Mother Teresa Primary School flips into fitness

15/07/2025

​Mother Teresa Primary School, Ormeau students hanging out and building strength at the same time! ©Brisbane Catholic Education (2025).​

​Students at Mother Teresa Primary School, Ormeau are balancing and building their way to lifelong health thanks to a dynamic gymnastics program. 

The unique school-based program which began in Term 1, focuses on developing perceptual motor skills, such as balance, flexibility, coordination, and strength.
 
The benefits 

Mother Teresa Primary School Physical Education Teacher Ashlea Downie said gymnastics plays a key role in developing essential skills for learning. 

“Perceptual motor skills (including both fine and gross motor) are so important for young learners,” she said. 

“Through gymnastics, students develop the coordination, control, and muscle tone needed for smaller, more precise movements, like holding a pencil, or the hand-eye coordination required for tasks such as cutting paper. 

“Since the inception of the program, our teachers reported that students showed improved concentration in class and are more willing to take on challenges.” 

About the program 

Ashlea adds thanks to a $4,000 sporting grant, the school has been able to invest in bars, soft-fall equipment, and professional coaches, further enhancing the program. 

“Every Year level is learning something suited to their stage of development,” she said. 

“For Preps, the focus is on foundational movements like balancing, crawling, straight jumping, bunny hops, and log rolls.  

“While Year 6 students are mastering more complex activities like balancing on the beam, handstands, pullovers on the bars, and springboard landings.” 

Why gymnastics at school?

According to Ashlea, “gymnastics is a powerful foundation sport that supports the physical, social, and emotional development of school-aged children”.  

“Unlike many other sports that focus on competition or gameplay, gymnastics instead lays the groundwork for all movement,” she said.

“It uniquely combines strength, flexibility, coordination, and control, skills that transfer into every other physical activity.  

“It’s also highly inclusive, with children working at their own level in a supportive environment that emphasises personal growth over winning.” 

Looking ahead 

Ashlea said the program had “engaged all students regardless of their skill level”.  

“With all the soft-fall equipment, students feel comfortable to take risks and try new things,” she said. 

“We are also investigating how the space can be used by our school’s occupational therapist and wellbeing teacher to provide specialised support to students in developing their motor skills. 

“Parents have praised the program for its positive impact on their children’s coordination, strength, self-esteem, and overall love of learning.” 

For more information about Mother Teresa Primary School, Ormeau or to enrol click here. 




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