At Lancaster Christ Church Primary School, we believe that Physical Education (PE) has a significant and unique role to play in the ongoing development and wellbeing of the ‘whole child’. High quality PE provides pupils with the ability to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding to take part in a wide variety of physical activities and value the importance of fitness and health. It prepares our children to understand the benefits of exercise and to make informed choices. It educates them in the knowledge of the body and teaches children to work with others, whilst learning about themselves, their capabilities and their limitations. Physical Education provides all children with a learning experience, whereby they are encouraged to use their body effectively and efficiently and develop an understanding of how their body works.

• Aims of the PE Curriculum

The national curriculum for physical education aims to ensure that all pupils:

• 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

 

• Aims of the PE Curriculum at Lancaster Christ Church School

Through the teaching of PE at Lancaster Christ Church, we aim to:

• ensure that children experience the very best physical education, inspiring them to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically-demanding activities.
• provides opportunities for pupils to become physically confident, supporting their health and fitness.
• build character and embed values such as fairness and respect. 

• Statutory Requirements

The statutory requirements for the teaching of PE, as outlined in the National Curriculum Programme of Study are as follows:

Key stage 1

Pupils should develop fundamental movement skills, become increasingly competent and confident and access a broad range of opportunities to extend their agility, balance and coordination, individually and with others. They should be able to engage in competitive (both against self and against others) and co-operative physical activities, in a range of increasingly challenging situations.

Pupils should be taught to:

• master basic movements including running, jumping, throwing and catching, as well as developing balance, agility and co-ordination, and begin to apply these in a range of activities
• participate in team games, developing simple tactics for attacking and defending
• perform dances using simple movement patterns.

Key stage 2

Pupils should continue to apply and develop a broader range of skills, learning how to use them in different ways and to link them to make actions and sequences of movement. They should enjoy communicating, collaborating and competing with each other. They should develop an understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and sports and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success.

Pupils should be taught to:

• use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in combination
• play competitive games, modified where appropriate [for example, badminton, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rounders and tennis], and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance [for example, through athletics and gymnastics]
• perform dances using a range of movement patterns
• take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team
• compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best.

Swimming and water safety

All schools must provide swimming instruction either in key stage 1 or key stage 2.

In particular, pupils should be taught to:

• swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
• use a range of strokes effectively [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke]
• perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

• How is the PE Curriculum planned at Lancaster Christ Church?

All pupils are entitled to a progressive and comprehensive physical education programme which embraces current Statutory Orders of the National Curriculum and the statutory EYFS Framework and takes into account individual interests and needs.

Lancaster Christ Church provides all pupils with the entitlement of 2 hours high quality Physical Education a week. This is delivered through 2 lessons of 60 minutes duration. All children have access to a balanced curriculum programme of study.

Where appropriate, PE is organised in themes to promote greater cross-curricular planning, teaching and learning. This is particularly the case with Dance units.

In years 4 - 6, swimming is taught by the swimming instructor with support from school staff. Information on progress and assessment of attainment is provided by the swimming instructor in consultation with the class teacher.

The timetable and scheme of work is centrally planned by the PE Subject Leader. The school follows a progressive scheme of work provided by Lancashire County Council. Lancashire units are available to all staff via the Lancashire PE Passport app.

The organisation of PE promotes learning through physical activities and sport. Lessons are blocked in units of work that are age appropriate and aim to promote physical skills and competency, a greater depth of understanding and application of these skills and the ability to perform reflectively. Children will be presented with opportunities to be creative, competitive, co-operative and to face challenges as individuals and in small groups or teams.

The structure of the Lancashire developmental scheme of work provides both continuity and progression. This scheme of work specifies progression of fundamental movement skills and sport-specific skills, knowledge and understanding.

The planning and delivery of each unit of work in the scheme will be adapted by the individual teachers to meet the learning needs of the children of their class.

Lessons will be planned to provide an appropriate challenge for all pupils, to extend more able and provide appropriate levels of support in order for all pupils to make progress.