Physical Education at Stocksbridge Junior School

At Stocksbridge Junior School, every child is physically literate. Our vision for PE is to give every child the opportunity to engage in high-quality physical education in order to improve their physical, social and mental health and to inspire children to be physically active long term. We have been awarded Centre of Excellence status by Yorkshire Sport and Gold School Games Mark after being recognised for our outstanding physical education provision.

Intent

At Stocksbridge Junior School, we aim to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding necessary for the physical, mental, social and emotional wellbeing of our children, in order to make a positive impact now and for their future. We aim to provide a broad and balanced PE curriculum focussing on the development of the whole person and in doing so, we hope that all children will go on to make positive physical activity choices throughout their lives.

We want all children to experience a range of different physical activities to enable them to develop:

• Fine and gross motor skills
• Confidence
• Fitness levels
• Leadership / refereeing skills
• Creativity
• Problem-solving
• Knowledge of rules and tactics
• Analysis and evaluation skills

In line with the delivery of ‘British Values’ we aspire to teach children how to collaborate and cooperate with others, as part of a team, understanding equality and fair play to embed life-long values.

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Implementation

Pupils at Stocksbridge Junior School participate in weekly, high-quality PE and sporting activities, which are timetabled with either specialist PE or classroom teachers, all underpinned by the notion of ‘physical literacy’. PE is further supplemented in all year groups by regular active ‘brain breaks’ to support learning, in addition to Kagan active learning structures evident during all lessons. All pupils from Year 3 to 6 have at least 2 hours’ worth of physical activity each week, including active lunchtimes with our Sports Leaders, using our active ‘Cedarwood’ outdoor playground and access to extracurricular PE provision. Children in Year 4 participate in a minimum of 12 weeks of swimming lessons to enable them to swim competently over a distance of at least 25 metres. Pupils continue to develop their fundamental movement skills such as balance, coordination, agility, running, jumping, throwing and catching and then to apply them to competitive or modified game situations during their PE lessons. Performances using movement patterns are evaluated and feedback is provided on their own and others’ work. Pupils communicate and collaborate with each other and develop an understanding of how to develop their physical competence. There are many opportunities throughout the academic year for children to participate in inter and intra-school competitions, as well as festivals, where children’s successes in sports are celebrated. For example, the annual community fun run and cycling workshops.

At Stocksbridge Junior School, all children are provided with high quality and challenging activities in a range of sports including:

• Basketball
• Athletics/fitness
• Gymnastics
• Football
• Dance
• Netball
• Rounders
• Cricket
• Tag rugby
• Orienteering and outdoor and adventurous activities (OAA)
• Swimming and water safety

Using the national curriculum as a basis, each activity progresses in complexity and knowledge as children move from Year 3 to Year 6. This ensures that skills are developed year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children.

Lessons are broken down into:

1. Learning objective/success criteria
2. Warm-ups and stretches
3. Skills progression and deepening learning
4. Applying skills in a competitive situation/performance
5. Plenary

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 Impact

At Stocksbridge Junior School, the impact of physical education extends beyond teaching basic fundamental movements, basic sports skills or promoting physical activity. Physical education plays a crucial role in the holistic development of young learners, influencing their physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being.

1. Physical health: PE promotes physical fitness and the health of our children. Through a careful selection of activities, pupils develop fundamental movement skills such as running, throwing, jumping and catching, which form the foundation for a physically active lifestyle. Regular participation in PE classes helps combat childhood obesity, enhances cardiovascular health, and strengthens muscles and bones.
2. Motor skills development: The PE curriculum focusses on improving motor skills, coordination and agility. By engaging in a variety of sports and activities, pupils refine their fine and gross motor skills, which are essential for performing daily tasks, sports and recreational activities throughout their lives.
3. Cognitive development: PE contributes to cognitive development. Activities that require strategy, teamwork and problem-solving skills, such as team sports and cooperative games, stimulate brain function and enhance cognitive abilities.
4. Social skills: PE provides opportunities for pupils to interact with their peers in a structured environment. Team-based activities and group work develop valuable skills such as cooperation, communication, leadership and teamwork. They develop empathy, respect for others and sportsmanship.
5. Emotional well-being: PE plays a vital role in nurturing pupils’ emotional well-being and mental health. PE classes provide a safe learning environment for children to express themselves, manage emotions, and develop resilience in the face of challenge, fostering a positive attitude towards physical activity and self-confidence.

 

At Stocksbridge Junior School, we employ effective methods of assessing and tracking pupils’ progress in physical education. This includes:

• Regular formative assessment through observation, questioning, and self-reflection, allowing teachers to provide immediate feedback and support.
• Providing opportunities for pupils to assess their own progress and set personal targets.
• Ensuring all pupils make progress in developing their physical literacy, fundamental movement skills, and sports-specific skills.
• Promoting a positive attitude towards physical activity and a commitment to maintaining a healthy lifestyle beyond school.
• Instilling values of respect, fair play, and perseverance through regular participation in competitive and non-competitive activities.
• Utilising summative assessment to assess pupils’ attainment against age-related expectations.
• Tracking pupils’ participation rates in different activities and their levels of physical fitness over time.

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Stocksbridge Junior School Curriculum for Physical Education

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The National Curriculum for Physical Education

Purpose of study

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 build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect.

Aims

The national curriculum for physical education 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.

Subject content: Key stage 2

Pupils should 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 should enjoy communicating, collaborating and competing with each other. They should develop an understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and sports and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success.

Pupils should be 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 and water safety

All schools must provide swimming instruction either in key stage 1 or key stage 2. (Stocksbridge Junior School provides swimming instruction to children in Year 4.)

In particular, pupils should be taught to:

• Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres.
• Use a range of strokes effectively [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke].
• Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.