PE Department SPCS

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR SPORTS TRAINING AND ACTIVITEIS

1. Parental Permission

A written consent (FormE4) from parent or guardian must be obtained before the commencement of sports training and activity.
Teachers must keep a good attendance record. If students who are absent from training, teachers should notify the parent or guardian immediately.
Students who absent from training must submit parent letter for reason and record.

2. Awareness of Potential Hazards

Teachers should be acquainted with students’ health record before training.
Teachers should also be aware of potential dangers on training venue and apparatus must be assessed carefully so that a safe environment is provided for training.

3. Safety Precautions for General Sports Training and Activity

Students taking part in training must be properly dressed, e.g. wear suitable clothing and footwear, tie up long hair, trim fingernails, no jewelry or watch, and no over-size cardigan or pull-over are worn, etc.
Students must do sufficient warm-up and stretching exercises before engaging in strenuous activities, especially in cold weather.
Students must follow teacher's instructions and they should foster a sense of responsibility to understand the importance of their own and others' safety during training. Horseplay of any kind is prohibited.
Students are not allowed to remove any sports apparatus. All sports equipment used should be returned to original place.
Teachers should remind the students that if they feel unwell e.g. dizzy, nauseous, or short of breath during training, they should stop activity and report to teacher immediately.

4. Safety Precautions for Water Activity

Students should maintain good hand hygiene and they should wash their hands thoroughly before and after PE lesson.
Students are not allowed to enter the swimming pool without teacher’s permission.
Beginners should not practise swimming in a pool with a depth above their breast level or above 1.2m.
Students with any wound and infectious disease should notify teacher. They are advised not take part in any swimming training.
Students must put on swimming cap and no jewlwey or watch is allowed while swimming.
Stop the swimming training immediately if the student reported any sickness.
Running or chasing about in pool area is strictly prohibited.
Diving practice is not recommended in ordinary swimming lessons as diving exercise has potential danger. For a surface dive or backstroke start, the depth of water must be 1.35m or above ; for other dives it must be 3m or above.
Teacher must ensure that clear and precise instructions are given and all safety precautionary measures are in force, as well as the students concerned are ready to make the diving attempts.

5. Weather Condition

Teachers should scrutinize the weather forecast and report in advance to decide whether training or activity should take place or reschedule. If there is any change, teachers should notify parent or guardian of the corresponding arrangement in due course.

6. Typical Cyclone Warning

If Typhoon Signal No. 3 or above is hoisted two hours prior to the sports training, the training will be cancelled. Teachers should notify parent or guardian of the corresponding arrangement in due course.

7. Rainstorm Warning

In case of bad weather or Red/ Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is in force two hours prior to the sports training, the training will be cancelled. Teachers should notify parent or guardian of the corresponding arrangement in due course.

8. Air Pollution Index

When the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) or its forecast reaches the following bands, especially in areas with heavy traffic, attention should be paid to students in outdoor physical exertion and the time staying outdoors in the affected zone:
If the Air Pollution Index is 7 (high level), teachers should reduce outdoor physical exertion, and to reduce the time of staying outdoors. The intensity and duration of the activities could be at moderate level.
If the Air Pollution Index is 8-10 (i.e. very high level), teachers should reduce outdoor physical exertion, teachers should reduce to the minimum outdoor physical exertion, and to reduce to the minimum the time of staying outdoors. The intensity and duration of the activities should be at moderate-to-low level.
If the Air Pollution Index is higher then 10 (i.e. serious level), teachers should avoid outdoor physical exertion, and to avoid staying outdoors.
teachers should refer to websites of EDB and Environmental Protection Department for details: (http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/kla/pe/references_resource/index.html) (http://www.aqhi.gov.hk/en.html)

9. UV Index

Students are advised to put on sunscreen lotion of SPF 15 or above for skin protection when the UV index is high (i.e. high than level 5).
Teachers should provide sufficient breaks for students to resume water consumption so as to prevent students from any heat-induced illnesses like heat cramp and heat stroke, etc.
If the sunlight is intense, teachers conducting outdoor activities should recommend participants to take the following measures to avoid excessive sun exposure:
1. wear protective clothing, such as long-sleeved shirts, pants and a wide-brimmed hat;
2. allow those students to wear sunglasses with Ultraviolet (UV) protection if need;
3. apply sunscreen lotion to all exposed skin using a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 15 or above and PA++ or above for a broad-spectrum protection from both UVA and UVB;
4. apply sunscreen lotion about 30 minutes before sun exposure for adequate protection;
5. re-apply the sunscreen lotion every 2 hours when staying outdoor for a long time, or after one has got wet or sweated. However, sunscreen lotion should never be used to prolong the duration of excessive sun exposure (because even undertaking indoor tanning is not suggested); and
6. seek shade when appropriate and avoid prolonged outdoor activities between 11:00a.m. to 3:00p.m.when the UV rays are most damaging.

10. Very Hot Weather Warning

Teachers should lessen the physical exertion while the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force.
Teachers should be aware of students who will suffer from heat exhaustion if the air temperature is over 30oC. Outdoor training should be halted if the temperature is over 33 oC.
Teachers should provide sufficient breaks for students to resume water consumption so as to prevent students from any heat-induced illnesses like heat cramp and heat stroke, etc.
Teachers are reminded that vigorous or prolonged physical activities in hot and humid conditions may cause heat cramp, heat exhaustion, heat stroke or even death. Therefore teachers should note of the followings:
1. encourage students to drink cool plain water before or during the activity to make up for fluid loss.
2. pay attention to the temperature and the humidity to make necessary adjustment for exercise.
3. training should be arranged progressively so that students may adapt to it easily.
4. when students are engaged in vigorous physical activities, teachers should be aware of the symptoms of heat related illnesses and take suitable measures such as arranging the students to rest in the shade and cool place, giving him/her necessary drinking fluid, seeking medical help, etc. Students should be reminded to report to the teacher immediately when feeling unwell.
5. remind students to wear light clothing made of porous material. 6. Suitable rest periods should be arranged at regular intervals for prolonged strenuous training.

11. Very Cold Weather Warning

Teachers should avoid students to exposure to wintry winds and lessen the physical exertion in open area while the Very Cold Weather Warning is in force. The scheduled training should move into indoor venue, with adequate ventilation, if possible.
Teachers should ensure students’ health, school should formulate contingency measures under different weather conditions and duly inform the relevant parties.
When the warnings of cold weather/intense cold surge are forecasted or issued, schools should make reference to the following reminders:
1. take note of the weather forecast and the update weather information before conducting PE lessons or sports training;
2. decide whether the physical activities could be held as scheduled, to be revised, postponed or cancelled according to the on-site weather conditions and the environment;
3. allow students to have exercise with sufficient warm-up activities to facilitate blood circulation and heat production;
4. consider to let students stay indoor for physical activities and avoid prolonged outdoor exposure;
5. allow students to wear warm clothing when taking part in physical activities for maintaining body heat;
6. pay attention to the health conditions of students, in particular to those with chronic illnesses, cardiovascular and respiratory illness; and
7. remind students to report immediately when not feeling well and make appropriate arrangement accordingly.

12. First Aid

All P.E. teachers are qualified first aiders, hence, immediate first aid treatment could be provided to injured student during training.
Teachers should station themselves in a position where they could observe the whole group of students who are engaging in training.
Teachers should check constantly on students to see whether they are able to continue with the training intensity and make adjustment whenever necessary during the whole training session.
In case of any student is accidentally injured, teachers must:
a) Handle the accidents immediately. Disposable plastic gloves must be worn when handling bleeding wounds to avoid direct contact with blood.
b) Notify the school; and parent or guardian at once.
c) Whole accident must be recorded in detail in the form of a report (FormT11) which must be submitted to school as well as Panel Head for record.