Physical Activity is the promotion and engagement of exercise and movement in addition to the 60 minute per week timetabled curriculum subject of Physical Education. St. Margaret’s National School actively promotes the message that children require 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. We have been very busy engaging in a wide variety of different programmes, ideas, and initiatives which have inspired the children to become more active.

St. Margaret’s National School promotes the full range of fundamental movement skills during break times and pupils are encouraged to run, play and to do ‘talking as you’re walking’. We have two daily playground breaks and our schoolyard is zoned to allow children to engage in a variety of different activities. Our school has playground leaders who set up activities and sports equipment during break times for others to use.

All pupils engage in an extended classroom-based physical activity break on wet days and short physical activity breaks during the day.
Our school incorporates physical activity into school calendar events as we hold different seasonal activities.

St. Margaret’s N.S. Active School Slogan 2025 – 2026

The children came up with their own slogans and colourful posters to promote the importance ‘being active’. They came up with so many creative ideas and the overall winners were from 5th and 6th class. Oisín, Tom and Finn who came up with the slogan ‘Don’t be a slouch, get off the couch’. The boys wanted to highlight the importance of taking a break from digital devices such and getting out to play and exercise. Well done to all the children in our school who participated in the challenge. The standard was very high this year.