Movement in Play: Table Tennis and Outdoor Strategy

A collaborative project to promote physical activity, socialization, and healthy leisure activities at AEVL.

The "Active Time, Healthy Students" campaign arose from a real need within the educational community of the Vieira de Leiria School Group. Following the destruction of outdoor equipment caused by Storm Kristin , and in a context where the use of mobile phones on school grounds is limited, it became urgent to create healthy, inclusive, and attractive alternatives for students' free time activities.

This campaign aims to raise support for the installation of outdoor table tennis tables and board game tables (chess and checkers) on the grounds of the José Loureiro Botas Secondary School. This equipment will promote regular physical activity, healthy social interaction, strategic thinking, and the physical and mental well-being of students during breaks, school holidays, and also in curricular contexts, namely in Physical Education classes and School Sports.

More than just acquiring equipment, this campaign invests in health, inclusion, and community . The tables will be accessible to all students, free of charge, and will also be open to the local community during school breaks, transforming the school into a space for intergenerational encounters, informal learning, and positive interaction.

This is a project that is simple in its conception, but with a profound impact on daily school life: less sedentary behavior, more movement; less isolation, more interaction; less screen time, more quality time.
By supporting this campaign, every contribution helps build a more active, healthy school that is closer to the community.

About the author

The Vieira de Leiria School Group (AEVL) is a public educational institution serving the entire geographical area of the parish of Vieira de Leiria, also welcoming students from neighboring towns such as Carvide, Monte Real, and Monte Redondo. The group integrates all levels of education, from preschool to secondary and vocational education, ensuring complete, coherent, and inclusive educational pathways.

AEVL is guided by an educational vision centered on the student , promoting well-being, the active participation of the educational community, and the valorization of the territory. The quality of its pedagogical and organizational work has been recognized by the External Evaluation of Schools, which awarded Very Good ratings in the areas of Self-Assessment and Leadership and Management.

The school group consistently develops projects that promote healthy lifestyles, citizenship, sustainability, and pedagogical innovation, highlighting initiatives such as Eco-Schools , Blue School , Erasmus+, and School Sports . These practices reveal a strong culture of collaboration between students, teachers, families, local authorities, and local partners.

The Active Time, Healthy Students project reflects this institutional identity. It stems from a concrete proposal by the students and responds to a real community need, exacerbated by the destruction of outdoor equipment caused by Storm Kristin . By promoting physical activity, healthy social interaction, and the positive use of free time, AEVL reaffirms its commitment to an active, inclusive, participatory school open to the community.

Budget and due dates

Budget

The budget for the Active Time, Healthy Students project was defined based on the acquisition of robust, durable outdoor equipment suitable for intensive use in school and community settings. All values reflect a realistic market estimate, guaranteeing quality, safety, and sustainability in the medium and long term.

Table tennis and board game tables are designed for outdoor spaces, manufactured from weather-resistant materials, with a fixed structure, and comply with European safety standards for public and school spaces. This investment ensures safe, continuous, and inclusive use by students and the community.

The project implementation is organized into simple and well-defined phases, allowing for rapid execution after funding is secured.

All equipment will be installed and operational by the end of July 2026 , allowing the 2026/2027 school year to begin with fully functional spaces integrated into school life.

Images

Documents

• memoria_descrita_tempo_ativo.pdf

  pdf • 237.03 KB