Intent, Implementation and Impact

PE Curriculum Intent

At Christopher Pickering, we strive to create a culture which aims to inspire an active generation to enjoy PE, encourage each other and achieve. We provide a safe and supportive environment for children to flourish in a range of different physical activities which is essential in supporting their physical, emotional, spiritual, social and moral development.

At Christopher Pickering we offer a dynamic, varied and stimulating program of activity to ensure that all children progress physically through an inspirational, unique and fully inclusive PE curriculum. We encourage all children to develop their understanding of the way in which they can use their body, equipment and apparatus safely yet imaginatively to achieve their personal goals. All children have the opportunity to enjoy being physically active, maintain a healthy lifestyle and using the medium of sport, increase their self-esteem. We aspire for children to adopt a positive mind-set and believe that anything can be achieved with determination and resilience.

The aim of Physical Education is to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles. Children are taught to observe and produce the conventions of fair play, honest competition and good sporting behaviour as individual participants, team members and spectators. Thus embedding life-long values such as co-operation, collaboration and equity of play.

We provide opportunities for children to learn how to stay safe by starting swimming lessons in year 4 and continuing until children have become confident in the water, knowing how to keep safe and also meet the National Curriculum requirements of swimming 25m by the end of Year 6.

Our PE Curriculum, along with PSHE and science, teaches children about the importance of healthy living and learning about the need for good nutrition. At Christopher Pickering we aim for children to develop the necessary knowledge and skills which will have a positive impact on their future by becoming physically active citizens to benefit their long-term health and well-being.

PE Curriculum Implementation

At Christopher Pickering, our PE curriculum is varied and long-term plans ensure that we meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. All pupils receive at least two hours of high quality PE using the vast outside space or school hall.

Our PE curriculum is sequenced precisely to ensure progression of knowledge and skills throughout a child’s primary education, thus enabling children to build upon prior experiences and apply these fluently, with confidence. Children also have the opportunity to further these skills at after school sports clubs, making club links within the community and development officers for specific sports. At Christopher Pickering we endeavour to provide a broad range of activities based on children’s interests and new initiatives.

Inter and intra-sports competitions are a particular strength of the school and we are very proud of our achievements in this area. Although we enjoy the competitive nature of sport, we also appreciate and encourage the importance of children ‘having a go’ and promote positive experiences of being physically active and not always participate to win. We regularly engage with the children’s Panathlon Association, complete and annual inclusive health check and participate in several inclusive competitions every year – including recognised Paralympic sports such as Goalball and Boccia. We have an inclusive approach and value the importance of physical and mental well-being.

Children take part in a range of invasion, striking & fielding or net & wall games, we promote imagination and creativity in gymnastics and dance as well as provide opportunities for athletics using both indoor and outdoor environments. We deliver outdoor and adventurous activities, making use of our competition-standard orienteering course. Pupils are encouraged to take part in after school clubs and have the opportunity to compete against other schools. Children have swimming lessons in year four with catch up session in the following years.

Physical Education is fundamental in developing healthy lifestyles in young people and at Christopher Pickering we provide a wide array of opportunities to develop this and sporting skills outside of the normal curriculum time. Regular extra-curricular clubs are very popular and offer a wide variety of sports, including: Girls and Boys Football, Tag Rugby, Netball, Dance, Cricket, Rounders, Yoga and Athletics.

Playtimes are an important part of our pupils being happy, healthy and ready to learn. We have well-staffed and equipped playgrounds. Our sports field has a permanent 9-aside pitch and we have two multi use games areas with various markings. We have an excellent outdoor area specifically for the EYFS children.

To develop leadership and communication skills, children in Years 5 and 6 children can apply to become a Young Sports Leader which is a responsible role in encouraging younger children to learn how to play collaborative games, respecting rules and to be as active as possible during playtimes. Children selected are positive role-models for younger members of the school, organising lunchtime games and assisting with annual sports days.

At Christopher Pickering we recognise the importance of being physically active throughout the school day to reduce sedentary learning. Throughout the day, classes have the option to run the ‘Daily Mile’ to help meet the government target of all children being physically active for 60 minutes per day. We also have local coaches running and active breakfast club several times a week.

PE Impact

To fulfil our vision by inspiring a generation, at Christopher Pickering we motivate children to participate in a variety of sports which are engaging and fun. We inspire children to instinctively utilise skills and knowledge acquired during PE lessons, encouraging them to take responsibility for their own health and fitness, developing a love of sport leading to a happy and healthy life.

 

School Games Mark

For the fourth time, we have been awarded the Schools Games Platinum mark. This is to recognise our continues commitment to school sport and physical activity.