoming more active.

The Active School Flag (ASF) is awarded to schools that strive to achieve a physically educated and physically active school community. The process aims to get more schools, more active, more often.

In order to achieve the ASF we will begin the process by self-evaluating our current provision across 3 areas: Physical Education, Physical Activity and Partnerships. We must also organise an Active School Week programme each year. Schools that can say ‘yes’ to all of the ASF success criteria will be awarded with the active flag. We hope that St. Laurence’s will be flying the Active School Flag soon!

Our GAA board

Former pupil, Paul Mannion, was kind enough to present the school with his winning Jersey from the All Ireland Thanks Paul!

The sensory courtyard is an area which we have dedicated to meaningful sensory movement breaks. These breaks provide proprioceptive feedback for the boys and raise their heart rates, so that they will have better engagement and increased concentration when they return to class. These breaks are catered for by our SNAs who take boys for both scheduled and unscheduled breaks as required.

This area is equipped with a swing, climbing rope, trampolines, gym balls, a tunnel, exercise ladder, cones, hoops, and weighted balls. Visuals are displayed around the walls to indicate stopping points where specific exercises can be performed e.g. 10 jumping jacks, crab walk, hopping on the spot. These visuals are changed regularly to provide plenty of variety.

This Initiative was put in place, so that if pupils had no one to play with, they could find another person looking for a friend at one of these.

Not only does our school offer a wide variety of active initiatives and sports during each day, but each morning from 8.20 – 8.40 our Principal, assisted by our playground leaders, cater for GAA training. The boys from Infants to 6th class get a chance to practise their football and hurling skills by taking part in drills and fun games. This helps the boys focus all that energy and concentration into the classroom once lessons begin.

St Laurence’s B.N.S also offers an Active after school sports club, during the week, with a wide variety of sports available.