Physical Education (PE)

Rationale- What has informed our curriculum design in P.E.?

We believe that Physical Education should promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles. Furthermore, through the involvement in a wide-range of sporting activities that a broad P.E. curriculum provides, children are taught to observe and produce the conventions of fair play, honest competition and good sporting behaviour as individual participants, team members and spectators, thus embedding life-long values such as co-operation, collaboration and equity of play.

At Pomphlett, we strive to create a culture which aims to inspire an active generation to enjoy PE, encourage each other and achieve. We believe in promoting a safe and supportive environment for children to flourish in a range of different physical activities which is essential in supporting their physical, emotional and social development.

Intent - What are our aims?

We aim to offer a dynamic, varied and stimulating program of activity to ensure that all children progress physically through an inspirational, unique and fully inclusive PE curriculum. Children have access to a wide range of inclusive sports, not just traditional games. We encourage all children to develop their understanding of the way in which they can use their body, equipment and apparatus safely, yet imaginatively, to achieve their personal goals. All children have the opportunity to enjoy being physically active, maintain a healthy lifestyle and using the medium of sport, increase their self-esteem. We aim for children to adopt a positive mind-set and believe that anything can be achieved with determination and resilience.

Our PE Curriculum, along with PSHCE, design and technology and science, teaches children about the importance of healthy living and learning about the need for good nutrition. At Pomphlett, we aim for children to develop the necessary knowledge and skills which will have a positive impact on their future by becoming physically active citizens to benefit their long-term health and well-being.

We aim to equip our pupils with the knowledge and skills needed to:

• Develop practical skills in order to participate, compete and lead a healthy lifestyle

through the following overarching curriculum areas:

• Games
• Dance
• Gymnastics
• Swimming
• Athletics
• Outdoor and Adventurous Activities
• Swimming (Y4)

Implementation - How do we teach PE?

Each year group participates in two hours of guaranteed PE curricular time each week, and is provided with a broad-range of extra-curricular opportunities to supplement and support this. Our classroom learning compliments this by providing regular active lessons and activity breaks in order to increase blood flow and therefore concentration. This provision encourages pupils to be physically active for sustained periods of time throughout the school day and not think of PE as a separate subject, but as a part of their lifestyle choice.

 Within PE lessons, skills are taught progressively across the school in two-yearly blocks (Y1/2, Y3/4 and Y5/6). We build upon the learning and skill development of the previous years, beginning each unit and lesson with teacher assessments of what children already know in order to inform the learning that follows. Teachers use precise questioning and observations to evaluate conceptual knowledge and skills.  This allows understanding and the application of skills to be developed and practiced across a range of sports encouraging children to make links between sporting areas and be critical thinkers when deciding which skills are transferable.

Our PE curriculum allows our pupils the opportunity to compete and excel in sports, build character and help to embed values such as teamwork and respect. This is implemented in conjunction with the Plymouth Schools Sports Partnership, who provide a yearlong programme of inter-school events for all ages. We also encourage local community sports specialists in to both our lessons and extra-curricular provision to pass on their expertise and inspire our young people.

In order to foster a lifelong love of PE, each of our curriculum units has a local club link, aiming to encourage and inspire pupils to take their learning further in their home time and lead healthy, active lives.

Impact: How will we know this?

As a result of our high quality PE provision, we have a community of active learners who choose to lead active lifestyles outside of school. Within school, they apply fundamental movement skills across a range of sports and show a clear enjoyment of all activity, benefiting their physical and mental health.

In our active learners we expect to find:

• The ability to acquire new knowledge and skills exceptionally well and develop an in-depth understanding of PE.

• The willingness to practise skills in a wide range of different activities and situations, alone, in small groups and in teams and to apply these skills in chosen activities to achieve exceptionally high levels of performance.

• High levels of physical fitness.

• A healthy lifestyle, achieved by eating sensibly, understanding the importance of avoiding smoking, drugs and alcohol and exercising regularly.

• The ability to remain physically active for sustained periods of time and an understanding of the importance of this in promoting long-term health and well-being.

• The ability to take the initiative and become excellent young leaders, organising and officiating, and evaluating what needs to be done to improve, and motivating and instilling excellent sporting attitudes in others.

• Exceptional levels of originality, imagination and creativity in their techniques, tactics and choreography, knowledge of how to improve their own and others’ performance and the ability to work independently for extended periods of time without the need of guidance or support.

• A keen interest in PE. A willingness to participate eagerly in every lesson, highly positive attitudes and the ability to make informed choices about engaging fully in extra-curricular sport.

• The ability to swim at least 25 metres before the end of Year 6 and knowledge of how to remain safe in and around water.

By the time children have left Pomphlett, they will understand the many benefits of an active lifestyle and be motivated to continue with this in their future lives.

Pomphlett are part of the Plymouth School Sports Partnership whose vision is…

“…to create a sustainable PE, School Sport and Physical Activity system as part of the health and well being provision for all children and young people. Our MISSION is to positively impact on the lives of every child and young person attending Partnership schools and their parents/carers through the opportunities that we provide to help them achieve more in life and at school. We promote the Olympic and Paralympic VALUES of Friendship, Respect, Excellence, Determination, Inspiration, Courage and Equality.”

Pomphlett are also part of the School Games network and as such are part of a national project that aims to get more young people participating and engaged in sports and competition. For more information about the School Games please click on the hyperlink below. As part of our sports programme the PSSP run School Games events at regular intervals in the academic year to enable our young people to engage in various level of competition. For upcoming events or to read some of our blogs, please visit www.yourschoolgames.com and search for our school.