School PT

The Ministry of Education and Culture distributed a grant for the development of the Finnish School and Move! development program of the Finnish Government Programme Finland on the Move for both the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic years to Kankaanpää. The main objective of the grant is to support the strengthening and establishment of a physical culture in comprehensive schools, as well as the development of the Move! process and physical education advice for children and young people of primary school age. With the grant, school PTs (school personal training) have been hired for Kankaanpää comprehensive schools.

School PT offers free physical education advice to primary school students. The service is mainly aimed at middle school students (the PT's office is located at Pohjanlinna School), but elementary schools, especially the upper grades, are also a target group, as is the Honkajoki area.

The aim is to increase physical activity, especially for children and young people who are not physically active enough for their health and well-being. The mission of School PT is to help and encourage children and young people to find their own ways of being active, to help them find their own interests and thus physical activities, and to support the well-being of students. In addition to children who are not physically active, PT also helps active hobbyists as needed. The end of a physical activity hobby can also be a good time to meet with School PT. School PT is also happy to go on a physical activity or explore hobbies with a child or young person.

School PT can be approached with a low threshold if there is any issue related to physical activity or well-being that concerns the child or young person, or if the guardian feels that the child or young person needs encouragement to move. The young person can also contact the PT themselves. For example, a physical education teacher/teacher, public health nurse, or youth worker can also refer the young person to contact the PT if they notice that the young person might be in need of such a service. The most common referral route is the Move! tests that measure the physical functioning of 5th and 8th graders. Based on the tests, the physical education teacher or school health nurse can refer the student to the school PT. Primary school children need the guardian's consent to meet.

Those guided through the Move tests are expected to come to at least one PT meeting, but of course more things can be achieved if there are more visits. The aim of the School PT meetings is to create a relaxed atmosphere where it would be easy to talk about previous exercise habits and the reasons that led to them, as well as ways to increase exercise. During the meeting, the future, goals and an exercise plan are discussed individually with each young person, but even one meeting is enough. The activities take place either during the school day or immediately after. The meetings can be one-on-one or in small groups, anything is possible. The School PT also organizes low-threshold exercise clubs.

The project also includes the Mobile School activity, i.e. making the school day more physical. As of 1 August 2026, the Basic Education Act requires the promotion of a physical lifestyle in schools, so even in Kankaanpää, more determined work and measures will be taken to implement a more functional school day (active breaks, school trips, break exercises, functional lessons), including through the Annual Clock of Physical Activity Culture.

Please contact me if necessary, or preferably a little earlier!

Best regards, School Physical Education Tuulia Lohivuo 044 577 2436