Active Education is a priority theme in the Get Doncaster Moving strategy.

Together with the GDM Network, our ambition is as follows:

Education settings in Doncaster ensure every child and young person is active by embedding multiple physical activity opportunities throughout the school day to support wellbeing, academic achievement and behaviour.

Our specific actions to achieve this are:

  • Support every primary school pupil to be physically active for more than an hour a day.
  • Support schools across Doncaster to embed the Creating Active Schools (CAS) Framework with physical activity at the heart of school ethos, policy and values.
  • Engage with schools and offer strategic support, opportunities and training via the Doncaster PE and Active Schools network.
  • Implement the Healthy Learning, Healthy Lives programme in early years, schools and colleges including improving diet, nutrition and increasing physical activity.

Doncaster PE and Active Schools Network

The Doncaster PE & Active Schools Network is a collaboration of Primary School PE leaders who come together with the ultimate aim of developing and supporting the delivery of high-quality PE, school sport, physical activity and health and wellbeing opportunities for children and young people.

The network aims to give PE leaders the opportunity to discuss, collaborate, share good practice and learn from one other through a peer to peer learning approach. Get Doncaster Moving facilitate the network and along with Yorkshire Sport Foundation, provide up to date guidance, information and opportunities that Doncaster Primary schools can get involved in.

The network meets four times a year and offers a mixture of updates, workshops and free CPD. Recent network meetings have include free Dance and Gymnastics training, PE Deep Dive and getting Ofsted ready workshop and practical Active Learning CPD.

If you are a Doncaster PE leader and would like to attend these meetings, please contact Dean Wiffen for more information: dean.wiffen@doncaster.gov.uk

Active Schools Resource

This toolkit is designed to help Doncaster Primary Schools and their staff understand how they can better support children and young people to meet daily physical activity guidelines and create an active school. This resource includes up to date national guidance, useful hints and tips, equipment providers, local organisations and much more. You can view and download the resource below.

Doncaster Active Schools Resource

Creating Active Schools Framework

Creating Active Schools (CAS) was developed in June 2019 by an independent group of experts, researchers and practitioners to promote a whole systems approach to sustainably embed physical activity at the heart of a school's ethos, so that everyone understands its benefits and can easily implement it in their practice. CAS supports schools embed physical activity in policies, systems, behaviours and environments, so that it becomes everyone's responsibility; from pupils, to staff, parents and governors.

To date, Get Doncaster Moving has supported 19 local schools to implement the CAS framework and will continue to build on this. This support has been provided by five local teachers who have had training to become CAS Champions, enabling them to guide schools through the CAS process.


Contact

Dean Wiffen

Dean Wiffen

Community Sport & Physical Activity Development Officer

Get Doncaster Moving, City of Doncaster Council

I support Doncaster's voluntary sports sector organisations to thrive. I work with national, regional and local stakeholders to develop innovative ways for Doncaster residents to access sport and physical activity opportunities. This varies from liaising with National Governing Bodies to encourage sports delivery locally to supporting Doncaster grassroots sports clubs being creative and sustainable in their day to day operations. I also lead Get Doncaster Moving's work within our Active Education agenda. Here I support the Education system and partners to embed physical activity at the heart of a schools ethos. Finally, I also lead on the delivery of major sporting events for the city that can create long lasting memories and social impact for local residents.

What do you do to keep active?

I generally keep active by going on walks with the family. Having a 6 year old daughter generally keeps me physically active too but also as we are now working from home more, I have incorporated home works into my daily routine. My goal for 2024 is to start benefiting from the great outdoors and green spaces I have around where I live and going on more regular weekly runs.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start moving more?

My advice would be to take things slowly and to set small achievable goals initially. Find a form of physical activity that you enjoy and that works for you. This could be going for a walk on your lunch time, starting a couch to 5km or even working out at home. Other informal ways of becoming active can be incorporated into your everyday lifestyle too. That could be starting to walk to work, park your car further away and walking more or taking the stairs instead of the lift. I would encourage to start with small 'steps' which can then be increased as you start to incorporate being physically active into your day to day routine.