Why do we teach Physical Education?
At John Clifford School, physical education is an integral part of our curriculum. We aim to develop pupils who will be physically active and who can flourish in a range of different physical activities achieving their true potential. We aim to deliver high-quality teaching and learning opportunities that enables all children to achieve their personal best, whatever they may be, through developing knowledge, skills and competences in line with our Equality curriculum reflecting the diverse backgrounds of our children.
We consider swimming to be an essential life skill and we believe all children should have the opportunity to learn how to swim at least 25m and be taught how to stay safe in and around water.
Every child is expected to take part in the Daily Mile activity, aiming to achieve a mile of non-stop running as many times per week as possible.
When we participate in events, we encourage the children to transfer our John Clifford Promises to the sporting activities, ensuring they do their best and display good sporting behaviour.
We aim for all children to be physically active for sustained periods of time during and after school and for them to be able to make informed decisions to help them lead healthy and active lives. Above all we want our school community to enjoy physical activity and encourage them on a journey to life-long involvement in sport and to achieve physical and mental well-being through a healthy lifestyle.
How do we teach Physical Education?
Pupils at John Clifford participate in high quality timetabled PE lessons and sporting activities twice a week. Our PE programme incorporates a variety of sports to ensure all children develop the confidence, tolerance and the appreciation of their own and others’ strengths and weaknesses. We provide opportunities for all children to engage in extra-curricular activities during and after school, in addition to competitive sporting events. This is an inclusive approach which endeavours to encourage not only physical development but also well-being.
This is achieved by:
- using and adapting iMoves planning and resources to ensure lessons across the year groups show consistency and skills progression.
- Delivering a Sports Academy each term in which a year group has the opportunity to work in smaller units, trying out a range of different sports and having the chance to prepare for inter-school competitions.
- Participating in a variety of competitive sports as part of the newly extended South Broxtowe Sports group and the South Broxtowe Sports Association. John Clifford School also attends sports festivals for Key Stage 1 and 2. We have a very successful school netball and football team and have development squads to bring players through to represent the school.
- Participating in running with all classes taking part in the Daily Mile to help students meet the 30 minutes of daily physical activity at school.
- Learning new skills on a bicycle including bike handling, basic maintenance and crucial road-safety skills, through the Bikeability project.
- Attending swimming lessons at the new Olympic sized swimming pool at Harvey Hadden in YR4, YR5 and top-up in YR6 to improve the % of children achieving National Curriculum expectations.
- Providing children with opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities that are inclusive, enjoyable and increase children’s physical activity (these have included in 2022-23 : multi-skills , cricket, fencing, dance, gymnastics, Olympic athletcis handball, football (boys and girls), netball and unihoc (indoor hockey) and basketball.
- Employing experts in different sports (cricket, handball, fencing, gymnastics, athletics and unihoc) to learn from their skills, work ethic and demonstrations of good practice. This has included coaching from: the Joe Ashdown Cricket Academy, Zenith Sports multi-skills and athletics coaches, Premier Sports gymnastics and multi-skills sports, hockey coaching from Nottingham University Mens and Women's hockey teams, tag rugby coaching from the volunteers from Nottingham University Outreach.
- Celebrating ‘Sports Week’ annually to educate and promote a healthy lifestyle and physical activity. Children take part in Sports Days throughout school including: FS, KS1 and lower KS2 and upper KS2 Sports day with a mix of traditional sporting events and round robin activities, however the focus during these events is participation.
- Creating opportunities for children from FS to YR6 to participate in physical activity during morning and lunchtime breaks on our two well-equipped school yards, stocked with resources. Staff and Playground Leaders (trained pupils from Year 6) are on duty to co-ordinate a range of active playground games.
- Creating opportunities for Inter-hive competitions that take place at the sports day and each half term as part of PE lessons. The points gained throughout the competitions are added to the hive totals.
- Providing Yr4 and YR6 with an annual residential trip in which they undertake a series of physical and challenging activities including: rock climbing, low level mountain walking, fencing, rifle shooting, dry grass sledging, trampolining)
- Re-establishing links with other local schools and local sporting clubs to provide pathways and competition for our talented pupils to club and county representation and to create opportunities for children to try a range of different activities. Previously these have included the local Park Run Robin Hood Fun Run, Notts County Show Racism the Red Card Event, Highfields Lawn Croquet Club, Sycamore Table Tennis Club, Nottingham Tennis Centre, Beeston Hockey Club, Nottingham University rugby and hockey clubs, Bramcote Swimming Club, Pearson Centre, Nottingham Casuals Rugby club and Chilwell Olympia
- Point in Time Assessments (PITA) are being used across the school at the end of each unit to assess the skill level of each child This will provide a clear picture of the where the child is, on their learning journey, and what support they will need moving forward.
- Completing a ‘running’ and ‘fundamentals’ assessment each year, to monitor fitness levels across the whole school, helping to identify both the gifted and talented and the least active pupils, but also the impact of the PE and Sports Premium Investment. PITA assessments are carried out on all children at various points through the school year to show progress.
- Providing EYFS children with opportunities to be active every day in the outdoor area, by having weekly sessions in the Forest School and timetabled PE sessions in the hall to develop their skills and levels of fitness.
- Encouraging parents and families to be involved in Physical Education, physical activity and school sport through sports days and events.
- Providing opportunities for parents and the local community to spectate in competitive events through the South Broxtowe Sports Association events
What are the outcomes for our children?
Our curriculum aims to improve the wellbeing and fitness of all children at John Clifford School, not only through the sporting skills taught, but through the underpinning values and disciplines PE promotes.
- PE sessions have a clear structure and are progressive. Skills are developed from FS to YR6 and the use of correct vocabulary, linked to the curriculum is encouraged.
- Within our lessons, children are taught about self-discipline and that to be successful you need to take ownership and responsibility for your own health and fitness.
- Our impact is therefore to motivate children to utilise these underpinning skills in an independent and effective way in order to live happy and healthy lives.
- Evidence of the impact of our PE curriculum can be seen through our PE and Sports Premium documents, the PE Action Plan, and Governors’ reports.
