Dr Melanie McKee attends the Ireland & UK Physical Literacy Forum (IUKPLF) at Sport Wales

Dr Melanie McKee, senior lecturer in PE and Sport at Stranmillis University College, recently attended the Ireland & UK Physical Literacy Forum (IUKPLF) which was kindly hosted by Sport Wales at their National Centre in Cardiff on Friday 15^th March, 2024.

The aim of the IUKPLF is to promote the concept of physical literacy and a culture which values the development of physical literacy for all. It advocates the integration of physical literacy into research, policy and practice. Therefore, it encourages collaboration within and between groups and sectors that develop physical literacy.

The Forum currently comprises key representatives of the education and sport sectors from each of the 5 countries. Dr Melanie McKee attended as the education representative for Northern Ireland alongside Emma McMenamin from Sport Northern Ireland who represented the sport sector in Northern Ireland.

Melanie commented how ‘This IUKPLF was a collaborative opportunity for Emma and I to share the key developments in Northern Ireland following the launch of the All-Island Physical Literacy Consensus Statement in October 2022. Emma provided an update on the delivery of the Understanding Physical Literacy course as well as the creation of the Northern Ireland Physical Literacy Forum. I then highlighted the Active Schools pilot which was launched in January 2024 in partnership with Stranmillis University College and Fort Hill Integrated Primary School. The Active Schools ethos is to value and develop every child and young person’s physical literacy by creating a physically educated and physically active school community. Therefore, this pilot reinforces the education sector’s aspiration to contribute to the strategic development of all children’s physical literacy. Disseminating this pilot via the IUKPLF was especially valuable as many of the other representatives offered insights and advice based on their experiences of the Active Schools concept in their respective countries.’     

This year’s first Forum meeting was chaired by Clare Roberts (Sport Wales) and attended by: Dr Nalda Wainwright (Wales Academy for Health & Physical Literacy); Emma McMenamin (Sport Northern Ireland); Dr Melanie McKee (Stranmillis University College); Emma Mackenzie-Hogg (Youth Sport Trust); Charlie Crane (Sport England); Sheelagh Quinn (Sport Ireland); Aoife O’Mahoney (PE Association for Ireland); Mairi McLaughlin (Sport Scotland); and Paddy Cuthbertson (Scottish Association of Teachers of PE).