Glasgow primary school first in city to win Buddy Fit Award » Education » 24dash.com

St Anne’s Primary school in Calton is the first Glasgow school to earn a Buddy Fit Award in recognition of their hugely successful playground programme aimed at encouraging the children to take part in more activity and participation during break time.

The Active Schools Buddy Programme is a huge success in Glasgow - with 90% of primary schools signed up and taking part and over a thousand Buddies fully trained and passing on their skills to others.

St Anne’s are leading the field and have 24 P6 & P7 Activ8ors (the schools term for a Buddy) who have all completed the six weeks of training delivered by their Active Schools co-ordinator.

The training covers the jobs of a Buddy or Activ8or, how to solve problems in the playground, how to work as part of a team and most importantly, fun games they can lead at break time.

A key element is also about communication skills and confidence-building.

With such a strong emphasis for children to lead a healthy and active lifestyle Glasgow’s Buddy programme is an excellent vehicle in which to promote participation in the playground.

The Buddy Fit Award has been created to recognise all the hard work and commitment that schools, teachers and children in Glasgow have demonstrated as part of the programme.

Councillor Gordon Matheson, Executive Member for Education and Social Renewal is delighted for the staff and pupils of St Anne’s and said today: “Like all great ideas, the Buddy programme is simple.

"The P6 and P7 buddies develop their confidence and assume responsibility for younger children, and everyone involved has fun and becomes fitter.

“It is very encouraging that so many schools are involved, with well over 1,000 children currently operating as Buddies in Glasgow schools.

"This is also a great way of ensuring that traditional playground games, such as tig and skipping, are passed on to new generations.

"It is right to have an award ceremony to celebrate all of the work and commitment shown of Glasgow's school staff and pupils. I hope that St Anne's will be the first of many to receive a Buddy Fit award.”