Active Schools Grants
Each year, 100 schools will receive a $30,000 Active Schools Grant to implement a whole-school approach to improving student physical activity. The grants will be awarded to schools across primary, secondary, primary/secondary, language and specialist school settings following a competitive grant process. Funding will be paid through the Student Resource Package.
Eligibility to apply is based on the schools’ Student Family Occupation and Education (SFOE) index and considers whether a school has previously received an Active Schools Grant. Applications are assessed against the Active Schools framework and how the school plans to use the funds to improve physical activity outcomes for their students.
Grant funds may be used for infrastructure or equipment, staff professional development, or engagement with physical activity programs and providers.
Schools can use the funds to focus on one or more priority areas of the Active Schools framework. Some examples of how funds can be used include:
- active classrooms – active classroom games, standing desks, outdoor spaces for teaching
- active recreation – outdoor recreation programs like orienteering, external providers such as local sporting clubs, dance or pilates instructors or gyms, school camps
- active travel – bicycle, scooter and/or skateboard education programs, bike racks/shelter or walk/ride to school infrastructure
- quality physical education – professional development programs to support the high-quality implementation of physical education and sports programs
- quality school sport – sport education programs, intra-school sports events (for example, swimming carnivals) or inter-school sport (for example, School Sports Victoria events), inter-state school sport opportunities
- supportive school environments – 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 Information Technology (IT) equipment
- school staff salaries.
Active Schools Physical Education (PE) and Sport Boost
Each year, 300 Victorian government schools across primary, secondary, primary/secondary, language and specialist school settings will receive a $3,000 Active Schools PE and Sport Boost. This boost helps schools cover the costs of PE, sport and outdoor education.
Schools are selected for this funding based on their SFOE index and will be notified if they are eligible to receive this boost. Funding will be paid through the Student Resource Package.
Schools are encouraged to use this funding to promote physical activity for all students. This may include:
- purchasing sport and recreational equipment
- staff professional development for delivering PE
- transport to interschool sports or entry to sports/recreational facilities
- outdoor education programs
- bike storage or walk/ride to school infrastructure
- playground improvement
- entry fees to sporting 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.
Active Schools Extracurricular Boost
Each year 200 Victorian government secondary, primary/secondary, language and specialist schools will receive a $14,000 Extracurricular Boost to support them with the costs of providing extracurricular sporting and recreational opportunities. This funding is intended to target students who don't participate in the school's traditional sports programs.
Schools are selected for this funding based on their SFOE index and will be notified if they are eligible to receive this boost. The funding will be paid through the Student Resource Package.
Funding may be used to support the cost of sporting, recreational or physical activity programs before or after school, or during break times. This may include:
- engaging community or private providers to run programs (For example, local or state sporting clubs, wellness providers, gyms, dance providers or outdoor adventure providers)
- professional development to support the delivery of extracurricular sport, recreational and physical activity programs
- equipment to establish activity clubs that enhance student engagement and participation
- CRT coverage.
Funds cannot be used for:
- staff salaries
- laptops or IT equipment.
Active Schools Expert Support Service
The Active Schools Expert Support Service is delivered by the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER) Victoria. It is made up of 12 full-time equivalent Physical Activity Advisors who provide on the ground mentoring and capacity building to enable schools to:
- implement the Active Schools framework
- 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: activeschools@achper.vic.edu.au.
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