Schools of Ambition

A snapshot from St Machar Academy

Photos of a colourful selection of healthy fruit and vegetables

S1 Health project

The aim of the S1 project was to encourage all S1 pupils to consider how physically active they were, how healthy their diet was and how they felt about themselves.

All S1 pupils were given a pedometer and a logbook. Early in the first term of their first year they recorded in their logbooks the number of steps taken each day, a self-esteem rating and what they ate. This task will be repeated in May but with more extensive work being done in all three areas.

A number of departments have been involved:

  • Physical Education - Pupils were set one fitness test and undertook three lessons based on walking activities.

  • Personal and Social Education - Pupils considered the link between physical activity and their ‘mood’ or self-esteem.

  • Home Economics - They looked at the effect specific exercise had on burning calories.

  • Maths - They used the information to do tasks measuring distance.

  • Science - The topic was used to introduce measurement of hand span, height, pulse rate, lung capacity and reaction time.

  • English - The department helped to publicise the week and asked each pupil to do a written piece on their experience.

Evaluations are currently under way to determine the amount of physical activity undertaken, the quality of pupils’ diet and how their self-esteem was affected. Based on the evaluations, a different programme will be planned for May with a view to developing an increased awareness of the links between physical activity and self-esteem.