Active Schools Grants
In 2023 and 2024, 100 schools will receive a $30,000 Active Schools Grant to plan and implement a whole-school approach to improving student physical activity.
Over 300 schools will be eligible to apply for an Active Schools Grant each year. Schools will be selected to apply based on their SFOE (School Family Occupation and Education index) and eligible schools will be notified and asked to apply. Funding will be paid through the Student Resource Package.
To apply for a grant, schools must provide a detailed plan on how they will use funds to improve physical activity outcomes in their school. The applications should link to the Active Schools Framework and schools may elect to focus effort on one or more priority areas of the framework. Some examples of funding expenditure may include:
- quality physical education – professional development programs to support the high-quality implementation of PE and Sports programs
- quality school sport – sport education programs, intra-school sports events (e.g. swimming carnivals) or inter-school sport
- active classrooms – Active classroom programs, active classroom toolkits and games, standing desks
- active recreation – outdoor recreation programs like orienteering, external providers such as local sporting clubs, dance or pilates instructors or gyms
- active travel – bicycle education programs, bike storage or walk/ride to school infrastructure
- creation of a supportive school environment – green and open spaces, sensory play areas, fun engaging playgrounds with safe, age-appropriate equipment, staff capacity building.
Funds cannot be used for:
- purchase of IT equipment
- school staff salaries.
Active Schools PE and Sport Funding Boost
In 2023 and 2024, 300 Victorian government schools will receive a $3,000 Active Schools PE and Sport Funding Boost. This will support them with the costs of physical education, sport and outdoor education, as per the Victorian Government's commitment to creating active schools, active students and active communities.
Schools are selected for this funding based on their SFOE and will be notified by the department if they are to receive this boost. Funding will be paid through the Student Resource Package.
Schools are encouraged to explore innovative methods of utilising this funding to promote physical activity for all students. Schools may spend this funding on costs related to physical activity such as boosting the physical education or sports budget. They may also spend it on outdoor education, bike storage or other playground improvements.
This may include, but is not limited to, the following:
- purchase of sport and recreational equipment
- transport to interschool sports or entry to sports/recreational facilities
- outdoor education programs
- bike storage or walk/ride to school infrastructure
- playground improvements
- entry fees to competitions
- casual Relief Teacher (CRT) coverage
- coaching fees
- costs associated with other outdoor activities.
Funds cannot be used for:
- purchase of IT equipment
- school staff salaries
- items not related to improving physical activity outcomes.
For example, a primary school that received an Active Schools PE and Sport Boost may choose to spend part of it on teacher professional development for delivering physical education and new line markings in the school playground area.
Active Schools Extracurricular Boost
In 2023 and 2024, 200 government secondary schools will receive a $14,000 Extracurricular Boost to support them with the costs of providing extracurricular physical activity opportunities.
Schools are selected for this funding based on SFOE and will be notified by the department if they are to receive this boost. The funding will be paid through the Student Resource Package.
Funding may be used on the cost of running sporting, recreational or physical activity programs either before or after school, or during break times. This may include engaging community or private providers to run programs or paying for CRT/teachers to run programs.
Some examples of how this funding could be used include:
- external providers such as local sporting clubs, dance or pilates instructors or gyms
- outdoor recreational providers like orienteering clubs
Funds cannot be used for:
- staff salaries
- laptops or IT equipment
- PE and Sports equipment (see PE and Sport Boosts).
For example, a secondary school that receives an Active Schools Extracurricular Boost may decide to spend this funding to engage the local dance school to run hip hop classes as an after school activity. This is designed to target students who don't participate in the school's traditional sports programs.
Active Schools Expert Support Service
The Active Schools Expert Support Service is overseen by the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER) Victoria. It is made up of 12 Physical Activity Advisors who provide on the ground mentoring and capacity building to enable schools to:
- implement the Active Schools Framework, and
- support schools to develop a long term and sustainable plan to increase physical activity for all students.
If you would like support with implementing the Active Schools Framework or have any queries regarding the Active Schools Expert Support Service please contact ACHPER Victoria by email: activeschools@achper.vic.edu.au
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