Intent
At Durham Gilesgate Primary School, we recognise that physical activity and sport are essential parts of a child’s everyday life and are a key factor in their future well-being. We want every child to find enjoyment in physical activity and aim to provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness both now and for their futures. We aim to present them with opportunities to compete against themselves and others, work in partnerships and teams, build self-confidence and perseverance and the real sense of achievement. A key part of this will be to engage their enthusiasm and provide them with the necessary skills and experiences for them to be in the best position possible to further engage in physical activity and sporting opportunities as their educational journey continues beyond their time at our school. Our aim is to prepare and support pupils towards healthy and active lifestyle choices for their future mental and physical well-being.
A key part of our aim is to provide the children with a broad and balanced curriculum designed from EYFS through to year 6, ensuring that pupils can build on prior learning as well as being challenged as appropriate to their needs. We aim to provide the opportunities for the children to play in festivals and compete over a wide range of events. In doing so, we aim to teach children how to cooperate and collaborate with others, as part of a team and understand fairness to embed life-long values. Swimming is an important life skill and we aspire for all children to leave primary school being able to swim at least 25 metres.
We value Physical activity in EYFS and it is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives.
Implementation
At Durham Gilesgate Primary, PE is taught twice weekly, within Key stages 1 and 2, where a positive attitude to PE is created and expectations reinforced that all children can achieve success in PE. PE is taught by teachers, trained HLTA’s or specialist coaches and we value staff CPD opportunities as a key part of the ongoing progression of the subject. Our carefully planned PE overview ensures that pupils participate in a variety of sports and physical activities which are discussed and agreed with children who are encouraged to take an active role in their learning. These include invasion games, net and wall games, athletics, gymnastics, dance and Outdoor and adventurous activity (OAA). Pupils encounter all areas regularly, at age specific levels, aimed at developing and consolidating core skills.
We buy into the School Sport Partnership in order to provide specialist sports coaches who deliver high quality lessons and training for staff. Ongoing assessment and flexible planning ensures that children are supported to develop at their own level. We embed and adapt Complete PE which is an approved curriculum resource. Through a rigorous approval process, AFPE have ensured that Complete PE’s teaching and learning resources are evidence informed, inclusive, and aligned with national guidance and best practice. PE lessons regularly offer pupils the opportunities to compete, through personal challenges or through organised games during lessons. Children also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of competitive and non-competitive sports and festivals for EYFS, Key Stages 1, 2 and SEND. Children also compete in intra and inter school competitions. We offer numerous sporting clubs in agreement with our children who are encouraged to communicate their choice of afterschool clubs through questionnaires and student voice. All children can experience and develop their interest in the hope that they go on to further develop it as a hobby or even enter professionally.
PE in EYFS allows for gross and fine motor experiences to develop incrementally throughout early childhood, starting with sensory explorations and the development of a child’s strength, co-ordination and positional awareness through tummy time, crawling and play movement with both objects and adults. By creating games and providing opportunities for play both indoors and outdoors, adults can support children to develop their core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness, co-ordination and agility. Gross motor skills provide the foundation for developing healthy bodies and social and emotional well-being. Fine motor control and precision helps with hand-eye co-ordination, which is later linked to early literacy. Children in the EYFS access time and space to enjoy energetic play daily in the outdoor area. The children also access specific physical development through 1 hour timetabled PE lesson in Nursery and Reception (in preparation for Year 1) which gives the children the opportunity to learn and practice fundamental movement skills. They participate in activities where they can practice moving in different ways and at different speeds; balancing; rolling; throwing balls and bean bags; catching and kicking.
Impact
We measure impact through improved wellbeing and fitness of all children at Durham Gilesgate Primary School. They will also have a good understanding of what a healthy, active life is like and the benefits of leading one. In our school PE is taught as a basis for life-long learning.
Opportunities to compete in sport and other challenging activities will build character and help embed values such as fairness, respect and teamwork. Children will be prepared for the next step in their learning and in a position to participate fully in the sporting and active opportunities in education and beyond. Children’s knowledge, understanding and skills will build progressively over time and this will be evidenced in lessons, performances, assessments, and through discussions with children.
Assessment in PE is an ongoing process. Teachers will make informal judgements about pupil’s progress and attainment as they observe them throughout lessons.
At the end of each unit/block of work, teachers will decide on a pupil’s level of attainment noting which children are: working above the age-related expectations, working at the age-related expectations, working towards the age-related expectations.