INTENT

We believe that physical education makes a vital contribution to pupils’ physical literacy and wellbeing. We teach an engaging high-quality P.E. curriculum that inspires all pupils to make rapid and sustained progress in a stimulating, enjoyable and appropriately-challenging environment. This teaches children the essential skills, allowing them to manage themselves and their bodies within a variety of movement situations, growing in confidence as they progress. All of this is experienced in a safe and supportive environment.

Our broad and balanced PE curriculum is sequenced in line with the EYFS Statutory Framework (2020), Development Matters (2020) and the National Curriculum for Physical Education (2013) ensuring children are taught a variety of sports, in both indoor and outdoor P.E. lessons. Through this they will have the opportunity to:

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

A balance of individual, team, co-operative and competitive activities aims to cater for individual pupils’ needs and abilities. In addition to the importance placed on P.E. lessons, we also promote our wider curriculum offer that includes opportunities for pupils to take part in extra-curricular sports, activity clubs and competitions.

Daily physical activity and health-enhancing activities also play a crucial role in our offer to pupils. This includes: active lessons across the curriculum, active break and lunchtimes, daily Active10 sessions and extra-curricular activities.

Each year, children have the chance to compete in a wide variety of intra-school competitions, such as football, tag rugby, basketball, swimming and Sports Day. This is done through both rich and engaging PE lessons and through lunchtime competitions. By the time children leave Peter Gladwin, it is our aim that they are able to keep themselves safe in water and to swim confidently.

Also, through our regular involvement in The School Games, we offer our children many opportunities to compete at a wide variety of inter-school events such as tag rugby, athletics, football, hockey, cricket, tri-golf and tennis. These events always enrich children’s sporting experiences and their sense of pride at representing our school.

IMPLEMENTATION

Our curriculum provision is carefully structured and sequenced through The PE Hub scheme. The PE Hub provides our staff with detailed planning and skill-based guidance, supporting high quality teaching, with consistency in its progression. Each year, children have the chance to develop their skills in gymnastics, dance, and in their core games skills.

In Early Years and Key Stage 1, lessons focus on developing physical literacy and core skills such as throwing, catching, movement, striking and agility. Learning opportunities include play-based activities, personal challenge and small-group games.

In Key Stage 2, children utilise these core skills in a variety of disciplines: athletics, gymnastics, dance and games (invasion, striking and fielding, and net/wall). Learning opportunities include personal challenge, team-based games and peer-evaluation.

To differentiate children’s learning in P.E. we use the STEP principle.  By altering Space, Task, Equipment or People, all children are given the opportunity to develop their skills from their starting point. Skilled teaching, along with peer support, can help children who are working towards age-related expectations, and appropriate challenge is given to stretch children working at greater depth in areas of PE.

Our after-school clubs in football, netball, basketball, cycling and cricket give children opportunities for specialised extra-curricular learning and enrichment.

Enhanced engagement, self-esteem and enjoyment come with the chance to represent the school at external sporting competitions.  Further physical education and healthy living enrichment is added through our strong links with outside professionals, such as Sporty People, Albion in the Community, Sustrans and Bike-it-Ben, Bikeability, South Coast Elite Basketball, Street Dance with Jules and Sussex Cricket Club, who often further inspire our children to enjoy sport and to value physical development.

Assessment in physical education at Peter Gladwin takes various forms. The most immediately beneficial to the learner is the skilled teacher assessment given verbally to individuals, small groups and whole-class during PE lessons. This gives children an immediate ‘next step’ that they can aim for, helping the learners to make rapid progress. Our planning also highlights key assessment points for each lesson and allows teachers to make informed judgements on pupils’ abilities and next steps.

Daily class Active10 activities encourage personal challenge among our children. Each week two children per class are recognised for their efforts and stamina in sport and PE, giving them an incentive to push themselves each day to improve their running pace or stamina.

We regularly give all of our teachers CPD opportunities to develop their PE teaching skills, most recently in dance, cricket and gymnastics.

IMPACT

Children leave Peter Gladwin Primary School as skilful and intelligent performers who have acquired and developed knowledge and skills to perform with increasing physical awareness. They will:

• have the ability to select and apply skills, tactics and compositional ideas to suit activities that need different approaches and ways of thinking.
• set targets for themselves and compete against others.
• understand what it takes to persevere, succeed and acknowledge others’ success.
• take the initiative, lead activities and focus on improving performances.
• have the competence to succeed in and enjoy a broad range of physical activities.
• lead healthy and active lives and make positive life choices.
• have developed positive attitudes to participation in physical activity and embedded values such as fairness and respect.