Run, Jump, Learn! Erasmus Project

Project Title

Run, Jump, Learn!

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Health and wellbeing

Project Summary

‘Run, Jump, Learn’ is a three year project designed and carried out by Ysgol Plascrug – Wales, Pöllönkangas – Finland, Kleeblattschule Wehretal – Germany, C.P. Atalía – Spain and Bäckskolan – Sweden between 2017 and 2020. The objective of our project was to increase the physical activity of our pupils and their physical literacy skills. This was done through developing, refining and sharing methodology and resources to achieve an ‘active learning’ approach to teaching across all areas of the curriculum.

Participant schools identified a shared need to challenge increased screen time, obesity and disparity between the motivation and attainments of different groups in school. Pupils with alternative home languages, educational, social or economic obstacles account for a large number of pupils in our schools, so we welcomed the prospect of developing our skills and pedagogy to meet their needs and provide a more inclusive education. We all shared a goal in the desire to help develop more active, engaged individuals, equipped with the basic skills and enthusiasm for learning in order to succeed in the rest of their lives.

We found a wealth of research proving the link between physical activity and attainment levels, so we anticipated that as a result of increasing physical activity in our schools, attainment in literacy, numeracy, science and skills in language learning would improve. ICT would be used by staff and pupils as a tool for producing outcomes and sharing our ideas and results so we expected that we would have a positive impact upon developing ICT skills also.

A major part of our project was sharing the good practice already in evidence in our individual schools through Learning, Teaching and Training events hosted by each participant school. Host schools invited local or national experts to run workshops and school staff led training and demonstrated examples of good practice. Each country ran training related to their individual specialties: Wales – active learning in the Foundation Phase and ‘SKIP’, integrating the development of physical literacy skills in cross curricular teaching activities; Finland – principles of the scheme ‘Finnish Schools on the Move’ and how to create active daily programmes; Germany: developing ICT skills in the outdoor area and learning in the forest; Spain – language learning through active means; Sweden – using the outdoor and local area to develop skills across the curriculum. We also worked collaboratively to share our work on schemes like Forest Schools, TL leaders, Eco Schools, Bronze Ambassadors, school health projects and work with charities like SUSTRANS. Approximately 1,700 pupils were involved directly in our project, 125 different members of staff attended the Learning and Training Events, and at least 4,000 stakeholders or members of the community were impacted through our planned activities and events.

‘Run, Jump, Learn’ was organised into three themes: Year 1-active learning in the classroom; Year 2-active learning in the school grounds; Year 3-active learning in the local area. Activities working towards the objective were carried out by pupils and staff between Learning, Teaching and Training events and results like videos, photos and active challenge cards have been uploaded onto a blog: https://runjumplearn.wordpress.com. We have also shared on Twitter using the hashtag #runjumplearn and used Instagram to disseminate results to a wider audience. Pupils produced films of Christmas traditions in their schools, playground games and a tour of their school’s outdoor area. They compared data on traveling to school. They communicated in different languages through digital means and shared experiences of active learning. Staff worked collaboratively to produce activity packs for parents and teachers, films of lessons or activities demonstrating good practice in active learning, activity cards and other resources.

Success towards achieving our project objective has been measured through questionnaires and informal interviews. It was collated, assessed and monitored by the individual schools throughout the project.

The impact of our cooperation will have a long lasting effect upon practice in our schools. Together we have shared and developed approaches that have been embedded in school routines and ethos. This will enhance the capacity for the provision and quality of health and wellbeing in our schools, long after the current pupils and staff have moved on.

As a result of our project, staff have gained the necessary skills and have utilised them in providing active learning across the curriculum to ensure that pupils lead a more active school life. Our project has also allowed pupils to develop other skills including literacy and numeracy; increased awareness of foreign languages; increased digital competence; greater understanding of social, ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity and active participation in a global society.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 128164 Eur

Project Coordinator

Plascrug Community School & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Kleeblattschule Wehretal
• Pöllönkankaan koulu, Oulun kaupunki
• Bäckskolan
• C.P. “Atalía”