Physical Education

'No matter how good you get, you can always get better and that's the exciting part' - Tiger Woods

Intent 

At St Peter and St Paul Church of England Primary Academy and Nursery, we aim to provide a PE curriculum that pupils from Nursery to Year 6 not only enjoy but also allows them to experience a range of activities that help them to develop their health, fitness and wellbeing.  

We intend to offer a high-quality physical education curriculum that inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically-demanding activities. It provides opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect. 

The national curriculum for PE aims to ensure that all pupils: 

• develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities 
• are physically active for sustained periods of time 
• engage in competitive sports and activities 
• lead healthy, active lives 

Implementation 

Children are taught regularly by teaching staff and a sports instructor from Nursery to Year 6. The curriculum is further enhanced by participation in numerous sporting tournaments with other schools in the area and school clubs.  

We follow the guidelines set by the national curriculum to ensure we offer a range of PE activities that allow each child to feel challenged and offer opportunities to progress further. 

EYFS 

As part of the EYFS statutory framework pupils are taught: 

Physical development - involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must also be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food. 

Moving and handling: children show good control and co-ordination in large and small movements. They move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space. They handle equipment and tools effectively. 

Health and self-care: children know the importance for good health of physical exercise, and a healthy diet, and talk about ways to keep healthy and safe. 

Key stage 1 

Pupils develop fundamental movement skills, become increasingly competent and confident and access a broad range of opportunities to extend their agility, balance and coordination, individually and with others. They are able to engage in competitive (both against self and against others) and co-operative physical activities, in a range of increasingly challenging situations. Pupils are taught to: 

• master basic movements including running, jumping, throwing and catching, as well as developing balance, agility and co-ordination, and begin to apply these in a range of activities 
• participate in team games, developing simple tactics for attacking and defending 
• perform dances using simple movement patterns. 

Key stage 2 

Pupils continue to apply and develop a broader range of skills, learning how to use them in different ways and to link them to make actions and sequences of movement. They enjoy communicating, collaborating and competing with each other. They develop an understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and sports and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success. 

Pupils are taught to: 

• use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in combination 
• play competitive games, modified where appropriate [for example, badminton, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rounders and tennis], and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending 
• develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance [for example, through athletics and gymnastics] 
• perform dances using a range of movement patterns 
• take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team 
• compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best. 

Swimming 

Each year group in Key Stage 2 will attend swimming lessons for half a term. Children continue to attend swimming lessons in Year 6 until they have met the required standard (25m unaided and without stopping).

Impact 

The children complete each key stage with a high proficiency in each aspect of PE. Children are aware of the link between physical activity and good mental health and understand its significance as part of a healthy lifestyle. We achieve well in a number of sporting activities. The impact of the school’s work with external agencies also demonstrates the positive impact of the PE curriculum.