Active Schools Programme

About Active Schools

The Active Schools Network in Scotland is a team working in schools and the wider community to motivate children and young people to get active. Their goal is to create more, and better quality, opportunities for children to take part in sport at school, partly by recruiting volunteers to help deliver activity sessions. They also work to build links with sports clubs and community organisations, giving pupils a clear path to keep playing sport beyond the school gates.

Orkney's Active Schools team has been in place since September 2004, with the aim of getting "more people, more active, more often." The team includes:

• Head of Active Communities: Garry Burton
• Sport and Leisure Service Manager: Katell Roche (on maternity leave)
• Sport and Leisure Team Manager: Elaine Harcus, and Carolynn Leslie (maternity cover)
• Active Schools Coordinators: Michael Swanney, Catherine Johnson, Kirsty Spence, and Carolynn Leslie

A key part of the programme involves working in partnership with local and national organisations, as well as other departments within Orkney Islands Council, sharing costs, resources, and knowledge to best serve the people of Orkney.

A partnership agreement developed by sportscotland shapes each local authority's Active Schools Annual Action Plan. Annual reports are available as PDFs. 

Participation

Aim: Active Schools overarching aim is to provide more and higher quality opportunities to participate in sport in schools.

Priority: To provide more and higher quality opportunities to participate in sport before, during lunchtime and after school.

People

Aim: Grow and support a network of people delivering opportunities within schools, ensuring they have the confidence, skills, knowledge and behaviours to deliver quality sporting opportunities.

Priority: Build capacity through the recruitment, retention and development of a network of volunteers to deliver sport.

Young Leaders

Aim: To provide a lasting legacy of confident, knowledgeable and experienced young people who throughout their life in sport will strengthen the sporting system.

Priority: Young people have access to a range of leadership roles and are encouraged, supported and mentored to reach their potential.

Progression

Aim: To improve the connections between schools and clubs, and in particular between professional staff working in these environments.

Priority: Support and develop effective pathways between schools and clubs to improve the transition from schools to clubs.

Connections

Aim: To improve the connections between schools and clubs, and in particular between professional staff working in these environments.

Priority: Support and develop effective pathways between schools and clubs to improve the transition from schools to clubs.

Bikeability Scotland

Bikeability Scotland is the modern cycling proficiency programme, made up of three levels:

• Level 1: teaches basic riding skills, such as balance, control, and turning, usually delivered to Primary 5 pupils in the school playground
• Level 2: teaches how to ride safely on the road and navigate basic junctions, usually delivered to Primary 6 pupils on quiet roads
• Level 3: teaches how to handle more complex junctions and plan journeys effectively

Our Active Schools Coordinators are qualified Bikeability tutors who work closely with the Road Safety Officer. They deliver training for volunteers and teachers who want to complete their Cycle Trainer Assistant course, and can also mentor volunteers after they've qualified.

Bikeability is run by Cycling Scotland in partnership with Orkney Islands Council, and relies mainly on volunteers to help deliver sessions to school children. If you'd be willing to help, please contact Active Schools. 

As part of our 2017 summer holiday programme, we also delivered a two-day Bikeability Level 1 course to pupils moving into P6, covering basic bike checks, braking, cornering, pedalling, balance, and control, getting them ready to move on to Level 2 in school.

Orkney Islands Council runs five swimming pools: one in Stromness and four on the islands of Westray, Sanday, Stronsay, and North Walls. All are based on school sites except Stromness, though all offer daytime sessions for schools.

Fitness suites are available at KGS Sports Centre, Stromness Pool and Fitness Centre, Dounby Centre, and Healthy Living Centres in North Walls, Rousay, Sanday, Shapinsay, St Margaret's Hope, Stronsay, and Westray.

Stromness Academy also makes its sports hall and fitness room available to the wider community when not in use by pupils; see the "Related Sites" section for more details.