Football and Healthy Eating Day for Primary Schools

FC United of Manchester are offering primary schools a day’s activities combining football with some active healthy eating lessons

The healthy eating day is aimed at Years 3 and 4. The healthy hearts day is aimed at years 5 and 6.

Both days are delivered by the Manager of FC United’s first team and a qualified teacher and use specially prepared materials including, for the healthy eating day, three large tarpaulin sheets depicting the eat-well plate which lend themselves to a number of active games involving decisions about healthy food, and for the healthy hearts day, a model of the circulation system and a set of stop watches for so pupils can measure each others pulse.
The format of the healthy eating day is:

• Assembly on who are FC United ?
• Two hour session for one class split into the following activities;

1. games based on classifying food to achieve a balanced diet using the eat-well plate
2. Warm up and stretching exercises used by FC United players
3. Team building games
4. Football-based activities accessible to pupils of all abilities

• Two hour session for a second group

The day can be adapted for schools with only one target class and for younger age groups

The format of the healthy hearts day similar to the above:

• Assembly on who are FC United ?
• Two hour session for one class split into the following activities;

1. Didactic explanation of the circulation system and the things we can do to keep our hearts healthy
2. Activity in which children measure each other’s pulse before and after exercise
3. Warm up and stretching exercises used by FC United players
4. Team building games
5. Football-based activities accessible to pupils of all abilities

• Two hour session for a second group

What do we need the school to provide?

• A DVD player for the assembly and screen and projector if available
• An outdoor area, field or playground
• Access to an indoor hall if the weather is poor

How do I book this session?

Please contact FC United directly by sending an e-mail to robinpye@fc-utd.co.uk. Please include the following information in your e-mail:

• The dates you would like the session to be delivered (in order of preference)
• The class or classes you would like the session to be delivered to
• The timings of your school day
• Brief information about the outdoor facilities at your school
• A contact name, e-mail address and number.

FC United will then get back to you to organise the session.

What pupils and staff have said about our sessions

"I thought it was great. I liked it when we were having the race of putting the food in the right place. I learned about healthy food, football, exercise and stretching." Year 3 pupil, St. Luke’s CofE Primary School, Bury

"I think that it was a very good afternoon. I liked the football and I learned to work as a team." Year 6 Pupil, Ribble Drive Primary School, Whitefield.

"I thought it was brilliant fun and would LOVE to do it again. I liked the football most and that we learned as well as had fun. I learned a little bit about what makes a good group." Year 6 pupil, Park View Primary School, Prestwich.

"I liked everything that we did today. The games we played helped us to learn that it’s good to play as a team. FC United are sooooo cool!" Year 5 pupil, St. Mary’s Primary School, Hawkshaw

"It was great. I liked the football and the relay races. I learned a lot more stuff about FC United." Year 6 pupil, St. Mary’s RC Primary School, Radcliffe

"You are the best outside agency to have come in and work with the kids in this school." A Specialist Teaching Assistant at a Bury Primary School.

The Schools we have successfully delivered healthy eating days in are:-

Radcliffe
Gorsefield Primary School
St. John’s Primary School

Whitefield
Mersey Drive Primary School
Sunnybank Primary School

Bury
St. Thomas CE Primary School
St. Marie’s RC Primary School
Millwood Special School
Holy Trinity CE Primary School
Guardian Angels RC Primary School
St. Luke’s CE Primary School
East Ward Primary School
Chesham Primary School

Prestwich
Sedgley Park Primary School
St Hilda’s CE Primary School
Butterstile Primary School
Heaton Park Primary School

Ramsbottom
Summerseat Primary School
St. Mary CE Primary School (Hawkshaw)

Little Hulton
North Walkden Primary School
Hilton Lane Primary School
Dukesgate Primary School

Pendlebury
St Augustine’s CE Primary School

Wythenshawe
St Paul’s RC Primary School

Newton Heath
Briscoe Lane Primary School