Physical Education

Curriculum Lead - Luke Smith

Intent

At Howard Junior School, our inclusive PE curriculum aims to ensure all children attain the optimum development to both their physical and emotional health. We intend to deliver high-quality teaching and learning opportunities that inspire all children to succeed in physical education and in developing life skills. An example of this is ensuring children know how to keep safe when swimming. We also want to teach children how to cooperate and collaborate with others as part of an effective team, understanding fairness and equity of play to embed life-long values. Our curriculum aims to improve the fitness and well-being of all children, whilst also underpinning key morals and discipline involved in the subject.

Implementation

Our curriculum follows Get Set 4 PE, a high quality resource allowing children to learn and experience an extensive range of different sports. These range from fast-paced sports such as football and netball to more focused exercises such as yoga and golf.
The long-term plan sets out the PE units which are to be taught across the year and ensures that the requirements from the National Curriculum are met.
Children participate in 2 weekly high quality sessions of PE. One session of the two is run by the school’s excellent partnership with ICS coaching, providing high-quality professional lessons.
Children are encouraged to attend a range of sports-related after-school clubs, such as dance and multi-sports run by our excellent external sports coaches. This attendance also contributes to our Children’s University scheme.
An active breakfast club run by the sports coaches provides children with a healthy and positive way to start the school day.
Children are invited to attend competitive sporting events within the local area. This is an inclusive approach which endeavours to encourage not only physical development but also mental well-being. These events also develop teamwork and leadership skills and are very much enjoyed by the children.
Following the government’s 60 active minutes a day recommendation, each year group follows a weekly rotating timetable to complete the ‘Daily Mile’ on our purposefully-built track.
Years 4, 5 and 6 each participate in a block of weekly swimming lessons taught by a professional instructor.
Impact

From our lessons, our children take responsibility for their own health and fitness in PE through cross curricular learning in science and PSHE. Many of our children also enjoy participating and succeeding in competitive sports. We set our children up with the opportunities and skills to carry on with the love of sport and fitness far beyond KS2. Our lessons allow for instant formative assessment of the children’s progress, through methods such as teacher, peer and self assessment. This allows children to use key reflection skills and helps to develop their criticality skill.