Olderfleet pupils put their best feet forward for '˜Step Challenge'

Fitness lessons with a difference were on the curriculum recently for a P7 class at one Larne primary school but could soon be rolled out to others.
Step Challenge pupils at OlderFleet PS, Larne, pictured with Mayor Wales and Council Sports staff.Step Challenge pupils at OlderFleet PS, Larne, pictured with Mayor Wales and Council Sports staff.
Step Challenge pupils at OlderFleet PS, Larne, pictured with Mayor Wales and Council Sports staff.

An initiative called the ‘Step Challenge’ has been running at Olderfleet Primary School and its success has been highlighted by the Mayor of Mid & East Antrim, Audrey Wales.

She said: “This was a six-week pilot programme involving some very active Primary Seven pupils from Olderfleet in Larne where all the pupils were given a pedometer to wear so as to count their daily steps.

“Each day at school the pupils took part in a wide range of activities to encourage greater physical activity and participants then record how many steps they take, with the aim being for they to take even more steps, week by week.

Over 10.5 million steps were taken by pupils of Olderfleet Primary Schoold during their six week Step Challenge.Over 10.5 million steps were taken by pupils of Olderfleet Primary Schoold during their six week Step Challenge.
Over 10.5 million steps were taken by pupils of Olderfleet Primary Schoold during their six week Step Challenge.

The initiative also included the added benefit that participants were encouraged to ‘take it home’ by not only being active in school, but also at home, so that means their families were also encouraged to take more exercise.

This was the first programme of its kind to take place in Mid and East Antrim Borough and it is anticipated that Council sports officers will roll this out on a larger scale throughout the borough in due course.

Olderfleet PS P7 teacher, Derek Kyle said that the range of activities undertaken varied: “The Step Challenge has really motivated the pupils to become more active. Having individual pedometers helped the pupils to monitor the number of steps they took each day but also really challenged them to try and take more steps. They have really enjoyed the additional activities and games organised as part of the programme as well as the numeracy activities in class recording and graphing their progress.”