Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed the inclusion of two Galway East schools – Ballaghlea National School, Ballygar and Caltra National School – in the Department of Education’s Physical Activity in Teaching and Learning Pilot Programme for 2025/2026.
The schools are among just 41 nationwide chosen to participate in the second phase of the pilot, which supports teachers in embedding movement and physical activity into daily classroom learning.
Minister Canney said the selection reflects the innovation of Galway East schools in promoting wellbeing and active learning: “This is great recognition for both Ballaghlea NS and Caltra NS. Their projects – ‘Maths & Moves’ in Ballygar and ‘Diverse PE and Wellbeing Promotion’ in Caltra – show how schools can make learning fun, engaging and physically active.
These initiatives highlight the creativity of teachers and principals across rural Galway who are finding new ways to support children’s wellbeing, confidence and concentration through movement and play.”
He added that the strong Galway representation in the national list shows the county’s leadership in promoting innovation in education: “It’s also encouraging to see other Galway schools involved in this pilot, including Scoil na bhForbacha and St Joseph’s Special School in Galway City.”
Grants have now been issued to participating schools, which will deliver their projects throughout the 2025/2026 academic year. The pilot is designed to help schools integrate physical activity into the teaching of various subjects, complementing traditional PE and supporting lifelong wellbeing.
Minister Canney said the initiative aligns strongly with the Government’s focus on wellbeing and inclusion in education: “Physical activity is proven to support concentration, confidence and overall development. I’m delighted to see schools in Galway leading by example in this innovative programme.”
Galway schools selected for the Physical Activity in Teaching and Learning Pilot Programme (Phase 2)2025/26:
• Ballaghlea NS, Ballygar – Maths & Moves
• Caltra NS – Diverse PE and Wellbeing Promotion
• Scoil na bhForbacha, Co. Galway – Physical Activity in Teaching and Learning Pilot Programme
• St Joseph’s Special School, Galway City – Including in a fully inclusive way: movement
The Physical Activity in Teaching and Learning Pilot Programme encourages schools to integrate movement into classroom learning, supporting student engagement, focus, creativity and wellbeing.
