PHYSICAL EDUCATION
INTENT:
A high-quality physical education curriculum inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically-demanding activities. It should provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities builds character and helps to embed values such as fairness and respect.
At St. Teresa’s, our aim is to ensure all children enjoy and are engaged in Physical Education and Sport. Through Physical Education, we aim to develop the children’s knowledge, skills and understanding, so that they can perform with increasing confidence and competence in a range of physical activities. We aim to improve health and well-being, promote active participation and lifelong learning, and for each child to fulfil their potential. We aim to ensure that the children’s experience of Physical Education is positive and motivating and that children’s attitudes to a healthy lifestyle are firmly embedded in our curriculum.
IMPLEMENTATION:
Each child receives 2 hours of curriculum time for PE on a weekly basis. This is carefully planned and mapped out to ensure a broad and full range of skills and activities through the use of Get Set 4 PE, Newcastle PE Service and NUFC Foundation. These sessions are either delivered by specialist coaches or class teachers during PE lessons.
In EYFS, pupils are introduced to PE through units that cover basic skills, Gymnastics, Dance, Ball Skills and Outdoor Games. Pupils are also given ample opportunities to develop their fundamental movement skills and extend their agility, balance and coordination in KS1. They engage in competitive and cooperative physical activities through Games, Dance and Gymnastics. Each child also has the opportunity to take part in one fitness session per week.
In KS2, pupils continue to apply and develop a broader range of skills such as running, jumping, throwing and catching. These skills are incorporated into competitive games and performances, using movement patterns and evaluations of their own and others’ work. Pupils communicate and collaborate with each other and develop an understanding of how to improve in physical activities as well as working on their thinking, social and health and wellbeing skills.
There are many opportunities across the year for children to take part in inter and intra school competitions, as well as sports festivals, where children’s successes in sports are celebrated. Children in Years 4, 5 and 6 attend swimming lessons for a 2-week intensive course every afternoon at the local swimming pool where they are taught to swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of 25m using a range of strokes.
In addition to PE in curriculum time, we also strive to provide opportunities for children to access extracurricular physical activity through a wide range of sporting and active clubs such as: Basketball, Futsal, Multi-sports, Running, Dance, New Age Kurling, Gymnastics, Fitness, Archery, Football and lots more. We also encourage the Active 30 minutes throughout the school day through active lessons, brain-breaks and through the use of playground leaders and coaches.
IMPACT:
All children at St. Teresa’s receive a broad and balanced PE curriculum regardless of year group or ability. Every child has access to all of the key areas of the subject on offer at our school. Teachers use Get Set 4 PE to plan with clear progression of skills and knowledge that we have devised as part of our curriculum offer, to ensure that all children access it at an age-appropriate level. Festivals and competitions ensure all of our
children have the opportunity to take part in a range of sports both in and outside of school whether that be at a competitive or non-competitive level. The school has received the Newcastle Healthy Schools Plus award in which the main emphasis focused on increasing children’s activity levels. St Teresa’s has also continued to achieve the School Games Gold Award for the 5th year in a row.
Please see below for examples of our PE curriculum in action. Here you will see how PE is embedded into many areas of our school life and how the children are actively encouraged to see physical activity as a positive part of their daily lives and wellbeing. All schools are required to publish how they spend their Sports Premium Funding in the form of an impact statement. The impact Statement for St Teresa’s can be found in the PE funding section of our school website.