Poplars Farm Primary

The Poplars Curriculum -Physical Education

PE Intent

At Poplars Farm we know PE is a vital part of school life and ultimately children’s future well-being. It is therefore our intent to provide an inclusive, broad and balanced PE curriculum that ensures all children will benefit, whether through enhancing existing skills, learning new skills or being introduced to new sports, clubs, teams and organisations.  Our ultimate goal is to give children the tools and understanding required to make a positive impact in their own physical health and well-being, which will enhance life-long fitness and life choices.

PE can challenge and promote self-esteem through the development of physical confidence and problem solving. It can teach children to cope with both success and failure in competitive, individual and team based physical activities. Within dance it will allow children to explore their personal and spiritual identity. Pupils will become creative  innovators of their own activity and active play.

Beyond the classroom, we believe that participation in sporting activity is a key element of developing a school in which pupils are proud of the community in which they belong. Therefore, great emphasis is placed upon additional sporting opportunities beyond the lesson within after-school clubs and during extra curricular times. We believe these opportunities allow the children to demonstrate and develop the school’s GROW values. 

The big  ideas in PE: 

• Provide pupils with a huge array of different sporting opportunities by introducing children to new sports, clubs, teams and organisations. 

• Promote lifelong physical wellbeing, giving children the tools and understanding required to make a positive impact in their own physical health. 

• To enable pupils to build their personal identities, confidence and self-esteem, recognising the power of sport on mental wellbeing. 

• Promote independence, resilience and responsibility — preparing pupils  for future roles as parents, employees and leaders.

• Provide opportunities for physical activity outside of PE lessons, both indoors and outdoors. 

Implementation

PE Partner supports us with the delivery of PE through the implementation of Spiral PE (see link above)

 In Key Stage 1, the focus is on the fundamental skills of agility, balance and coordination.

 In Key Stage 2 this is developed into cognitive, physical and manipulation skills. These skills are transferable and are taught in a spiral curriculum.  This means that we look to embed and contextualise the skills during each academic year.  Then, as pupils progress through school, there is a vertical increase in the levels of challenge in each of the skill areas.  

This is best explained with the following analogy: "A pupil in Reception is taught how to balance on one leg.; In year 6 they are taught how and when to apply side steps in a game situation.

Each year sees a vertical progression in the end of year expectation between the two points. but within the year, the full range of skills is taught. This is designed to give children a full physical literacy tool kit.  

Please click here to read the full document

Impact

Spiral PE offers an online platform to track pupils' achievement, which is reported to parents and is analysed  by the PE subject leader, informing action planning. Regular verbal feedback is given within lessons to praise and ensure pupils to apply the correct technique and vocabulary;  pupils will take responsibility in their own learning and support peers to continue to improve and excel. Pupils at Poplars Farm will understand the impact of physical activity on their own body, become more active and continue to lead active lifestyles in adulthood. During their time at Poplars Farm, pupils  will be given opportunities to take on leadership roles and be proud of their  sporting achievements, of representing the school when competing competitively. They will leave us to continue their next stage of education, keen to continue to develop the skills and techniques acquired during their time with us, keen to go on and master their particular sporting passions. Moreover, we hope that our pupils will use sport as a lifelong aid, to keep their minds, as well as their bodies, healthy and happy.