15 schools in Gateshead from the Heworth and St Thomas More Clusters have gone Hoop Hop crazy whilst taking part in the Hoop Hop Pilot, where children hoola hoop to hip hop music as a dynamic and innovative physical activity.
Training for teachers, wider school staff, Gateshead's Sports and Leisure coaches and The Play Development Service has been provided and every school involved in the programme has received 36 hoops as well as instructional DVDs and CD.
The innovative programme has been commissioned by Public Health North East and further funding by Gateshead Council through the Extended Services Team and PCT has enabled the programme to reach even more schools and communities.
Hoop Hop, a KidTribe programme, allows children, young people and adults to engage in physical activity in a fun, alternative and accessible way. ContinYou, one of the UK’s leading learning organisations has joined forces with KidTribe to bring this exciting activity to school children in the UK.
Designed to allow for individual, group and mass participation and regularly delivered in the US to groups of 1,500 at a time, Hoop Hop has been successfully delivered to over a million children, young people and adults throughout the US and the UK. Its founder, Kellee McQuinn, is nicknamed “the Pied Piper with a Boom Box” by the LA Times and has been featured on PBS, Discovery Kids, TLC, ABC News, E! and Exercise TV in the US as well as on the BBC and STV in the UK.
Councillor Catherine Donovan, Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People in Gateshead said “We welcome the Hoop Hop initiative in Gateshead. I have every confidence it can help address obesity and can make a significant contribution in encouraging children, young people and families to adopt healthier lifestyles, a vital element of Gateshead Council’s and the Gateshead Strategic Partnership’s Vision 2030”.
The Hoop Hop pilot is planned to take place over a three month period in early 2010 and will provide each school/setting and the local authority with the resources, training and support to develop and deliver a sustainable, innovative physical activity programme to engage children, young people and families.
Children and their teachers from the Heworth and St Thomas More Clusters attended two massive Hoophopalooza Extravaganza Events that took place at St Thomas More Catholic School and Gateshead Stadium's new Indoor Running Track. The events were led by Kellee McQuin and children learned how to hoola hoop to their favourite music, with loads of fun moves to go away and practice with their teachers and other students from their own schools. Check out the Photos.
Heworth Grange Cluster has certainly taken advantage of Hoop Hop fever, integrating Hoop Hop into the PE curriculum and organising staff and pupil lunchtime and after school clubs.
Bronia Lacey and Carole Jones of Roman Road Primary School participated in the Teacher’s Training Session and have since delivered an energetic demonstration to school staff on how to integrate Hoop Hop into PE lessons. Years 1, 2, 4 and 5 are now thoroughly enjoying Hoop Hop both in class and a new Hoop Hop Club.
“Look Miss! I can really do it! I am really Hoola Hooping!” (Cameron, Y1)
“I can do the Munchkin!” (Shannon, Y3)
“This is really Cool!” (Lucas, Y5)
Bill Quay Primary School are delivering Hoop Hop in a number of ways. Ally Wearmouth, who took part in the Hoop Hop training, is delivering a Hoop Hop Breakfast Club on a Wednesday morning. This was offered primarily to Key Stage 2 children, however we are hoping to develop this opportunity to include Key Stage 1 children later in the year. Mrs Wearmouth encourages the children to dress in ‘crazy’ clothing and is very enthusiastic during the sessions. Secondly, Key Stage 2 children are also given the opportunity to ‘Hoop Hop’ during morning and lunch time breaks and this is offered on a rota basis by year group. Children who are not usually interested in sports opportunities offered during free time have become engaged with the task and as a result improved their skills. Also, the children in Key Stage 1 are offered ‘Hoop Hop’ as one of their Golden Time activities on a Friday afternoon, which has been a popular addition to our schedule! The staff involved in the training have shown other staff the basic skills and most are now confident in implementing ‘Hoop Hop’ in the times available. Lastly, Bill Quay have invited parents and children to the Sport Relief event to involve parents in the implementation of Hoop Hop and create links for future events.
“It is fun because we dress up and it is great exercise” Ellie (Y6)
“It is really fun and a great way to keep active. I like it when we start hoola hooping!” Seyi (Y6)
“I like the music on when we are doing the tricks. The rap music is cool.” Alice (Y6)
At Wardley Primary School, pupils in Year 3 and 4 are currently Hoola Hooping as part of their Fitness Sessions in PE. Plans are underway to roll this out across the whole of Key Stage 2, with each year group doing 30 minutes each of Hoop Hop a week. All Class Teachers are taking part in training sessions run by Claire Shields. Key Stage One pupils will also be Hoop Hopping as part of their warm-ups for PE lessons.
Lingey House Primary School deliver Hoop Hop to two Y5/6 classes during their P.E. lessons and to Y3/4's in an after school fitnessclub.
All of the children (including boys) love it, as do the staff, who regularly spend 10-15 minutes hooping during lunchtimes! Lingey House all have the hoop hop bug!
Patricia Gray, Hoop Hop Leader at Lingey House says:
"I have been challenged to a hoop off by a Y6 pupil! I have run an after school fitness club for 5 years and I have never experienced so much enthusiasm for an activity. Even the least physically active and reluctant children can't wait to get the hoops out. We use the warm up CD to start each session and the children also thoroughly enjoy this. I can honestly say that Hoop Hop is a great success at Lingey House".
Hoop Hop isn’t just causing a stir in the primary schools, at Heworth Grange Comprehensive, a Hoop Hop After School Club for Year 7s has been set up. Hoop Hopping is becoming increasingly popular, with pupils enjoying the fact that they get to listen to music that they love at the same time as exercising. Members of staff are regularly attending Tuesday Lunchtime Hoop Hop classes, run by Stacey McMullen who states that this club is all about “getting the staff together in a non-work environment, having fun and chatting to people who don’t often have the time or opportunity to talk within the course of a normal working day… the possibility of losing a dress size in a couple of months helps too.”
Heworth Grange Staff members have said the following about Hoop Hop Club.
“This is great! It doesn’t even feel like exercising”
“I’ve never laughed so much – I’m not sure if it’s the laughing or the Hoola Hooping that has caused my stomach muscles to ache so much”
Heworth Grange Cluster are set to stage their very own Hoop Hop Extravaganza Event for 250 Primary and Secondary School pupils, on Friday July 2nd, 1.45 – 2.45pm at Heworth Grange, New Sports Hall.
