Airth pupils take full advantage of a little bit of Me Time

Late last year Airth Primary School launched the #MeTime for P4 to P7 pupils and now, three terms on, it is still going strong.

The initiative, created by depute head teacher, and taekwondo black belt, Dr Lynsey Burke introduces a wide range of healthy activities from four “academies” – taekwondo, yoga, outdoor or glee – into the school’s core curriculum each week.

Dr Burke said: “The project was created to give all pupils the opportunity to experience success and achievement within a sport or activity. The weekly hour-long sessions are planned for by teachers within the wider framework of Curriculum for Excellence, but led by key partners in the community.”

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The quartet of key partners helping deliver the #MeTime project are Grandmaster Bailey from Central Taekwondo Academy, Lesley-Anne Martin from The Yoga Tree in Stirling, Tom Gold from CATCA communities and Ailsa Walsh from Monument Dance Centre.

“This enhances pupil wellbeing and builds staff capacity,” said Dr Burke. “As the teachers learn alongside the pupils and develop their own skill set.”

Just before the summer holidays each of the #MeTime academies shared the skills, knowledge and fitness they had built up over the previous weeks with their families and the wider community through a special showcase event.

The showcase also gave researchers from the University of Stirling, also key partners in #MeTime, a chance to see how well the project is progressing.

Dr Burke said: “School staff and pupils will be working with the researchers over the next four years to help investigate the impact of incorporating these weekly #MeTime sessions into children’s health and wellbeing curriculum.

“This research study will indicate if #MeTime can have an impact on fundamental aspects of children’s mental, emotional and social wellbeing – for instance, on children’s confidence, self-esteem, motivation, engagement and participation.”