PE
Intent (Why we learn…)
PE at St Saviour’s Catholic Primary and Nursery School is an imperative element of the curriculum. By the time our children leave school, PE will have made a positive and meaningful difference in their lives through sports, physical activity, a healthy balanced diet and a range of skills that will support their future development.
These are –
- To be enthusiastic, inquisitive and lifelong learners: we ensure a positive culture around physical activity that stems from senior school leaders and is embraced by all staff. We create inquisitive learners who have the confidence to try new sports/physical activities and join new teams. We believe that PE is about more than competition for the fastest, strongest or tallest. It is about inclusive provision, positive mental health, more young people being given the opportunities to achieve their personal best and a lifelong love for physical activity.
- To be strong communicators: we demonstrate how to express our views and gain the skills to effectively cooperate and collaborate with others to successfully work as part of a team during problem-solving. Children will also have the opportunity to work independently to showcase their skills and evaluate their own and others' performances.
- To be well-rounded, independent and resilient learners with aspirations: we enable pupils to understand fairness and equity of play to embed life-long values. We support the children in being well-rounded, independent and resilient learners by providing them with opportunities to create a growth mind-set and to persevere with activities that they may find difficult. We inspire pupils through enrichment days, inspirational talks and celebrations of the children's achievements.
- To develop and use their God-given talents by being creative: we encourage children to be thankful for the body and talents that they have been blessed with and to improve their well-being and fitness, not only through sporting skills taught but through the underpinning values and disciplines PE promotes.
- To be responsible citizens who are eager to make a positive contribution to their community and wider society: we provide the children with the opportunity to learn the fundamental skills that will allow them to contribute fully to the wider community now and in the future. Children will learn how to be disciplined in times of challenge, gracious in times of defeat and to honour sportsmanship regardless of how others treat us. Children will develop a sense of belonging, and how to tackle inequalities through increased participation in sports and physical activity. We offer children the opportunity to compete in sports to build character and help embed values such as respect. We ensure children leave our school equipped with water safety knowledge and swimming experience as we believe this is an invaluable life skill.
Overall, we prioritise physical literacy; ensuring that children have the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life. Positive experiences are created and promoted across the school and continuously embedded into all PE lessons to enhance the children’s enthusiasm and enjoyment.
Implementation (How we teach...)
PE at St Saviour’s is taught and based on high expectations for all. We have a belief in teaching engaging, in-depth lessons that provide our children with new experiences, progression and mastery. We teach our children to thrive off ambition and all children are supported to reach at least age-related expectations in all areas.
We use the National Curriculum to ensure every teacher teaches the knowledge, skills and understanding appropriate to that age group. ‘Quality First’ teaching is a priority, for all children, throughout our PE lessons at St Saviour’s Catholic Primary and Nursery School. To support teachers in planning lessons, challenging and assessing the children, we use the ‘Complete PE’ scheme for each year group. Complete PE provides a wide depth of knowledge for the teachers and children, allows progression in sports and skills, includes a wide variety of topics and enhances learning experiences across the school. Knowledge organisers are used throughout the school to ensure consistency and to share vocabulary, inspirational figures and progression with the children. Our PE curriculum is well mapped out to ensure it is not only engaging and relevant but also cohesive so learning is built upon year by year. We embed key vocabulary into our teaching and encourage the children to use and understand the vocabulary themselves.
Assessment for learning is continuously used by teachers and sports coaches throughout our PE lessons. This informs planning for future lessons and identifies where further support is needed. We use the ‘Sonar’ software package to track pupil progress and attainment. PE is assessed at the end of every half-term.
Alongside active playtimes, all children from Year 1 to Year 6 access two hours of PE every week. We encourage children to be active throughout all lessons at St Saviour’s and embed the understanding of why into our PE lessons. Children are encouraged to lead a healthy lifestyle to allow them to have a healthy body and mind. Mind-set is a vital aspect of our teaching at our school and is implanted throughout all PE lessons.
We enter children into ‘inspire’, ‘aspire’ and ‘celebration’ events to enhance learning experiences and help the children to build life-long values such as respect. Experience days take place in school to inspire the children and to provide the children with sporting experiences outside of their PE lessons. We celebrate children’s achievements and we promote them as role models for the other children. We believe it is just as important to share our children as role models as it is to share well-known sportsmen and women.
At St Saviour’s, we have invested in a range of specialist coaches to enhance our curriculum. The sports coaches teach in lessons, support with PE teaching CPD for teachers and support staff, help our sports ambassadors to run active lunchtime clubs and run exciting after-school sports clubs. Our PE subject leader receives up-to-date training so they have a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities in curriculum design and delivery. They attend termly subject-lead meetings and have regular contact with the SSP. They have the knowledge, expertise and practical skills to carry out the role to the best of their ability, closely supported by senior leaders.
Our PE curriculum provides children with memorable experiences and diverse and rich opportunities from which they can learn and develop a range of transferable skills. Our PE curriculum prioritises physical literacy and equips the children with the motivation and confidence they need for life.
Impact (As a result…)
The impact of our school’s PE curriculum can be seen through:
- Our children learning to take responsibility for their health and fitness and many also enjoy the success of competitive sports
- Our children are being inspired to have a love of sport and to grow up to have happy and healthy lives; utilising the skills and knowledge they have acquired through PE
- Our children become stewards of their learning (both in and out of the classroom) and support their peers to develop and excel in sports and across the curriculum
- Our children show a willingness and ability to try new sports and activities, push themselves and persevere in light of new challenges.
Pupil’s progress in PE is measured through ongoing teacher assessment which is recorded every half term. Pupil data, across the school, shows how outcomes for all groups of pupils in school are strong.
Children at St Saviour’s are at the centre of every decision made for PE. The relationships built between pupils and staff ensure that there is a positive attitude reflected across the school enabling all children to endeavour the best that they can be.
St Saviour’s pupils not only leave St Saviour’s with a secure understanding of the primary curriculum; but also with an understanding of how to be socially, morally and culturally responsible and aware when taking part in physical activity and sport. Pupils leave our school knowing how to make positive contributions to our community, and how to be a successful team player with respect, skill and ambition. They leave with a thirst for life, learning and all it has to offer.
PE at St Saviour's is much more than just the progression of skills needed for sports and physical activity. We aim to develop a child's physical literacy and life skills such as resilience, confidence and social skills.
Physical Literacy is our relationship with movement and physical activity throughout life. It reflects our connection and commitment to movement and physical activity, influenced by various factors such as our thoughts, feelings, engagement, and experiences. How we move, connect, think and feel during movement and physical activity shapes our physical literacy, allowing us to find meaning, enjoyment and value to deepen our connection. Positive participation experiences influence a young person’s positive relationship with movement and physical activity, which impacts on their physical activity levels now and into the future. - SSP
Here at St Saviour's, we value the importance of movement and exercise in all parts of school life. This year, we have decided to use Complete PE to help enhance our progressive, cohesive and enjoyable PE curriculum across the school.
By living out our school mission statement, we remember to help each other to be what God created us to be and to be confident and independent people in His world. In our inclusive PE lessons, everyone is helped to grow in love and respect. Children are encouraged to support each other and challenge themselves in a safe, inclusive and accessible space.
St Saviour's PE lessons:
- Encourages physical activity for life
- Provides an outlet for creativity and self-expression
- Develop cooperation and teamwork
- Builds self confidence
- Provides opportunities for personal goal setting
- Increases personal fitness and motor skills development
- Helps reduce stress and anxiety
- Strengthens relationships with others
- Boosts academic learning
- Helps prevent sickness
School Games
Throughout the year, we will engage in the national School Games Programme by organising for willing pupils to participate in School Games festivals and competitions. We aim to take part in sport events to INSPIRE, ASPIRE and CELEBRATE our children.
We want to break down the barriers that many young people face by promoting opportunities for those young people who believe that school sports isn’t for them
- SSP
Personal Best
'One part of the School Games programme mission is to help more children and young people with the opportunity to compete and achieve their ‘personal best’. There is a focus on including competition against oneself and others to improve personal performance with a focus on the process rather than the outcome.'- SSP
At St Saviour's, we aim to open up more opportunities for more young people to achieve their personal best. We do not believe that competition is just for the strongest or fastest person in the group. By offering competition throughout the key stages, we aim to help motivate the children in our school.
60 Active Minutes
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) recommends that all young people should be active for 60 minutes a day. The recommendation is for 30 minutes active at school and 30 minutes active at home. Active refers to moderate to vigorous activity where young people’s heart rate are raised and they start to get out of breath and sweaty.
At St Saviour's, we aim to encourage children to increase their active minutes in the classroom every day as well as maximise their lunchtimes, breaktimes, before and after school.
Below are some helpful links to encourage your child to complete their 'Active 30' at home:
10 Minute Shake Up games – Healthier Families - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
5 Minute Move | Kids Workout 1 | The Body Coach TV (youtube.com)