Physical Education
‘Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.’ – John F Kennedy



We are Athletes
"I always believed, When you can do that, life can get unbelievable." - Jessica EnnisWhy should we learn about PE?
A high-quality physical education curriculum inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically-demanding activities. Teaching at St Matthew's will provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect. Growth mindset values of determination, never-giving-up, resilience and challenging oneself are all vital to develop the child and such values can be applied to all areas of life.How will it help children later in life?
Instilling a love of sports, physical activity and team working is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle for both the body and mind. Getting outside and moving through a range of lessons is good for both mental and physical wellbeing, something that is a must in today’s modern world. A love and respect for physical education is an invaluable attribute than can be taken far further than the primary school and help to set up a happier and healthier future!What do we want for St Matthew's children?
At St Matthew's we ensure that all children progress physically through a broad and fully inclusive PE curriculum. We encourage all children to develop their understanding of the way in which they can use their body, equipment and apparatus safely and skilfully. We understand how important physical activity is in an individual’s life as it not only helps them physically, but has positive impacts on their mental and social well-being. Exercise can help to relieve stress and provide children with opportunities to work with their peers strengthening their social skills. This ability to work as part of a supportive team or as an individual is beneficial beyond the sporting world and can be applied later in their life.
The aim of physical education is to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles. Our PE Curriculum, along with PSHE and science, teaches children about the importance of healthy living. At St Matthew's we aim for children to develop the necessary knowledge and skills which will ensure that they have a life-time enjoyment of physical activity and understanding of a healthy lifestyle.
Pupils learn resilience through the understanding that winning is not always the marker of success. They are responsible for the improvement of their own individual skills and are taught to be reflective of their performances and demonstration of these skills. Respect is an important part of every PE lesson at St Matthew's and pupils demonstrate this through interactions with their peers in game situations.
Our curriculum begins with a focus on fundamental movement skills, building on the physical requirements of the EYFS framework, before moving on to focus on learning specific skills and gameplay for specific sports. By the end of their time at St Matthew's, children will have had the opportunity to engage with sports such as basketball, football, tennis, dodgeball, gymnastics, swimming, athletics, rounders and cricket.
In addition, children in Year Four are given the opportunity to learn or develop swimming skills when their class participates in weekly swimming. Swimming enhances their motor skills and co-ordination; helps to maintain a healthy lifestyle and provides them with a lifelong skill. Each child ends the swimming programme with an increased confidence in the water and a new skill that they can build on in the future.
Intent
At St Matthew's our philosophy is to provide a PE curriculum that is inspiring, engaging, and high energy. At St Matthew's, we aim to foster a positive relationship with active living and embed a desire for personal improvement. Our children strive to develop games play, positive learning outcomes, and transferable skills that allow them to access any physical activity of their choice through a progressive scheme that focuses on object control, stability, locomotion, knowledge and understanding, and health and wellbeing.
Our aims are to:
- Follow a broad and balanced PE curriculum fulfilling the requirements of the National Curriculum.
- Develop the fitness of the individual, by ensuring a good pace in lessons and incorporating fitness activities into Physical Education lessons as appropriate.
- Develop programmes that meet the needs of all the children, ensuring inclusion for all in every PE lesson.
- Engage in competitive sports and activities to promote teamwork and confidence, e.g. Sports Day, clubs, inter-school matches, competitions against other schools.
- Encourage children to lead a healthy lifestyle and promote a love for exercise which is lifelong.
- Help develop evaluation skills and understanding of how to make a performance better.
- In addition to the large variety of physical activity within the curriculum, we also offer a range of after school clubs. This gives children an additional opportunity to develop their skills and be involved in competitive game situations.
Implementation
Our PE curriculum has been carefully developed for our pupils. Guidance from the ‘Association for Physical Education’ and ‘Yorkshire Sport Foundation’ together with ‘PE PRO’ have enabled St Matthew’s to create and deliver a well-sequenced curriculum of study, in a logical order, based on sound educational research, allowing children to build on prior learning.
How do we deliver this effectively?
Our curriculum aim is to maximise the potential of all pupils ensuring that they are all engaging in physical activity at least once a week. We recognise the value and impact of high quality PE teaching which can help children develop their coordination, fitness and their sense of fair play.
At our school, there are ample opportunities for competition both inside and outside of school which allows pupils to develop their skills, demonstrate team work and resilience and succeed in sporting competitions. In addition, we also provide enrichment opportunities, including visits from athletes who promote the importance of physical activity and discipline within sport.
What does this look like?
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children work towards the Physical Development -Gross Motor Skills Early Learning Goal:
- Negotiate space and obstacles safely, with consideration for themselves and others;
- Demonstrate strength, balance and coordination when playing;
- Move energetically, such as jumping, dancing, hopping, skipping and climbing.
The Early Years Framework states that children need to develop their coordination, agility and movement and also be taught the importance of exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Children are encouraged to be as physically active as possible, therefore children benefit from a 'free flow' setup during continuous provision, which enables them to play outside throughout the day all year round. Each day resources will be on offer to develop gross motor skills such as scooters, balls, hoops and dance ribbons. Through this child led approach, children practice key fundamental movement skills. Alongside this, adult led activities will also focus on gross motor skills.
Children are also taught the importance of exercise for a healthy lifestyle. This is done through weekly PE sessions where fundamental movement skills such as running, jumping, balancing and catching, sports and associated knowledge and skills are focussed upon. These assist the children to improve their coordination, control and movement further. The children learn the basic skills, which will provide them with the foundations for the challenges of Key Stage 1 and beyond.
|
EYFS |
Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Autumn term |
Fundamental Movement Skills
Ball Skills |
Fundamental Movement Skills
Athletics
Cooperation
Functional Fitness
|
Fundamental Movement Skills
Multi-Sports Term 1
Cooperation
Gymnastics
|
Spring term |
Dance Gymnastics |
Dance Weather
Multi-Sports Term1
Cooperation
Multi-Sports Term 2 |
Dance the Olympics
Multi-Skills
Target games
Functional Fitness |
Summer term |
Multi Skills Games |
Fundamental Movement Skills
Functional Fitness
Striking &Fielding
Athletics |
Fundamental Movement Skills
Striking &Fielding
Athletics
Multi-Sports Term 2
|
KS2
In PE the curriculum at St Matthews ensure pupuls in KS2,
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Develop competence in a broad range of physical activities
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Are physically active for sustained periods of time
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Engage in competitive sports and activities
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Lead healthy, active lives
Pupils will be taught to:
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Use running, jumping, throwing, and catching in isolation and in combination
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Play competitive games (e.g., football, netball, rounders), applying basic principles
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Develop flexibility, strength, technique, control, and balance through gymnastics and athletics
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Perform dances using simple movement patterns
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Take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges
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Compare their performances with previous ones to achieve personal bests
|
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
Year 6 |
Autumn term |
Fundamental Movement Skills
Multi-Sports Term1
Dance Space
Multi Skills
|
Fundamental Movement Skills
OAA
Gymnastics
Multi-Sports Term 1 |
Fundamental Movement Skills
Tennis
Dance- Around the world
Football
|
Fundamental Movement Skills
OAA
Gymnastics
Handball |
Spring term |
Gymnastics
Functional Fitness
Invasion Games
Dodgeball |
Dance Street
Multi-Sports Term 2
Functional Fitness
Multi-Skills |
Gymnastics
Badminton
Netball
Dodgeball |
Dance musical theatre
Hockey
Dodgeball
Badminton |
Summer term |
OAA
Multi-Sports Term 2
Athletics
Striking & Fielding |
Dodgeball
Invasion Games
Striking & Fielding
Athletics
|
Rugby
Cricket
Athletics
OAA
|
Tennis
Netball
Cricket
Athletics |
Progression in Skills and Understanding
Our PE curriculum is sequenced precisely to ensure progression of knowledge, understanding and skills throughout a child’s primary education, thus enabling children to build upon prior experiences and apply these fluently, with confidence.
Impact
Children also have the opportunity to further these skills at after school sports clubs and in competitions. children to understand the importance of an active and healthy lifestyle through physical activity. Through competitive team games they have the opportunity to build teamworking skills and confidence which allows them to flourish.
Jewellery and Hair
Research
DfE Physical education programmes of study: key stage 1 and 2
Physical Education Recommended Reading
Websites
Additional Resources
British Cycling – Ready, Set, Ride – a set of videos and activities to help learning to ride a bike and working on core skills. (Also available as an mobile app)
Boogie Beebies – Children’s music programme. A chance for viewers to dance with Nat and Pete.
Premier League Primary Stars – activities spanning most of the curriculum. Particularly good for football lovers. To help support families, here there are curriculum-linked resources available to all for home learning, with no registration required. These free resources will cover English, Maths, Physical activity and Health and Wellbeing for Key Stages 1 and 2, with fun activities to keep children active and learning at home.