PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Intent

West Twyford Primary School believes that Physical Education (PE), experienced in a safe and supportive environment, is essential to ensure children attain optimum physical and emotional development and good 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. We want to teach children skills to keep them safe such as being able to swim.  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 wellbeing and fitness of all children at West Twyford, not only through the sporting skills taught, but through the underpinning values and disciplines PE promotes. 

The aims of our curriculum are: 

• To develop physical literacy and skill through a broad range of activities. 

•  To improve co-ordination, flexibility, strength, balance, expression and an understanding of the aesthetic qualities of movement. 

• To foster the development of inter-personal skills, co-operation and confidence and to ensure equal access for all. 

• To develop pupil’s appreciation of safe practice during physical activity, especially with regard to the safe use of apparatus, equipment and in relation to the principles of water safety and survival. 

• To share the learning intentions with pupil’s and encourage them to reflect on their actions in order to improve the quality of their actions, performance or composition. 

•  To promote positive attitudes towards health and physical well-being (and an understanding of the biological aspects of the body in relation to fitness and well-being) and so encourage a healthy lifestyle. 

• To cultivate positive attitudes towards physical activity – the conventions of fair play, honest competition and acceptable sporting behaviour 

• To encourage awareness, enjoyment and appreciation of the body and its movement in space, as an individual and as part of a group. 

Implementation

• PE at West Twyford Primary School provides challenging and enjoyable learning through a range of sporting activities including; invasion games, net & wall games, strike and field games, gymnastics, dance, swimming and outdoor & adventure. 

• The long term plan sets out the PE units which are to be taught throughout the year and ensures that the requirements of the National Curriculum are fully met. 

• Pupils participate in two high quality PE lessons each week, covering two sporting disciplines every half term. In addition, children are encouraged to participate in the varied range of extra-curricular activities. Lunch time sports clubs are available each day and children can attend after school sport with our specialised sports coach.  

• We use and adapt a scheme of learning from Real PE to ensure planning, content and delivery is age appropriate and there is clear progression across all year groups.  

• 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. 

• Each year a small group of Year 6 children are invited to become Sports Leaders for the school. They develop into sporting role models for the younger children, assisting with lunch-time clubs, our annual Sports day and any other Sporting activities. 

• Children in Year 4 swim once a week for 1 ½ terms to ensure they are achieving the National Curriculum standards for swimming.  

• We are soon to re-launch the “Daily Mile”, to help meet the government target of all children being active for at least 60 minutes a day. 

Impact

We help motivate children to participate in a variety of sports through quality teaching that is engaging and fun. From our lessons, our children learn to take responsibility for their own health and fitness, many of whom also enjoy the success of competitive sports. We equip our children with the necessary skills and a love for sport. They will hopefully grow up to live happy and healthy lives utilising the skills and knowledge acquired through PE. Children also deepen their understanding of PE, year on year, by being introduced to specific vocabulary which is also mapped on a vocabulary pyramid for each area. 

West Twyford have achieved the ‘School Games Gold Award’ that highlighted our active participation in sporting activities in and out of school. We have many events that are aimed at encouraging children of all ages and abilities, such as Sports Day, our Health Fayre, and a variety of sporting competitions that demonstrate the children’s strengths and skills.