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Our Physical Education Curriculum

Curriculum Overview

Physical Education Intent Statement:

Birches First School’s Physical Education (PE) curriculum has been designed with the intention to ensure pupils leave with the fundamental skills of PE and the ability to apply these in a range of activities. We believe that PE is the platform for developing crucial transferrable values, skills and attributes to promote long term, healthy lifestyles in the modern world. We aim to encourage all pupils to develop the skills and confidence to reach their full potential as participants, performers and leaders so that they develop a life-long interest in physical activity and sport. We support every child to have a secure understanding of health and fitness and the desire to continue these skills throughout their lives. We strive to ensure lessons are accessible for all children and are challenging yet enjoyable. Our children, whilst developing physical competence and confidence, experience a wide variety of sports and the chance to compete and make positive memories of PE, sport and physical activity. Moreover, Birches First School recognises the importance that PE has in our lives and we aim to develop and encourage the aims of the National Curriculum ensuring that children:

  • 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 and understanding the importance of this.

      Physical Education Implementation:

      Through considering physical literacy from Early Years through to KS2 all staff will develop children’s skills across a number of areas. PE is taught in 2 sessions across the week, totalling at least 2 hours led by teachers and our qualified Level 5 Games Coach/ Forest School Leader. The broad and balanced PE curriculum which supports the emotional, spiritual, moral, intellectual, creative and physical development of the whole child includes:

      • Games
      • Gymnastics
      • Dance
      • Athletics
      • Outdoor and Adventurous Activities (including Forest School)

      The curriculum planning overview details the PE activities covered in each term during the key stage. This, however, can be adapted based on the assessment information we gather and may be adapted to meet the specific needs of the class at the time.

      Planning is adapted from the Devon PEDPAS schemes of work and Progressive Sports planning which have been modelled with staff through team teaching sessions. Early Years planning is based upon the Sports Xplorers Scheme which incorporates storytelling through the characters of: Handy Harry, Skilful Sally, Balancing Bella and Fast Freddie. Staff are supported by a PE Leader who is Level 5 and 6 trained. Staff complete a core task with pupils ahead within the first lesson of each subject to ensure they are directing learning towards the needs of the group. This ensures strengths and development needs of pupils are taken into consideration before planning for their specific needs. These core tasks are then reassessed at the end of the unit to ensure progress has been made for all pupils. There are a wide range of resources to support the teaching of PE across the school. Teachers have access to a wide range of resources, including; TOPs cards, LCP, AST plans, posters, AIR resource, Skills2Play sports, teaching cards and video clips to support their subject specific knowledge. We purposefully use the Sports Premium Grant to upskill staff, purchase resources, encourage participation and engagement, raise the profile of PE/ health/ wellbeing, offer a wider range of sporting activities and increase participation in competitive sports.

      As a healthy school, we promote a wide range of activities for pupils of all ages. The school also plays regular fixtures against other local schools and participates in local area competitions. This introduces a competitive element to team games and allows the children to put into practice the skills that they have developed in their lessons. These opportunities foster a sense of team spirit and co-operation amongst our children. We also attend events which encourage participation of all children including those with SEND where the focus is on engagement and participation for all, rather than competition. Our annual sports day is also an excellent display of team and individual skills as well as demonstrating school games values: passion, honesty, teamwork, respect, determination and self-belief.

      In addition to timetabled lessons, Birches First School offer the children lots of opportunities to take part in extra physical activities both throughout the school day and after school. We identify children who may need additional intervention to focus on physical literacy to complete sessions with our trained Level 5 member of staff to ensure each child is able to succeed. Additionally, lunchtime supervisors have been trained to encourage active play and are supported by play leaders from Year Four who offer their peers purposeful games and other activities. The whole school utilise our daily mile challenge around the track.

      British Values:

      • Teamwork
      • Working with others
      • Experience ‘failure’
      • Taking risks
      • Respect for others
      • Later life
      • Respect for themselves and value own wellbeing and understanding the impact on good health on yourself, own people around them and society.

      SMSC:

      • Challenging themselves
      • Teamwork

          Impact:

          In 2022-2023, Birches First School completed a case study demonstrating how we have engaged those young people that need it most and achieved the Platinum Games Sports Mark. This demonstrates the school’s commitment to the development of competition across the school and community as well are promoting physical activity with all pupils. 

          All children receive a broad and balanced PE curriculum. Every child will access the all the key areas of the subject. Teachers plan PE with clear progression of skills and knowledge. This ensures that all children access it at an age-appropriate level.

          Children develop a keen interest in PE; they have a willingness to participate eagerly in lessons, highly positive attitudes and the ability to make informed choices about engaging fully in extra-curricular sport. Children develop positive attitudes to healthy lifestyles and are able to talk about/ develop healthy habits for life.

          Children gain an excellent understanding of good sportsmanship which links directly to our teaching of PSHEe and British Values.