KiwiSport is working hard to achieve the following aims:
- To increase the number of school-aged children participating in organised sport;
- Increase the availability and accessibility of sport opportunities for all school-aged children; and
- Support children in developing skills that will enable them to participate effectively in sport.
Sport Wellington’s KiwiSport plan has identified a need for improvement in basic or fundamental skills for primary aged children. There is also a lack of expertise within schools to teach the fundamental skills. The aim is to provide a skills base, not skills specific to each sport, which provides a grounding for all physical activity.
How can Hutt City Council help?
The Hutt City Council can provide support in a number of different ways.
1. Council can work with you to improve existing programmes that you already have in place. By providing resources such as instructors or the use of equipment.
2. Create new programmes and provide support and infrastructure to set up and get started.
Swimming
Swimming and water confidence are part of the national curriculum for schools and learning to swim is a key part of the fundamental skills project. Swimming develops both locomotor and stability skills in children and builds self confidence and self awareness.
Programme overview:
- Eight lessons per child over a two week period
- Qualified instructors to teach children in the pool
- 30 minute lessons
- Cost is $8 + GST per student for the eight sessions. This covers pool entry and instructors. Note: Schools do not have to pay pool entry over this cost
- Delivered by Swim City (HCC)
- Partnered with Water Safety New Zealand to offer the Swim for Life assessment to track progress
- Assistance with school teacher training (through Swimming New Zealand's Swim Safe Programme)
moveMprove
GymSports New Zealand has developed the moveMprove® foundation skills programme that is delivered by trained movement specialists in either schools, gymsports clubs or community venues to upskill young children (3-10 years) in their fundamental movement competence.
The moveMprove® programme enables children to become more competent at movement, empowering them with the ability to participate in their chosen sport or activity at a more skilful level. Additionally, an expected result is that children will be healthier and happier with improved academic abilities.
For more information, go to the moveMprove website.
Programme overview:
- Eight week programme (one session per week, per class, for eight weeks)
- Designed for years 1-6 and delivered in class groups
- 1 hour per session
- Minimum of two coaches per session
- Cost is $8 + GST per student for the eight sessions i.e. $1 per session
- Delivered by local GymSports clubs
- Linked to the five Key Competencies of the NZ Curriculum
- The programme includes an assessment tool that looks at progress over the eight weeks
Football
- Builds manipulative skills (striking with feet - kicking, dribbling, trapping and punting)
- Improves eye-foot coordination
- Useful in football, rugby union, rugby league
Programme overview:
- Eight week programme (one session per week, per class, for eight weeks)
- Designed for years 1-6 - coached in class groups
- 45 minutes per session
- Minimum of two coaches per session
- Cost is $5 per student for the eight sessions
- Football covers the manipulative skills part of our fundamental movement skills project and uses football to develop these skills, as well as agility, spatial awareness and team work
- The programme delivered is the new Football Literacy Plan, part of the Whole of Football plan put together in consultation with the Ministry of Education
- Delivered by Lower Hutt Football Club in partnership with Capital Football
- The programme includes an assessment tool that looks at progress over the eight weeks
- A free Football Literacy and/or Small Whites coaching course is offered to teachers as part of the programme
Find out more
For more information or to get involved please contact Mitch Thompson on 04 560 0316, 027 4677 238 or email mitch.carroll@huttcity.govt.nz.