{"id":16906,"date":"2024-04-15T16:39:41","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T15:39:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/irun.wales\/?p=16906"},"modified":"2024-04-15T16:39:44","modified_gmt":"2024-04-15T15:39:44","slug":"dailymiledp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irun.wales\/cy\/news\/dailymiledp\/","title":{"rendered":"The Daily Mile Success Stories: Dinas Powys Primary School"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We caught up with Mrs Dutfield, a Year 2 teacher at\u00a0Dinas Powys Primary School<\/a>\u00a0to hear their success story of introducing\u00a0The Daily Mile<\/a>\u00a0into their Year 2 classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How long have you been doing The Daily Mile?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Year 2 have been completing the daily mile since the beginning of the Spring Term. In January, the children used a trundle wheel to measure the perimeter of the playground and then with support used a calculator to work out how many laps they needed to complete to ensure a mile was completed. This engaged the children from the beginning, and they were able to explain what they had done so they had some ownership of the distance they needed to cover. We explained to the children the importance of exercise and used the saying of healthy body healthy mind. In January, they completed a mile every day for the month of January and Monday, Thursday and Friday during February and March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Year 2 children measuring the distance for their Daily Mile<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How many children are taking part in your school?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are 2 Year 2 classes with 30 children in each class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We focus and base our classroom practice on Growth Mindset. So, the children were excited at first to complete the mile, but this did wain and they needed motivational language and sentence patterns which were adult led to continue to motivate the children. As a year group we decided we would jog instead of walking the mile. As a runner myself the benefits and the way it makes you feel has a positive effect. The children can now be heard saying\u201d even though I find this hard, I’m going to keep going\u201d, \u201cmy legs are aching but I’m not going to give up\u201d, \u201cI’m getting myself fit\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To keep the children motivated we introduced a timed lap challenge for a child in each class who was showing a growth mindset. This gave the children more encouragement to keep jogging the 13 laps of the playground. In addition, we introduced Friday as a celebrity day where outside agencies were contacted to come and join the children to complete the daily mile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n



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Also, we discussed playing music on Thursday and Friday to continue to motivate the children towards the end of the week. The daily mile has become part of the school week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since starting The Daily Mile, what have been the benefits (physical, mental and social) for the children and staff?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The children now see the daily mile as part of their daily routine. They have said that they really enjoyed doing it and how it makes them feel happy. Staff said they found it easier the more times they completed it and how much better it makes them feel. The social benefits we have seen are that children are encouraging each other to keep going and through the taught growth mindset approach they openly say they will not give up even if they are feeling tired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Has The Daily Mile had an impact in your school?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We decided that on a Friday we would have a celebrity from the world of fitness and sport to hopefully come and complete the daily mile with us. Cardiff City, FAW and WRU were contacted by email. Consequently, we had a visit from Dan from Cardiff City and he promoted the positivity of exercise and led a football session to develop the children’s football skills. \u00a0Cath Bingham came from Run Wales and explained to the children about the daily mile and showed them a map of the different countries where the daily mile was run. Joe Ledley from the FAW completed the daily mile and representatives from FAW attended and led a football skills session with all 60 children. There was a question-and-answer session with the celebrities and as the Health and Wellbeing topic this term is all about Being Healthy the children asked well thought out questions. The impact has been the links we have generated with outside agencies who have provided the children with opportunities to understand the importance of keeping fit and healthy. Also, they were able to hear sports people talk about the importance of exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Joe Ledley from the FAW completing the Daily Mile<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Dan from Cardiff City completing the Daily Mile<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Has The Daily Mile had an impact in your school?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We decided that on a Friday we would have a celebrity from the world of fitness and sport to hopefully come and complete the daily mile with us. Cardiff City, FAW and WRU were contacted by email. Consequently, we had a visit from Dan from Cardiff City and he promoted the positivity of exercise and led a football session to develop the children’s football skills. \u00a0Cath Bingham came from Run Wales and explained to the children about the daily mile and showed them a map of the different countries where the daily mile was run. Joe Ledley from the FAW completed the daily mile and representatives from FAW attended and led a football skills session with all 60 children. There was a question-and-answer session with the celebrities and as the Health and Wellbeing topic this term is all about Being Healthy the children asked well thought out questions. The impact has been the links we have generated with outside agencies who have provided the children with opportunities to understand the importance of keeping fit and healthy. Also, they were able to hear sports people talk about the importance of exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you have any stories you can share about individual children or staff members who have particularly benefited from The Daily Mile?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the staff members was daunted by having to run to complete the daily mile. Through integration and motivating the children she was running with; she has grown her confidence in her ability to run and has seen an increase in her own fitness levels as she has completed it. In addition, she is now more confident running and enjoys the way it makes her feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Enthusiastic pupils at Dinas Powys Primary School shared their thoughts on why they love The Daily Mile<\/em><\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fun\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt keeps me fit\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt makes me calm\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt makes me happy\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really good to do exercise\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI like it when I have a stitch and I keep going and don\u2019t give up it goes\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can feel it through your body\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI like calming myself down after doing it\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI like running fast\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I like it when I feel sweaty\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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CALLING ALL TEACHERS, SCHOOL STAFF, PARENTS\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is your school already signed up to\u00a0The Daily Mile<\/a>? If so, we\u2019d love to hear your success stories and enable others to be inspired by your experiences! Please fill in the \u2018share your story\u2019 form below or contact Cath\u00a0our\u00a0Young Person Physical Activity Activator:\u00a0cath.bingham@runwales.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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