Physical Education
PE Intent
At St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, we aim to provide a PE curriculum that is enjoyable but also allows pupils to experience a range of activities that help them to develop their health, fitness and well-being.
At St Mary’s it is our intent to ensure children will:
- be enthusiastic, inquisitive, lifelong learners: we show pupils that healthy lifestyles, a balanced diet and a positive growth mindset have long-term positive benefits
- be strong communicators: we provide opportunities for pupils to learn to communicate when engaging in active pursuits; this includes tactical communications such as attack and defence strategies in sporting activities
- be well-rounded, independent and resilient learners with aspirations: we teach pupils how to win graciously and lose well, having the resilience to persevere
- develop their God given talents by being creative: we encourage teamwork and collaborative skills in PE
- be responsible citizens who are eager to make a positive contribution to their community and wider society: as well as enabling pupils to develop knowledge and skills in a broad range of sporting activities; we work to develop values in pupils and transferable life skills such as tolerance, fairness and respect
PE Implementation
Our vision ‘Aspiring to Greatness’ is embedded in high expectations and these are evident throughout our PE curriculum.
Our curriculum is based on the National Curriculum objectives. We have clear curriculum maps which show the progression of skills year on year. Each class has PE incorporated into their weekly timetable and in the Early Years, children have both structured PE sessions and child-initiated opportunities to be physically active in the outdoor learning environment e.g. using balance bicycles, climbing and building with large-scale construction apparatus.
Pupils are encouraged to participate in borough wide competitions in a variety of sports so that they are using the skills they learn in school PE lessons. We have a range of specialist teachers to enhance our sports provision including tennis, cricket, dance and general sports coaches.
All pupils are able to access PE lessons through differentiation and extra adult support when needed. Pupils are assessed on an ongoing basis and lessons are adapted when need be.
The PE Subject Leader has developed a ‘Curriculum Map’ to ensure that skills are built upon year on year and that children have opportunities to develop their skills through repetition at different points in the year.
Our PE curriculum provides children with memorable experiences, diverse and rich opportunities from which they can learn and develop a range of transferable skills.
PE Impact
The impact of our PE curriculum can be seen in the class floor books; as well as through pupil voice. Our coaches have strong relationships with the pupils and, alongside the engaging lessons they offer, it is these positive relationships that help to ensure our children feel successful in PE and enjoy their lessons.
Pupils leave St Mary’s with a secure understanding of many of the fundamental motor skills they need to be successful when they play sport. They also leave with a strong understanding of a range of sports; both team and individual. Pupils are taught co-operation skills in PE and the importance of working together towards an end goal.
Most importantly, our pupils know that a healthy lifestyle leads to better physical and mental health and are able to utilise the skills they learn in lessons to live a healthy and happy life.
Below is a link to The National Curriculum for Physical Education for more detail.
Enrichment sports at St Mary's
At St Mary's, there is a wide range of enrichment sports that children partake in throughout the year. Having a varied choice of sport in the curriculum helps children from a young age in many ways, from developing their social skills by making friends, learning how to deal with conflict, and celebrating shared success with others. It also opens children's minds up to an array of sports they may otherwise have not tried and encourages a healthy, active lifestyle.
Cricket
At St Mary's, KS2 children partake in cricket lessons, with each year group receiving a whole term of weekly cricket lessons. The lessons are taught by a qualified cricket coach and teach the children balance skills, hand-eye co-ordination and team work.
Dance
Pupils from years 1 through to 6 have the opportunity to partake in dance lessons throughout the year. Each year group receives a term of dance lessons, delivered by qualified dance instructors, giving the children an opportunity to be creative and learn new skills.
Swimming
Pupils from years 4-6 attend swimming lessons during the year at a local school pool. Year groups will attend swimming lessons for a full term, where they will be taught to swim in a safe and encouraging environment. Qualified coaches provide high quality lessons, including learning about pool safety and life skills regarding water safety.
Tennis
Years 2-6 are provided with half a term of tennis lessons at our local Brook Green tennis courts. They learn a multitude of skills, such as; hand-eye coordination, teamwork, throwing, catching and communication. The qualified coaches deliver engaging lessons, which differ week by week, giving the children the opportunity to develop skills year by year.
Gymnastics
This year, we have introduced gymnastics to St Mary's. Year groups will take part in a term of gymnastics lessons which happen weekly and with the class teacher. As one of the most comprehensive sports available for children, gymnastics not only incorporates a number of different skills into one activity, but it helps to develop social skills for budding gymnasts. It also provides children with the chance to develop skills such as balance, flexibility and mobility.