Physical Education
‘Intelligence and skill can only function at the peak of their capacity when the body is healthy and strong.’
John F. Kennedy
Intent
The overarching goal of Chandos' Physical Education (PE) curriculum is to furnish every student with a comprehensive and high-quality physical education experience. Our aim is to instil in them not just the requisite skills but a genuine passion for an active and healthy lifestyle, building good character and embedding our core values of ambition, determination and compassion along the way. As a school, we have dedicated ourselves to fostering competence and mastery, going beyond mere checkbox achievements in our curriculum design.
With this in mind, at Chandos, we are committed to creating an inclusive PE environment where each child, regardless of gender, race, or ability, feels valued, challenged, and supported. Our aspiration is not only for them to aspire to excellence but to provide them with every opportunity to realise their full potential in a secure and encouraging setting, thereby maximising their academic and life achievements.
Implementation and rationale
To achieve these objectives, we have identified seven core disciplines that guide our PE curriculum throughout a student's tenure at Chandos. These disciplines serve as the foundation for skill development and understanding. They are as follows:
Football (Autumn 1)
Gymnastics (Autumn 2)
Dance (Spring 1)
Rounders (Spring 2)
Athletics (Summer 1)
Cricket (Summer 2)
Swimming (Year 3 - all year)
By adhering to these disciplines, we ensure a progressive and comprehensive learning experience that allows students to build competence year after year, preparing them for their educational journey beyond our institution.
Starting in the Early Years Foundation Stage, we focus upon the Early Learning Goals around Gross and Fine Motor Skills. These include demonstrating strength, balance and coordination when playing along with moving effectively through jumping, running, climbing and dancing. This extends through Key Stage One where our PE curriculum concentrates on instilling and reinforcing fundamental movement skills. These skills encompass balance, agility, coordination, manipulation, control, and spatial awareness. By focusing on these basics, we lay the groundwork for the development of core muscles, enabling children to remain physically active for extended periods and fostering the pursuit of healthy, active lives.
As students progress into Years 1 and 2, they are introduced to simple ball control techniques, including handling, moving, and sending or receiving a ball. The curriculum places emphasis on the improvement of hand-eye coordination and basic throwing skills. Furthermore, from the beginning of Key Stage One, our PE curriculum places a particular emphasis on the creative aspect of physical education, especially within the domain of dance. Students are taught the relevant fundamental movement skills along with being encouraged to explore their artistic expression through dance. They are introduced to the use of themes and narratives as tools for crafting dance sequences which then progresses and evolves through Key Stage Two where they create more intricate and elaborate sequences. This progression aligns with our commitment to providing a holistic physical education experience that not only builds technical proficiency but also cultivates a sense of creativity and self-expression.
In Key Stage Two, we build upon the foundation laid in the earlier stages, with a continued focus on motor competence. Tactical and strategic knowledge is introduced and refined, allowing students to apply a variety of skills in different sports and scenarios to maximise results.
Impact
At Chandos, we aspire to instil a love of learning through our broad and exciting Physical Education curriculum, encouraging children to develop their skills in a wide range of carefully selected disciplines, and express what they have learnt at every opportunity. Throughout the course of their time at Chandos, the children are provided with the opportunity to gain an understanding of different sports as well as how they play a role in the world around them.
At the end of every half term, children have the opportunity to showcase their skills in an inter-form competition. This is their opportunity to showcase and express what they have learnt during their topic by competing against their peers, thus showing how they have worked towards mastering skills in each discipline. In addition, during the midpoint and conclusion of the academic year, students are provided with the chance to further put into practice the skills they have acquired. This is achieved through participation in the Chandos Winter and Summer Games, which span a week and two weeks, respectively. These level one competitions offer a unique opportunity for the children to apply the knowledge and abilities they have gained not just in sports familiar to them, but also in diverse activities like boccia, new-age kurling, hockey, archery and more. This ensures that they can effectively transfer and employ their learned skills in a variety of sports, fostering a well-rounded and adaptable approach to physical education.
Curriculum Intent
At Chandos, we:
create successful, effective learners who understand and value scholarship and education
create competent, critical thinkers who can challenge and develop ideas
create effective communicators of our shared beliefs, values and learning
create tolerant and respectful global citizens who have an understanding and knowledge of our local, national and global communities
Curriculum Implementation
At Chandos, the implementation of the Physical Education curriculum is achieved by providing every child with the opportunity to develop their competence in a broad range of physical activities for at least two hours a week.
We want our children to achieve the key aims set out in the National Curriculum of:
developing competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
being physically active for sustained periods of time
engaging in competitive sports and activities
leading healthy, active lives
In order to achieve this, all pupils - from Reception to Year 6 - take part in PE lessons every week, taught by a either a specialist PE Teacher or their own class teacher. During these lessons, children are active for as much time as possible whilst also developing the key skills needed in order to successful compete in the sport they are being taught. We are always keen to have visiting sportsmen and women visit our school and deliver sessions to the children. At the moment, Chandos are working with Aston Villa Football Club and Warikshire County Cricket Club to do this.
The children are also provided the opportunity to learn how to swim during Year 3, whereby the aim is for each child to leave KS2 being able to swim competently and confidently over a distance of at least 25 metres.
In addition, there are sufficient opportunities provided for children to take part in a range of extra-curricular activities over the course of the academic year. These can range from break-time, lunch-time or after-school clubs.
Throughout the academic year, all children - regardless of ability or need - have the opportunity to take part in competitions at both an intra- and inter-school level.
Early Years
The Early Years Curriculum ensures that PE is taught through ‘Physical Development’.
Throughout their time in Early Years, children are given the opportunity to develop and improve:
Coordination
Control
Manipulation
Spatial awareness
Movement
This is achieved by teaching children how to safely and correctly climb, jump, run, throw and catch.
KS1 and KS2 Yearly Overviews
Every year group has specific sports with skills that are required to be taught.
PE Skills To Be Developed
All children at Chandos will be taught the PE skills outlined in the National Curriculum. We aim to develop children's physical skill-set in a range of situations.
The main skills that will be developed fall into four categories:
Children will develop the essential key skills needed in order to participate in a variety of sports, learning how to use multiple skills simultaneously.
Children work as part of a team and develop leadership responsibilites, where they are able to make decisions and explain tactics to their team.
Children will develop the skills required in order to be a good sport, understanding that winning isn't always the end goal.
Children will learn the rules of a variety of sports and be able to work out how to overcome adversaries to win, thinking outside of the box when neccessary.
Curriculum Impact
At Chandos, we aim to instil a love of sport and competetion through our broad and exciting PE curriculum. We encourage children to express and challenge themselves physically and to work together as part of a team to succeed. Our children enjoy being active and understand what it is to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.
At the end of their primary education, children will have had the chance to develop their basic physical skills and apply them to a number of different sports both in and out of school. Children will be able to demonstrate these skills and discuss the rules of the games they have been taught.
By talking to children and our Sports Ambassadors, it will be evident that this is the case.
For more information...
Mr Akram is our PE Lead.
Please feel free to speak to him with any questions that you may have.