Interactive and engaging activity sheets, designed with both the classroom and homeschooling in mind, were delivered. The programme ran throughout March and April to help children and schools get through the absence of football in schools.
Activity sheets were delivered twice a week over the course of 4 weeks to 904 primary schools, with 1,252 teachers delivering the lessons. The initiative saw 56,419 boys and 46,441 girls registered to enjoy the lessons, covering core subjects such as Maths, History, Geography, English, Art, Irish and Healthy Eating. This represents 45% female participation.
Each registered school was entered into a competition to win prizes for their school and one school from each county was selected to win a specially commissioned SPAR FAI football kit. The winners are revealed below.
Congratulations also to Scoil Eoin in Crumlin, Co. Dublin, who were selected as the nationwide winner and will receive a virtual meet and greet with members of Stephen Kenny’s international team.
SPAR’s support of the SPAR FAI School Zone is a continuation of SPAR’s dedication to grassroots football and was developed as an extension to the hugely successful SPAR FAI Primary School 5s Programme, which had to be cancelled this year due to Covid-19 restrictions.
FAI Schools and Third Level Programme Coordinator John Mc Guinness said, “The success of the SPAR FAI School Zone is a reflection of the great work of teachers across the country that have continued to bring a fun learning environment to the classroom, despite the difficult challenges that the past year has thrown up.”
“Our partners SPAR have shown great support for this initiative from day one and they continue to be a tremendous support both nationally and locally through their network of retailers in communities across the country.”
“We hope that the SPAR FAI School Zone provided fun and engaging activities for boys and girls nationwide and we are delighted to see the return of the beautiful game to pitches across the country this week. We are looking forward to a successful return to the SPAR Primary 5s later in the year.”
SPAR Sales Director Colin Donnelly said, “We’ve been supporting the FAI for more than six years now through our ground-breaking sponsorship of the SPAR Primary Schools 5s Programme,”
“It’s been an exceptional year for teachers, parents and students and we are delighted to see that so many children throughout Ireland were able to take part and benefit from the lessons that the SPAR FAI School Zone provided.”
“The overall success of the programme has been a testament to the commitment of our community network of SPAR Retailers around the country, whose involvement with their own local schools continues to drive the participation and success of this great initiative. We very much look forward to working with the FAI next year to continue supporting these great grassroots programmes.”
Parents and teachers can still register to receive this years activity sheets here - https://www.fai.ie/domestic/spar-fai-school-zone/register
SPAR School Zone County Winners Breakdown
County
Primary School
Town
Teacher
Surname
Carlow
Bishop Foley School
Carlow
Peter
Doran
Cavan
Convent of Mercy NS
Belturbet
Karen
Gilroy
Clare
Inch National School
Ennis
Sheena
Gleeson
Cork
Knockskeagh National School
Clonakilty
Aidan
McCarthy
Donegal
St. Patrick’s BNS
Carndonagh
Roxanna
Hirrell
Dublin
St. Kevin's GNS
Dublin 24
Christine
O'Sullivan
Galway
Castlegar NS
Galway
Helena
Gaughan
Kerry
Gaelscoil Mhic Easmainn
Tralee
Declan
Quill
Kildare
Scoil Mhuire, Leixlip
Leixlip
Emily
Milner
Kilkenny
St. Mary's NS
Thomastown
David
Herity
Laois
The Heath NS
Portlaoise
Shane
Maher
Leitrim
Largy NS
Manorhamilton
Shauna
Stevens
Limerick
St. Nessan's
Mungret
Tony
Kavanagh
Longford
Scoil Mhuire NS
Newtownforbes
Ross
Gannon
Louth
Le Cheile ETNS
Drogheda
Fiona
O'Connell
Mayo
Foxford NS
Foxford
Grainne
Reilly
Meath
St. Stephen's NS
Navan
David
O'Brien
Monaghan
Scoil Eanna
Ballybay
Liz
Duffy
Offaly
Daingean NS
Tullamore
Karen
Earls
Roscommon
St. Ronan's NS, Taughmaconnell
Ballinasloe
Ronan
Breathnach
Sligo
St. Patrick's NS
Maugherow
Mark
Gillan
Tipperary
Dualla NS
Cashel
John
Manley
Waterford
Holy Cross
Tramore
Michael
Dunford
Westmeath
Presentation SNS
Mullingar
Niamh
O'Neill
Wexford
Gusserane NS
New Ross
Mairead
Boyle
Wicklow
St. Fergal's NS
Bray
Bernadette
Keyes
Zoom Player Call
Dublin
Scoil Eoin
Crumlin
Lianne
Creighton