“A high-quality physical education curriculum inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically-demanding activities. It should provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect.”
Primary National Curriculum for Physical Education, 2014
PE & SPORTS CURRICULUM STATEMENT
At Alfriston we strive to create a culture which aims to inspire an active generation to enjoy physical education and sport, encourage each other and achieve. We provide a safe and supportive environment for children to flourish in a range of different physical activities and team games, which is essential in supporting their positive attitudes towards a healthy lifestyle and physical confidence and competence – resulting in well-rounded individuals.
OUR CURRICULUM INTENT FOR PE & SPORTS
With these aspirations, our intentions for the PE & Sports curriculum is to ensure that all children:
- Develop the fundamental movement skills of agility, balance and co-ordination;
- Enjoy the physical and psychological benefits of participation in physical activity whilst at school and throughout life;
- Develop artistic and aesthetic appreciation within and through movement;
- Develop socially through competition and co-operation between other individuals and groups;
- Develop positive attitudes towards health and physical fitness and an understanding of the biological aspects of the body in relation to fitness and well-being;
- Have equal opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of their race, gender, cultural background or physical ability.
HOW WE IMPLEMENT OUR INTENTIONS
We offer a dynamic, varied and stimulating program of activity to ensure that all children progress physically through an inspirational and fully inclusive PE and Sports 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 and competently to achieve their personal goals. 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 responsibility, respect and courage.
Children participate in high-quality PE lessons twice a week. Our teachers follow ‘real PE', a scheme of work by Create Development which encourages a broad, balanced, child-centred approach to PE and Sport. This ensures we are delivering a holistic approach and focusing on the development of the whole child (Social, Physical, Personal, Health & Fitness, Cognitive, Creative).
real PE
The real PE scheme of work develops the key abilities children need to be successful within PE and Sport and across the curriculum through six key cogs, these are: Creative, Cognitive, Health and Fitness, Personal, Physical and Social. It is fully aligned to the National Curriculum and focuses on the development of agility, balance and coordination, healthy competition and co-operative learning.
Athletics
For Athletics teaching, we use the UK Athletics accredited ‘Elevating Athletics’ framework to support teachers in providing an inclusive and progressive framework, which embraces a child’s natural desire to move.
Elevating Athletics focuses upon running, jumping and throwing - the building blocks of athletics, which in turn underpin nearly all other sports and physical activities and so links perfectly with the movement skill development throughout the Real PE curriculum.
The aim is for all children to be able 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.
Members of staff are trained as lifeguards to assist the swimming teacher and supervise the children.
Outdoor and Adventurous Activities
Children in years 3 to 6 take part in water-based activities such as raft building, stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking. In addition Year 5 and 6 go on a residential trip involving outdoor and adventure activities to an Activity Centre. Children are taught orienteering, rock climbing, abseiling, archery, axe throwing and experience low/high ropes, obstacle courses, team building games and problem solving.
Organisation of PE
All year groups are timetabled over the whole school year for two sessions a week of curriculum PE.
Wherever possible we make the use of specialist PE teachers, accredited coaches or trainee teachers to provide expert PE delivery, professional development for our staff and to enhance our provision for the children.
Equal Opportunities
As part of the planning process, staff at Alfriston School will consider the content of a Physical Education & Sports programme to provide an extended and progressive curriculum, and to offer differentiated tasks to satisfy the learning and exercise needs of a wide range of physical abilities which each class presents. Therefore, PE lessons will promote equal opportunities and allow children of different gender and physical ability the chance to fulfil their physical potential through a balanced curriculum. Individual needs, abilities and interests will be catered for through a well-planned and progressive programme. It is envisaged that the children will develop enjoyment and satisfaction in PE and Sports through planning, performing and evaluating a range of physical activities.
Alfriston School: 'Small but Mighty!'
Our school has been awarded the School Games ‘Gold Award’ – an award which recognises a school’s engagement against a national benchmark and to celebrate keeping young people active.
We are extremely proud of our children for their dedication to all aspects of physical activity and school sport, including those young volunteers and leaders. We are committed to using the School Games to engage our children in representing our school and to ensure that all our children have a positive experience. We believe in the power of physical activity and school sport and seek out opportunities for all children.
The school received the Healthy Schools Excellence Award in March 2022. Our children have many opportunities, in the classroom, and in every aspect of their school experience, to foster their healthy physical, mental, social and intellectual development. Through our school curriculum and ethos, our children value their own health and that of the environment.
