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European School Education Platform
Practice article

Physical education: is it just about keeping students fit?

Physical education (PE) benefits students not just in terms of fitness and health, but also in terms of ability to perform and understand physical activity, which has long-term advantages. Because of its numerous benefits, the promotion of physical activity has received increased attention at European level. In this article, we will discover four exemplary and inspiring initiatives in physical education.

Disentangling Inclusion in Primary Physical Education

is an Erasmus+ project aiming to make inclusive PE strategies available to teachers. The idea was to map the current situation with regard to information and resources on inclusion in primary PE, and then develop teacher support for challenges related to inclusion through open, free resources and a teacher training toolkit.

This gave rise to the website of the project, featuring information and pedagogical tools – including , information on different kinds of , and a with different terms in order to include all children in primary PE lessons. In this way, children’s well-being, physical literacy and lifelong physical activity are ensured.

Action Ƶing for Children in Schools 2

The project encourages children to reflect on different lifestyle choices with respect to physical activity, stress management and overall well-being, aiming at a long-term impact. The project combines fun-oriented exercise classes with educational material on lifestyle issues. It was implemented in ten participating countries, and more than 20,000 students have taken part, exceeding the initial expectations.

Outputs include with recommendations as well as do’s and don’ts of implementation, , and containing clear instructions for planning lessons, as well as background information and learning outcomes. Schoolchildren, teachers and partners highlighted the positive aspects of the project, but also proposed some improvements for the future.

Move Up to Be Healthy and Happy

Move up to be healthy and happy Erasmus project

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The project addressed problems with children’s health, nutrition, physical and personal development, integration and assimilation. The project was established to instil pro-health attitudes in children by promoting grassroots sports on the school playground, and to assist schoolchildren, parents and teachers from six European countries – the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom.

Within two years of implementation, partners established to disseminate all project activities and, more generally, a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, a was created in six languages with health information tailored to the age of the recipient: nutrition and sports tips, recipes for healthy meals, and sports offers. Partners also created educational materials for all target groups, like the . For more information, check out a .

Activity & Eating: Small Steps to a Healthier You

Small Steps to a Healthier You Erasmus project

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The project aimed to improve students’ lifestyles by guiding them through the two domains of activity and eating. The main goal was to re-examine students’ eating habits and show them how to keep a daily healthy diet. The three pillars of the project were: a) improve your health through good nutrition, b) exercise your local options, c) be active your way.

In addition to the long-term health effects, the project partners also obtained tangible results, such as an called “Activity & Eating: Small Steps to a Healthier You” (the project’s main output), a , an , and a in six languages.

To discover ongoing and past EU-funded projects in school education, please go to the .

Additional information

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