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Physical Education

The National Curriculum for Physical Education aims to ensure that all pupils:

  • develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
  • are physically active for sustained periods of time
  • engage in competitive sports and activities
  • lead healthy, active lives

Intent

At Norwood Primary School we understand the importance of Physical Education on pupils physical, mental and social wellbeing. We aim to instil a love of being physically active which pupils can take into later life. Every year group across the school will spend a half-term focusing on the importance of being healthy and will look at ways in which they can make changes to adopt a more active lifestyle.

Physical Education is a chance for pupils who do not enjoy being in the classroom to showcase what they can do. As well as improving fitness, it teaches respect, discipline, team work, communication skills and resilience which are all vital skills in every area of the curriculum.

Implementation: How is the curriculum being delivered?

Our Curriculum has been designed in order to provide pupils with a wide range of experiences in the hope that all pupils will be able to find the sport that they love. In addition to this, pupils experience disabled sports such as Boccia. We want them to see how inclusive Sport can be.

Sports taught are repeated across year groups and skills taught in KS1 are built upon in various game situations in KS2. Pupil voice is key in deciding the sports that are covered and for this reason, the curriculum is able to be adapted year-on-year.

As well the physical side of PE, all classes across KS1 and KS2 have a PE floor book to further embed their learning and understanding of certain sports. Pupils evaluate their performances and often carry out some research into the origins and the rules of the sports before taking part in PE lessons. These books also allow pupils to think about the need to be active and the impact that exercise can have on our minds and bodies. They also provide an overview of the progress that a child has made and allows pupils to share their work in class with pride. 

At Norwood Primary School we aim to:

  • Instil a love for being physically active through ensuring that our pupils experience a wide range of sports in order to find the one that they fall in love with.
  • Provide our pupils with an understanding of the need to be fit and healthy which leads to them making better choices in the future.
  • Develop fundamental movement skills, becoming increasingly competent and confident across a range of sports.
  • Experience both competitive and non-competitive game play.
  • Teach pupils how to win with grace and be gracious in defeat
  • Support pupils in evaluating their own and others performances in order to improve.
  • Encourage teamwork, communication, cooperation, perseverance and sportsmanship to then be taken not only into a sporting situation but any event in life.

Impact - What differences is our curriculum having?

Physical Education at Norwood Primary school provides pupils with not only the enjoyment of activity but also the reasons behind its importance. Pupils understand why they need to do regular exercise and are keen to do what they can to achieve this. 

Physical Education promotes British Values by promoting respect and democracy.

PE helps pupils develop a Growth Mindset through practice and perseverance. It teaches the importance of respecting others, being humble in victory and gracious in defeat. It promotes the need for discipline and sticking to rules. All that is taught and learnt through Physical Education can be taken back into the classroom and built upon.

PE Kit

Indoor:

Indoor PE kit consists of a plain white t-shirt and plain black shorts. Often pupils will be in bare feet for these lessons unless a child in the class has an infection on their foot. In these cases, all pupils in the class would be expected to either wear black plimsolls of trainers.

                                                     

Outdoor:

Outdoor PE kit consists of the same plain white t-shirt and plain black shorts that pupils wear for indoor PE but in the colder month’s pupils are encouraged to wear more layers. In these instances, pupils should wear a plain black or grey jumper (no hoods or full length zips due to health and safety reasons) and plain black or grey tracksuit bottoms. Trainers or plimsolls can be worn outside.

                                                  

All jewellery needs to be removed prior to the lesson and earrings need to be taken out by the pupils themselves. If these cannot be removed, these must be covered with either tape or plasters supplied by home.

Long hair must be tied up.

Pupils need to have their PE kit in school all week. This will be checked and monitored on a Monday morning and kit will be asked to be brought in should it not be in school. There is a selection of spare kit should a child need to borrow an item before the kit is brought in. Again this is monitored and in the event of a child borrowing or forgetting their kit three times, parents / carers will be contacted. 

Pupils who are not able to take part physically due to illness or injury will be given an alternative role during the lesson which links to the learning taking place. Please note that parents / carers will need to inform the class teacher should this be the case. 

SOKE Cluster Opportunities

As Norwood Primary School is part of the SOKE Cluster of schools, every year group, gets the opportunity to participate in a competition at Arthur Mellows Village College. These events are usually an opportunity for pupils to take part with pupils from others schools and learn new skills in a range if sports. In addition to this, a selection of pupils in KS2 get the opportunity to participate competitively against other local primary schools in sports such as orienteering, football, netball, hockey, athletics and cross-country.

Sports Ambassadors

We have three Year 6 Sports Ambassadors and a further two Deputy Ambassadors in Year 5 will be appointed later in the year who help to promote the importance of PE across school. They help out at various sporting events and also award our Athletes of the Week in our Friday assembly. 

Play Leaders

Pupils in Year 5 all receive Play Leader training in preparation for September when they aim to support the younger year groups on the playground at break and lunch times. They also help to deliver the Year 1 Multi-skills event which is often held at Norwood for the Year 1 classes the area. 

Daily Mile:

Every year group takes part in the Daily Mile at least three times a week. This will either take place on our Daily Mile track around the playground or on our school field. Across the year classes are set challenges to reach different destinations such as Disneyland and Lego Land.

Race for Life

As a school we like to raise money for the brilliant charity – Cancer Research UK. Pupils will also come to school dressed in various shades of pink and aim to complete as many laps of the school field as possible. Sadly this will not be going ahead this year due to circumstances beyond our control. We aim to reinstate this event next academic year. 

Country Dancing

Country Dancing has made a comeback this year (2023) with pupils in KS2 getting the chance to take part in the Peterborough School Country Dancing Festival which takes place in June. 

Swimming

The curriculum clearly states that all pupils within either KS1 or KS2 must receive swimming and water safety lessons. All pupils are required to:

  • Perform safe self-rescue in different water based situations
  • 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.

At Norwood Primary school, we provide this opportunity for pupils in KS2 and this year it is Year 4 that will go swimming. We use the facilities at Jack Hunt and pupils travel to and from the venue on a coach, accompanied by Norwood Staff.