Physical Education (PE) develops children’s knowledge, understanding and skills, so that they can perform with increasing competence and confidence in a range of physical activities. These activities include: dance, games, gymnastics, swimming and water safety, athletics, outdoor adventure, as well as specific sports and fundamental movement skill development.

PE promotes an understanding in children of their bodies in action. It involves thinking, selecting and applying skills and promotes positive attitudes towards a healthy lifestyle – enabling them to make informed choices about physical activity throughout their lives.

At Whitemoor, we have designed a PE curriculum that goes way beyond National Curriculum guidelines; creating a subject which develops both new and existing skills in all children. Throughout their time at school, each pupil will be taught the fundamental movements – which are vitally important in their development, not only in PE, but in other subjects too. This approach allows pupils to develop a high level of physical literacy, which can be transferred into numerous sports, physical activities and general healthy play.

Principles

All children should be provided with the opportunities to:

•  Become physically literate while embarking on their own personal skills journey in an enjoyable environment
•  Experience a wide range of traditional and non-traditional sports and activities
•  Develop confidence and competence in performing skills individually, as part of a group and, where appropriate, to an audience
•  Build social, personal, cognitive, creative and physical skills though a holistic approach to learning
•  Pursue aptitudes and interests that promote a healthy lifestyle
•  Understand, in an age related way, the effects physical activity and exercise has on their body

Teaching and Learning Approach

We use a variety of teaching and learning styles in PE lessons. Our principal aim is to develop the children’s knowledge, skills and understanding. We do this through a mixture of whole-class teaching and individual/group activities. Teachers draw attention to good examples of individual performance as models for other children, and also encourage children to evaluate their own work as well as the work of other children.

We understand that children learn in different ways and at different rates; therefore objectives, tasks and evaluations are given in various formats to help the children understand what is being asked of them.

Within lessons, we give children the opportunity to collaborate and compete with their peers, and have opportunity to use a wide range of resources when doing so. Collaboration and healthy competition act as a vehicle to develop the social, personal, cognitive, creative and physical skills listed within the aims.

Additionally, we believe competition provides a ‘real life’ context to apply these skills.

In all classes there are children of differing physical ability. As PE teacher we must recognise this fact and provide suitable learning opportunities for all - matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child. We achieve this outcome by having a ‘Top Down’ approach to planning. This means not only are all pupils challenged effectively to reach their potential, but also have a clear pathway to aspirational development, regardless of ability.

Curriculum Planning

PE is a foundation subject in the National Curriculum. Throughout the course of the year we teach the skills, knowledge and understanding set out in the National Curriculum through a range of activities including dance, games, gymnastics, outdoor and adventure, swimming and water safety, and athletics.  As well as this, we also include sports specific planning for Key Stage 2 students to improve the transferability of skills over a variety of different outlets.

From Foundation to Year 6, children are provided with an extra 1 hour slot each week, which focusses on the development of fundamental movements skills, with a sub focus of one of the 5 key skills listed in the aims (social, personal, cognitive, creative and physical).

Curriculum planning in PE is carried out in two phases (long-term and short-term). Long-term plans map out the PE activities covered in each half term. Short-term planning is completed on a weekly basis. Each lesson contains progressive learning objectives, underpinned by Whitemoor’s KUSP (knowledge, understanding, skills and processes) ladder statements, as well as clear pathways for development.

We plan PE activities that build upon pupil's prior learning and provide regular opportunities for high-quality assessment - allowing both teacher and child to measure their progress over time. 

The Foundation Stage

We promote the physical development of children in the Foundation Stage as an integral part of their learning. As reception is part of the Foundation Stage, we relate the physical development of the children to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals, which underpin curriculum planning for children aged three to five years of age.

We encourage children to develop confidence and control of the way they move, as well as handling equipment and apparatus safely. We give all children the opportunity to undertake activities that offer appropriate physical challenge, both indoors and outdoors, using a wide range of resources to support specific skills.

Each foundation class is given a 1 hour slot per week to work on the fundamental skills programme that runs through every year group at Whitemoor. The activities are planned specifically to help build confidence and competence. We do this through guided experimentation and story based activities, whilst also improving visualisation of the skills they are working on.

Special Educational Needs

At Whitemoor we teach PE to every child, regardless of their ability. PE forms part of the school curriculum policy to provide a broad and balanced education for all. Consideration of individual need must be made when teaching PE:

•  Epilepsy and diabetes – these children need to be easily identified in a swimming pool (coloured caps).
•  Asthma – these children must have their medication to hand at all times.

The disabilities of children are taken into account when completing planning, so that all feel included and are appropriately challenged.

Assessment and Recording

Within lessons, each pupil will be assessed against our KUSP ladders, which highlight different levels of competence in regard to PE knowledge, understanding, skills and processes. Each pupil will be assessed regularly, to determine if they are on track to meet year group objectives. This information is also used to highlight the progression of children's PE learning throughout their time at Whitemoor.

The fundamental skills lessons involve a more pupil led approach to assessment. This includes both regular self-evaluation and peer feedback. 

Non-Participants

• Where possible, non-participants should still bring their PE kit and will still get changed for PE.
• Children must have a safe place to sit and observe. They should also be involved within the lesson e.g. referee, scorer, observing for good practice. Where this is not possible or appropriate, they will complete a PE split pack in another class.
•  Parents should have notified the school to inform of non-participation, either by way of a note, phone call or conversation with the class teacher.
•  Swimming – non-swimmers will take work to another class, organised by the class teacher prior to the event.

Resources

There are a wide range of resources to support the teaching of PE across the school. We keep our resources up to date and regularly review and replenish indoor and outdoor equipment. Most of our small equipment is kept in the PE store, and this is accessible to teachers and other adults only. Children should not enter the PE store unless accompanied by an adult. The hall contains a range of large apparatus and we expect children to help set up and put away this equipment as part of lessons. By so doing, the children learn to handle equipment safely. Adults will check equipment to ensure it is set up correctly and is ready to use. The children use the school playground and hall for their PE lessons and sports activities.

Monitoring and Review

The work of the subject leader involves supporting colleagues in the teaching of PE; keeping informed about current developments in the subject; and providing a strategic lead and direction for the subject in school.

At Whitemoor, we strongly believe in joint practice development and continuing professional development as tools to improve teaching quality. To ensure that class teachers understand and appreciate the learning journeys of their children in PE, they are required to be involved with their classes’ fundamental skills lessons. These lessons work on a 3 week cycle:

•  Week 1: PE specialist runs lesson, while class teacher provides support with activities and feedback
•  Week 2: PE specialist and class teacher use a ‘team-teach’ approach, in which the latter person will take charge of most elements of the lesson
•  Week 3: Class teacher takes charge of the lesson while the PE specialist takes an assistant role

This approach also ensures the benefits of PE and physical activity are understood by all staff and pupils.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Whitemoor provides a wide range of after school clubs for all ages of children, aiming to include traditional sports as well as exciting, new sports and activities. We understand that not all children wish to take part in specific sports, so regularly provide multi-sports clubs which focus on fun and energising games that utilise a range of skills.

We partly base our after school club provision on the School Sport Nottingham competition calendar. This ensures that pupils have sufficient practice in any given sport, therefore feeling confident and competent when taking part in competitions. It also provides purpose and context for lessons and the linked after school clubs.

Forgotten PE Kit Policy

If your child forgets their kit, the first and second time they will be allowed to take part in PE wearing a kit provided by the school. The school has limited spare PE kit available. This kit is available on a first come, first served basis. If your child forgets their kit for a third time, a phone call will be made to the parent or guardian asking the reason for this. The child will not be allowed to take part in the lesson, they will instead complete a PE worksheet based on the learning taking place. If a child still fails to bring a kit into school, the safeguarding team will be contacted, as it is the right of a child to have a kit and take part in PE, and it is part of the National Curriculum.

Short Term Injuries

Pupils must provide a note from either a parent or guardian, stating the nature of the injury. Where appropriate, pupils with short term injuries (likely to be out of full participation for up to three weeks) will be expected to bring their PE kit and change into it. They will take on a supporting role within the lesson (such as a scorer, official or team manager) and, depending on the sport or activity taking place, will be included as much as possible.

Long Term Injuries

For any pupil carrying long term injuries (likely to be out of full participation for three or more weeks) a parent or a guardian must provide a MEDICAL note from a relevant professional, stating the nature and the projected recovery time of the injury. Where possible, pupils should still bring their PE kit, change into it and take on a supporting role, as listed above. Where injury prevents individuals changing, they will not be expected to wear their PE kit.

Illness

The expectation is that pupils well enough to be present at school will generally be fit enough to take part in all of the activities within a PE lesson. If a parent or guardian feels that their son/daughter is not well enough to participate in a lesson, they must provide a note informing the teacher. Again, the pupil will still be expected to change into their PE kit and take on a supporting role, if the teacher deems this appropriate.

For all cases above, all children will be expected to bring PE kit appropriate for both inside and outside lessons.

Jewellery

For safety reasons, NO JEWELLERY OF ANY KIND is permitted to be worn during a PE lesson. We also advise the following:

• Ear piercing should take place during the summer holidays, allowing time for the ears to heal and the piercings to be removed easily. 
   
• Piercings should be removed before the lesson and not be covered up by plasters as they do not effectively prevent risk of injury.
   
• It is expected that children will remove religious necklaces for the duration of the P.E. lessons. If they must be worn to school, they should be long enough so that they can be removed over the child’s head. In addition, any religious bracelets that cannot be removed must be covered by a sweatband in order for children to be able to take part safely in their lessons. School staff are not responsible for the safe keeping of jewellery and cannot be held responsible if items go missing.

Pupils who fail to follow the jewellery policy will be required to remove any jewellery (including piercings) themselves. School staff are not legally allowed to do so on their behalf. If the pupil can not do this themselves, then they will be unable to play an active role in the lesson. Following the lesson, contact will be made with a parent or guardian to inform them of this and to ensure their child learns how to remove their jewellery ready for the next lesson.