Screening Complete with FMS Programme
The children at the Prep School have now completed their full programme of screening for their Fundamental Movement Programme. It has been a comprehensive programme of activity with the staff carrying out nearly a 1000 individual screens on the Prep School children ranging from rotary and shoulder mobility to active leg raises and trunk push ups. Each child has now got an individual report which will be sent out to parents early next week, as well as an explanatory letter explaining the purpose of the report and how we are using the data to help with the children’s fundamental movement and physical literacy.
Parents are invited to also engage in the programme with their children, there are links to exercises that the children can do at home which can supplement the work they are doing at school. At school we are working on exercises to help the children on the areas that have been highlighted by the screening process, as well as other fundamental areas such as diaphragmatic breathing. We use the exercises as part of our warm up before games as well as in stand-alone lessons.
The FMS programme is such an extensive programme and we are just at the very starting point of this journey. The first few terms are really a data collection exercise, identifying strengths and weaknesses and introducing the children to how the programme works and how it will befit their everyday life not just their sporting prowess. In time the children will be working through their own individual tailored lessons plans and have a greater understanding on how their body works. This week the children have been learning about diaphragmatic breathing and practising various techniques and breathing exercises, while also working on their posture.
In recent years with pupils having to spend so much more time on their tablets during virtual learning, learning how to breathe well and work with good posture can only have a huge positive impact on their physical well-being.