PE is the knowledge and ability to perform in a range of activities associated with an active and healthy lifestyle.
Intent
At Elmhurst Junior School the skills, values and opportunities created through Physical Education play a vital part in the daily lives of our children. Physical activity not only has a positive impact upon academic learning but also the physical, mental and emotional well-being of our children.
The Physical Education curriculum within the school inspires all pupils to thrive and excel in skill, understanding, competitive sport and aesthetic challenges of physical activity. Engaging in a broad and balanced PE curriculum, enables all pupils to grow in competence and confidence, being challenged to embrace roles beyond the learner such as umpire, coach and official. PE also provides plentiful opportunities to build and mould character, embedding key transferable values such as equality, teamwork and respect which can be applied throughout the curriculum.
Imparting an appreciation of school sport provides all children with a sense of belonging, witnessing the power of sport in bringing together not only school but also the local and global community through various sporting events. The range of skills and activities delivered including; athletics, games, dance, gymnastics and swimming allow children to explore a range of positive experiences, which provide a healthy foundation to build upon instilling a life-long understanding of the benefits of an active lifestyle.
The PE curriculum at Elmhurst ensures pupils will:
- Participate in physical activity for sustained periods of time.
- Achieve a sense of enjoyment from being physically active, appreciating the benefits of healthy lifestyles.
- Demonstrate the values of equality, teamwork and respect, highlighting the discipline that sport can provide.
- Develop an awareness of fair play and sportsmanship enabling pupils to work effectively in competitive and cooperative situations.
- Engage in the processes of evaluating, reviewing and improving performance to achieve personal best.
- Engage in opportunities to compete and perform, having access to exit routes to encourage life-long activity.
Implementation
In every year group, pupils receive two PE lessons a week. Purposeful learning is delivered through modelling of key skills and self-exploration of rules and tactics. In addition, extra curricular opportunities are available.
Physical Education knowledge organisers highlight the key knowledge, skills, techniques, rules and vocabulary for each lesson. Medium term planning shows key questions for each lesson so the learning intention is clear. The learning journey for each half term is documented through photographs, showcasing the knowledge, skills, techniques and tactics that have been learnt. Sticky knowledge is checked through the use of retrieval questions and through interactive displays. All children have access to the full PE curriculum and tasks are adapted to provide appropriate challenge and support depending on individual needs. The PE curriculum at Elmhurst supports children in making connections and building upon prior substantive and disciplinary knowledge in and across different sporting disciplines.
Health & Safety
- Children wear suitable clothing for indoor and outdoor PE. This includes suitable training shoes or boots when outside. Inside games require daps or training shoes and bare feet for gymnastics and dance.
- No jewellery should be worn and ear-rings must be taken out.
- Hair is tied back.
- Pupils learn rules, etiquette, laws and codes for various activities and use the equipment safely.
Impact
Outcomes and photographs of PE lessons provide clear evidence of a broad and balanced curriculum and demonstrate children’s acquisition of key knowledge and skills across different sports. This evidence informs teacher assessment and is used by the Physical Education subject leader as part of the monitoring process. Weekly celebration assemblies showcase a variety of PE activities and activities completed across the curriculum in addition to extra-curricular activities.
Key questions are planned into each unit of work for pupils to show progression of knowledge and understanding of key skills taught, through verbal feedback. This allows teachers to assess pupils’ skills and knowledge throughout each unit. Specific knowledge retrieval activities like Talk Like A Sportsperson are used to enable teachers and children to monitor the depth of understanding of core substantive knowledge and vocabulary and the strength of its retrieval.
The Physical Education subject leader talks to pupils about their learning as part of the monitoring process to gauge attainment and enthusiasm. Photographs and knowledge organisers are used to guide discussion and provide the subject leader with the necessary information to measure how much core knowledge and vocabulary has been remembered and understood.