TOP Programme
The aims of the TOP Programme are to assist primary schools and community organisations to support children in increasing their physical activity and skill levels, to encourage their involvement in sport, and to support teachers in further developing physical education programmes.
It is a Lottery funded programme that is open to local authorities and independent primary schools and is part of the wider Active Schools programme. The programme is split into two areas of focus, with TOP Play aimed at children aged 4-9 (introducing them to essential core skills such as throwing, catching, running and jumping) and TOP Sport aimed at children aged 7-11 (developing skills in specific sports).
The programme involves training for primary teachers and community deliverers, along with the provision of resource cards and sports equipment for the target sports of athletics, basketball, cricket, dance, fitness, gymnastics, hockey, netball, outdoor activities, rugby, shinty, swimming and tennis.
With good local planning and management, delivery of TOP Play and TOP Sport offer the following:
- Quality training for primary school teachers and everyone involved in providing physical activity for young people;
- Quality resource cards and support materials that offer easy to use, linked, progressive and appropriate activity for young people;
- Quality sports equipment designed and developed in conjunction with PE experts and National Governing Bodies;
- Opportunities for enhanced curriculum planning and for increasing the confidence of non-specialist teachers responsible for delivering PE; and
- Opportunities for high quality, action based sports development work that will broaden the base of participation and provide a catalyst for sports specific planning, volunteer recruitment and support.
Further information on this programme is available on sportscotland's TOP Programme webpages ( www.sportscotland.org.uk).