St. Malachy?s Primary School and Na Piarsaigh Oga commence Fundamental skills programme

Form early September Karol McQuade from the Ulster Council has been carrying out the new Ulster council initiative, ‘Developing Fundamental Skills’ in St. Malachy’s primary school.  This programme aims to develop agility, balance and control in a fun and safe environment for young children. The action packed programme is currently being used weekly in Key Stage one at St. Malachy’s primary school and is also incorporated into a range of P.E. lessons through out the school. 

Last week, under the guidance of Karol Mc Quade, primary seven were introduced to the Fundamental Skills programme. Primary seven children took the role of coaches as they put pupils from primary two and three through their paces. As a follow on, the primary sevens have recently started to set up a range of fundamental skills stations at break and lunch time in the Key Stage one playground, working with a different group of children each day. Encouraging this structured independence and increased responsibility has proven to be extremely popular with all children and has immeasurable benefits for both primary seven and Key Stage one children. 

Staff and PTA members from St. Malachy’s primary school are currently working in close partnership with Louis O’Neill, (Youth Development Officer, Pearse Ogs) and the Ulster Council, organising, coaching and introducing U6s and U8s children to the fundamental skills programme each Saturday morning in CBS primary school from 11am to noon. 

St. Malachy’s primary school would like to thank Karol Mc Quade for his continuous support and coaching professionalism in implementing this high beneficial programme to Key Stage one children.  

The school would also like to thank Louis O’Neill and the Pearse Ogs club for providing St. Malachy’s children with the opportunity to further develop the skills they have acquired from September under the guidance of the Ulster Council.