WHITTAKER MOSS PRIMARY SCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM POLICY Introduction Physical Education is a foundation subject within the National Curriculum. This policy outlines the purpose, nature and management of the physical education programme taught in our school. This policy reflects the consensus views of all the staff and has been approved by the Governing body. The implementation of this policy is the responsibility of all the staff for it reflects the entitlement our children have to a soundly planned curriculum. Rationale : The nature of Physical Education. Physical Education is concerned with the successful management of the body in varied and challenging settings. It aims to develop physical skills and competencies, so that our pupils are able to move efficiently, effectively and safely and understand what they are doing. Physical Education provides ways of learning through action, awareness and observation and is achieved through a combination of physical activity and making decisions, solving problems, adjusting and refining. Participation will involve our children in the development of a number of personal qualities such as tolerance, a concern for others, working as a team, fairness and commitment. Physical Education will give every child, whatever their ability, equal opportunities to develop their self awareness and physical skills. It will make particular demands, which are not easily replicated in other subjects, and help to contribute towards their general physical health.
Aims and Purposes. In Physical Education our pupils will learn : To become skillful in the ways they manage their bodies, control their movements and develop co-ordination. To understand the significance and importance of exercise and to develop habits leading to a healthy and active lifestyle. To become able to be physically active for sustained periods of time. To learn, apply and adapt a range of skills in a variety of challenging situations. To appreciate the enjoyment of moving practically, skilfully, creatively and aesthetically. To learn and understand the importance of working safely. To take initiative, lead activity and focus on improving aspects of their own performances. To learn the importance of working well with others as part of a team. To engage in competitive sports and activities. To develop a range of personal competencies such as a concern for others and their safety, tolerance, fairness and how to cope with success and disappointment in competitive and non- competitive settings. To understand the culture and sporting heritage of our society. Entitlement and Access. The attainment target for Physical Education sets out the knowledge, skills and understanding that pupils of different abilities and maturities are expected to have by the end of each key stage. The attainment target consists of eight level descriptions of increasing difficulty that pupils working at that level should characteristically demonstrate. The National Curriculum also emphasises that all children must show progression in ; Acquiring and developing skills. Selecting and applying skills, tactics and compositional ideas. Evaluating and improving performance. Knowledge and understanding of fitness and health.
The Standing Order for Physical Education outlines specific programmes of study which all our children must be taught at both Key Stages as follows: Key Stage 1 Fundamental movement skills Dance Gymnastics Games Key Stage 2 Dance Gymnastics Games Outdoor and Adventurous Activities Swimming activities and water safety Athletics Self evaluation skills Within the new National Curriculum (2014) P.E. covers the following areas : Key stage 1 - Pupils should develop fundamental movement skills, become increasingly competent and confident and access a broad range of opportunities to extend their agility, balance and coordination, individually and with others. They should be able to engage in competitive (both against self and against others) and co-operative physical activities, in a range of increasingly challenging situations. Key stage 2 - Pupils should continue to apply and develop a broader range of skills, learning how to use them in different ways and to link them to make actions and sequences of movement. They should enjoy communicating, collaborating and competing with each other. They should develop an understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and sports and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success. We are endeavouring to work towards the government target of two hours a week of sporting activities. We hope that this will be achieved by the majority of our pupils through our curriculum coverage, school sports clubs and organised lunch time activities. In addition Whittaker Moss is a Rights Respecting School and supports the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (UNCRC) which states the right of every child to be healthy. As a Healthy School we aim to provide a variety of sporting opportunities in conjunction with healthy food and lifestyle lessons. The principle focus for Physical Education will be on Dance, Gymnastics and Games which will be taught continuously during both Key Stages. Athletics will be taught in the Summer term as part of the P.E. curriculum and linked to the games curriculum in years 3 and 4. In years 5 and 6 it will be taught as more of a discrete activity in it s own right in the Summer term. There is also an Athletics club available to Key stage 2 children after school. Swimming activities will commence during Year 4 depending upon availability at the local swimming baths. The programme will run only in Year 4, based on weekly sessions for a half hour lesson over the course of the school year. They may also be opportunities for children from Yr 5/6 to attend lessons during the Summer Term if they did not meet the National curriculum requirements. Outdoor Education activities will be conducted in short, concentrated bursts during years 3, 4, 5 and 6 culminating in the opportunity to take part in a residential experience during year 6. Careful planning has been undertaken to ensure that an appropriate balance of time is provided for each activity and that our pupils with special educational needs are integrated in to the programmes of activity and have equal opportunity and access to all activities. The Physical Education Curriculum During the Foundation stage each pupil in Reception will receive 2 hours
per week. During Key Stage 1 each pupil will take part in a one hour lesson, a fifteen minute cross curricular aerobic session and we will aim to include fifty minutes physical activity (in roughly10 minute sessions or twenty minute dinner time sessions) per week. In Key Stage 2 each pupil will participate in one 40 minute lesson, one 60 minute lesson, a twenty minute cross curricular physical activity. In addition, Year 4 have a further 30 minutes for swimming. Some children will also be participating in the twenty minute organised sessions at dinnertimes. Our P.E. Curriculum is broad and progressive in its scope, enabling our pupils to engage in activities in sufficient depth to achieve tangible learning and acquire the necessary manipulative and body management skills. As far as possible the curriculum will develop relevance providing to establish links with other curriculum areas. In particular we will endeavour to establish links between: Health and Physical activity, the effects of exercise on the heart and the important role of physical activity in promoting an active lifestyle. This will link directly to work in Science and P.H.S.E. (particularly Healthy Week and sponsored events). Citizenship in which we will help pupils to respect, tolerate and value the views of others and of decision making through democratic process. They will learn the value of team work and to respect that people s skills and abilities can vary considerably. Dance can be linked to classroom based thematic work providing pupils with an opportunity to gain an appreciation of wide ranging styles of music. In Swimming the nature of the programme will promote qualities of personal development through systematic body management in water and the challenges this develops, alongside water safety. In Years 3,4,5 and 6 pupils will be involved in an introduction to Orienteering, as part of the outdoor adventurous activities programme, to link their work in Geography related to the making and using of maps. All year groups have problem solving/team building activities available to them. Our Physical Education programme will make a strong contribution to our children s development in language through the extensive use of speaking and listening skills. Schools strong AFL use will be continued throughout P.E. lessons with the use of Learning Intentions, success criteria, self assessment and peer evaluations.
In Outdoor Education as well as in all areas of the P.E. Curriculum we will endeavour to challenge our pupils thus developing; A feeling of personal improvement. A sense of accomplishment/achievement. A sense of learning something new and wanting to learn more. Physical well being. A feeling of independence. A wish to perform well and with commitment. Schemes of work Our scheme of work for Physical Education will comprise: 1. A long-term overview plan that presents the curriculum in an outline form. Our timetable will be linked to and developed from this plan. 2. Separate foundation, Key Stage 1 and 2 activity programmes which are mapped to show content and progression throughout each Key Stage. These programmes also show the work to be covered during each term and represent our medium term plans. 3. Units of work which detail work for each activity during periods of terms and half terms. These will be used on a weekly/ day to day basis and represent short term planning. The units of work have been devised to show learning objectives/ learning outcomes for each activity. It is from the learning outcomes that teachers will assess children s progress as well as using their own professional judgements. Planned objectives in each unit of work will be linked to the teachers expectations of what the majority of pupils will learn, understand and be able to do which in turn will be closely associated with the attainment targets for Physical Education. A scheme of work has been produced for the entire school year for Key Stages 1
and 2. The scheme is based on units of work and includes full lesson plans for each unit designed to cover a term or half terms worth of lessons/work. Each lesson has been planned with the amount of time, space and school resources (in terms of equipment) taken into account. The plans show a progression of skills and activities throughout the school so that all children should have the opportunity to improve their skills and lessons should not be repeatedly covering the same objectives. Teachers will assess units of work throughout each Key Stage and record children s progress through use of photographic/video evidence, self assessments and use of the Rainbow continuum assessment recording system that notes whether pupils are making sufficient improvement (this has been adapted to suit the range of lessons). These records will also help teachers to report progress to parents annually. Teaching will utilise a range of styles to maximise the learning of our pupils. In some cases the class may be taught by a Sports Coach providing specific expertise in a particular sport. Learning will be developed through practical participation in which opportunities will be provided for pupils to reflect and evaluate their own learning and that of others. In these ways pupils will be better able to understand and conceptualise what they are doing and why they are doing it. The units of work will show progression in the following ways: Setting tasks that require the development of new knowledge, understanding and skills. Moving from familiar to unfamiliar contexts. Making links between the various physical education activities as well as links with other curriculum areas, so that learning experiences become coherent. Increasing children s confidence to work independently and assume greater levels of responsibility for their learning. Applying existing knowledge and skills to increasingly more complex
situations. Moving from individual to team based skills and activities. Equal Opportunities. In Physical Education lessons, staff will not assume that interests and skills in this area of the curriculum are predetermined by gender or ethnic background and will not permit themselves or their pupils to be influenced by stereotypical behaviour. Our pupils will have equal opportunities to develop qualities and skills relating to co-operation and sensitivity, fair play and respect, the acceptance of decisions and rules and the handling of success and failure with dignity. All our pupils have equal access to the component parts of the Physical Education programme. In our planning we will endeavour to develop an inclusive curriculum through; Setting suitable learning challenges. Responding to the diverse needs of our pupils. Helping individuals to overcome barriers to learning. In Physical Education lessons we will differentiate tasks so that our children are challenged appropriately to achieve successful outcomes. In some lessons modification of equipment will result in more tangible learning e.g. in games work where a variety of different sized and weighted balls may assist in a more rapid acquisition of sending and receiving skills. In Gymnastics some pupils may require longer, to gain confidence, on low surface apparatus before moving to higher, more challenging pieces of equipment. In Swimming the establishment of ability groups will enable our pupils to develop at appropriate rates. In all our lessons we will endeavour to recognise differentiation by outcome. Differentiation will help our pupils with special educational needs to be integrated into physical education lessons. A concentration on their specific needs and abilities, rather than their disabilities, will make it easier to improve their movement skills, co-ordination and body awareness as well as any feeling of
disaffection, under achievement and low self esteem. They will have equal access and opportunity to the full range of activities and will participate alongside their more able bodied peers. Where tasks are differentiated for their needs it will be undertaken with integrity. The most likely forms of special needs will be a result of: Physical difficulties, poor co-ordination and body management. Sensory difficulties. Emotional and behavioural difficulties. Cognitive difficulties. All our pupils, especially those who are gifted, will be encouraged to participate in extra-curricular sports programmes, both in and outside of school. The Learning Environment. All staff will use their own professional judgement when deciding whether or not conditions are suitable to take the class outside onto either the school field or the yard. The Hall must not be used in the afternoons until around 1: 30 pm to allow time for the floor to have been cleaned and dried properly following dinner time. Equipment must be returned to the appropriate storage areas and safe access to these areas ensured at all times. Display boards within school will be used to show any necessary information regarding extra-curricular clubs, links to sports clubs out of school and where possible photographs to show pupils participating in the various clubs or school sporting activities e.g. Sports Day, Sponsored skip etc. Small white boards on the walls will be used to display Learning Intentions, success criteria and self assessments.
The Extra-Curricular Sports Programme. As far as possible, a range of extra-curricular sports and expressive activities will be provided by staff to enhance the curriculum opportunities. We will endeavour to provide the opportunity for our pupils to attend Football, Netball, Rounders, Dance, Handball, Athletics, Gymnastics, Keep Fit and Self Defence clubs each year. Sometimes they will be supported by visiting coaches, or parents, who may wish to share their particular expertise and enthusiasm in a sport with the children. All activities will be supervised by staff who have a higher duty of care. Due to restriction on the numbers of children able to attend these programmes they will generally only be available to the pupils in Years 5 and 6, with the exception of the Athletics Club which will be available to all of Key Stage 2, Gymnastics which includes Yr 4 Yr 1 and Keep Fit and multi skills which targets Key Stage 1. All Clubs will be operated on a first come first served basis, with the return of parental consent forms, if the numbers are too great. In some cases the club may be opened up to the year below if all the places are not taken. Details of these activities, which may change periodically, will be sent home to parents and displayed on the school website. Out of School Hours Learning opportunities (OSHL) Autumn Term Monday 8:15 8:45 Basic skills (Yr2) 3:30 4:30 Self Defense Club (KS2) Tuesday 8:00 8:45 Dance Club (KS2) 3:30 4:30 Athletics Club ( KS2 ) Wednesday 3:30 4:30 Football Club ( KS2 ) Netball Club (Yrs 5 + 6) Thursday 8:15 8:45 Keep Fit/Dance ( KS1) 3:30 4:30 Handball Club ( Yrs 5 + 6 )
Friday 8:15 8:45 Gym Club ( Y1- Y4 ) Spring Term Monday Tuesday 8:15 8:45 Basic skills (Yr2) 3:30 4:30 Self Defense Club (KS2) 8:00 8:45 Dance Club (KS2) 3:30 4:30 Athletics Club ( KS2 ) Wednesday 3:30 4:30 Football Club ( KS2 ) Netball Club (Yrs 5 + 6) Thursday 8:15 8:45 Keep Fit/Dance ( KS1) 3:30 4:30 Handball Club ( Yrs 5 + 6 ) Friday 8:15 8:45 Gym Club ( Y1- Y4 ) Summer Term Monday Tuesday 8:15 8:45 Basic skills (Yr2) 3:30 4:30 Self Defense Club (KS2) 8:00 8:45 Dance Club (KS2) 3:30 4:30 Athletics Club ( KS2 ) Wednesday 3:30 4:30 Rounders Club (KS2) Thursday 8:15 8:45 Keep Fit/Dance ( KS1)
3:30 4:30 Handball Club ( Yrs 5 + 6 ) Friday 8:15 8:45 Gym Club ( Y1- Y4 ) N.B. Other externally provided opportunities may be provided throughout the year e.g. Dance / Gymnastics sessions through Sports Partnership, Cricket and Rugby coaching from local clubs. Professional Sports Coaching. Wherever possible, through curriculum funding and sports related money raising, we will endeavour to provide professional coaching opportunities for all year groups, including the Foundation Stage. We will make full use of SSCO contacts and funding and employ outside agencies to come into school and provide coaching in areas that we feel will be of benefit to the pupils, areas of staff weakness and activities, such as Lacrosse, Karate or Rugby, that we would not be able to provide. Members of staff will be present in all coaching sessions and outside agencies will be CRB checked. We will also look to provide a link between ourselves and the local sports college, Hopwood Hall, to provide further coaching and fitness opportunities and establish community links providing a base for their training programmes. Health and Safety. The school s Health and Safety Policy outlines the safety codes of practice for our school and provides the necessary guidance on the response and reporting of all accidents. Policies are available for all aspects of P.E. and the areas of school in which lessons are undertaken. Our philosophy appertaining to Health and Safety is one of risk management. Hazard Identification identifying hazards that may be the potential source of harm. Risk Assessment Assessing risks or the likelihood of any potential hazard.
Risk Control Deciding upon suitable measures to eliminate or control risks. Implementing and Maintaining Control Measures Implementing appropriate measures and ensuring they are effective through regular monitoring, inspection and maintenance. Records will be kept of anything causing concern and will be reported to the Head Teacher. Our teachers will act in loco parentis exercising responsibility for the pupils in their care. This so-called duty of care will exist whenever our teachers are in charge of pupils during curriculum and extra- curriculum time. The following matters that relate to the practice of Physical Education are outlined as follows: All accidents must be seen by a First Aider and where possible the child should be taken to a First Aider for assessment The First Aider will make the judgement about any necessary follow up and report it the Head / Deputy Head Teacher.(Accidents can only be recorded by the First Aider). When engaged in Physical Education activities, pupils are expected to behave in a responsible and considerate manner, showing respect for other people and equipment. During Physical Education activities pupils will be encouraged to discuss safety implications regarding themselves and others. Teachers will ensure that floor surfaces are not slippery, and where pupils are working in bare feet that there are no protruding objects which impede the free movement of pupils. Teachers will ensure that all equipment is in a good state of repair and of suitable size and design for the pupils using it. Gymnastics apparatus should be stored neatly around the hall and the Games equipment should be stored neatly and in the appropriate place in the storage area. Equipment should always be returned to the appropriate place and not left out or elsewhere. When equipment is returned by the children the staff need to check that it has all been put in the appropriate place. It is the responsibility of all staff to ensure the
storage area is kept tidy. All pupils will be taught to lift, carry and set out apparatus in accordance with the agreed policy. Our pupils will be taught appropriate procedures regarding their behaviour in specialist physical education and sporting facilities; the hall, climbing wall, playground, school field and swimming pool. And whilst engaged in outdoor adventurous activities. Careful attention will be given to the preparation of our pupils for physical activities through safe and appropriate warm-up activities. Lessons will also include similar activities at the end of the lesson as a cool down. No jewellery (including earrings) or watches will be worn for Physical Education activities and long hair must be tied back. Any pupil not participating in Physical Education should bring a note from a parent or guardian concerning conditions verified by the medical profession. Clothing. All pupils will change for Physical Education lessons and extra-curricular sporting activities. Children should have in school, on the appropriate day, a P.E. kit comprising ; shorts, T shirts and pumps, and a Games kit comprising T shirt, tracksuit or tracksuit pants and a warm top, and trainers. Clothing must not be so loose fitting or tight that it impedes movement. All kits should conform with the uniform introduced in September 2015 ( white t-shirts, black bottoms and black jumpers). Swimming kits must include a swimming costume (not two piece) or trunks and a towel. Loose fitting swimming shorts are not allowed and goggles are optional, if allowed by the baths. Additional clothing, such as studded boots, may be required for some of the extra-
curricular activities. Parents will be informed of our school s arrangements for Physical Education clothing. Although spare kit is sometimes available for the children to use it should be emphasised that it is there for accidental non inclusion of kit items and should not be relied upon for regular use. School waterproofs have also been made available to children in Key stage 2 to enable lessons to continue outside due to lack of indoor space. Lesson Planning. The safety of our pupils is of paramount importance. The content of the lesson should be shared with the pupils before the lesson commences. Points of organisation can be discussed as well as the criteria shared through which the pupils work might be assessed. The warm-up is important. This should raise body temperature and be sufficiently vigorous to generate and improve cardio-vascular energy. The warm-up should also include work to flex and mobilise the major joint complexes. Lessons should conclude with cool-down activities. These should allow the heart rate to return to a normal pace and let the muscles relax more before activity ceases. There should be a balance of activities that are progressive and where necessary, differentiated. The pace of teaching should be lively and purposeful. Opportunities should be provided for pupils to plan and evaluate their own and at times others work. However, active participation must dominate. Demonstration should be used to amplify learning and develop understanding. As many pupils as possible should be encouraged to demonstrate their work, not just
the gifted. At the end of lessons pupils should be given the opportunity to discuss what they have done, the progress they are making and what they need to do to improve their performances. Assessment and Recording. Staff will carry out basic subjective assessments during every lesson. Short Term plans should contain brief notes on individual children s performances where a particular child has either been struggling or excelling (use of initials and + or - ). During the course of the year staff should make more detailed comments on each area of the curriculum using the amended Rainbow continuum sheets. Alongside this photographic/video evidence will be used to show progression of skills. These assessments will then be used to help write annual reports to parents and inform planning for further lessons and future classes. Assessment records should be kept in the staff individual assessment files and passed on to the co-ordinator for monitoring and then use by the next class teacher. All pupils will be assessed using the same criteria. Assessment sheets will follow an individual child (on a class sheet) through the school so that their progress can be monitored. Pupils will be colour levelled from the attached assessment sheet based on the main areas of study set out by the National Curriculum. Monitoring and Evaluating. Monitoring and evaluating will be carried out by the P.E. Co-ordinator. We will endeavour to monitor each class at least once a year and try to ensure that the teacher is not repeatedly monitored on the same area of Physical Education. Lessons will be monitored to make sure that they are following the policy and curriculum guidelines and that the children are progressing at a suitable level. The
Co-ordinator will also use class teachers assessments to help evaluate school progress and inform future curriculum targets. Evidence gathered from monitoring will help to inform any necessary amendments to the P.E. Policy or Scheme of Work and where staff may need assistance or additional training. Staffing and Staff Development. Class teachers take their own classes for all P.E. and Games lessons except in Key Stage Two Games lessons where the time is shared and the classes are split. Years 3 and 4 have the same lesson time with each teacher having a mixed Yr 3 and 4 group, and Years 5 and 6 also have the same lesson time with each teacher having a mixed Yr 5 and 6 group. Throughout the year each class may have time with a professional coach. When this is the case the class will be taught by the coach with the teacher present at all times and teaching where necessary. Through the use of monitoring and staff audits the P.E. Co-ordinator will endeavour to identify areas of staff weakness and areas that staff do not feel confident in teaching. Once identified, these needs will be met through whole school/individual staff training, staff may be assisted by professional coaches, or the Co-ordinator if at all possible. If it is deemed to be necessary staff may teach another class to pass on their particular expertise and experience. Where P.E. / Games lessons occur within a teachers P.P.A. time it is the responsibility of the class teacher to ensure the teacher covering the lesson has the appropriate lesson plans. Assessment needs to be discussed with the class teacher and the teacher taking the lessons. Staff are encouraged to make the Co-ordinator aware of any additional needs that may arise as the year progresses, e.g. staff training, new equipment etc. Leadership and Management Roles. The P.E. Co-ordinator is responsible to the curriculum co-ordinator, and ultimately the Head teacher. There is no specific budget for P.E. As and when it is required the needs will be
assessed and funds allocated where the school budget can provide them. Money will however be budgeted every year for the Swimming course, and the transport to and from Swimming. As a school we may also participate in an annual sports related fund raising event, such as a sponsored run, to enable the school to have enough funds available for any equipment that may be required or to fund professional coaching programmes. Further equipment may also be obtained through the collection of vouchers. School PE and Sports Funding Money School sports funding money is allocated and recorded by the P.E. coordinator based on the needs of the school and additional opportunities for each year group. Children are surveyed to help inform future bookings and spending. At Whittaker Moss we already provide a wide range of sports coaching for the children to access both within and out of curriculum time. We do not have a significant element of pupils who are disengaged with lessons. The vast majority of children enjoy their P.E. lessons and sports clubs are well attended. Due to lack of space available we are not able to provide many more sports clubs for the children to attend. We therefore feel that the funding would be best spent in the following ways: Providing specialist coaching for the Football Club enabling more children to attend. Run clubs that would have to stop due to staff absences. Providing specialist coaching in a variety of sports that staff do not have the expertise to teach, or equipment to use such as Fencing, Lacrosse and Rugby. These will mainly take place during Upper KS2 Games lessons to provide a more varied curriculum. Provide opportunities for the children to have taster sessions of more unusual or specialised sports i.e. sailing, track cycling, skiing. Provide cover for staff to be released to run sports competitions with local schools during the school day.
We hope to have follow up information from each event so that the pupils are able to pursue any interests they may have outside school hours. We also hope that it will give more children the chance to participate in competitive sporting events on a more regular basis and for a variety of sports. Review. This Policy will be reviewed by the Head Teacher and the staff during the Autumn Term 2016.