Physical Education

Intent

Lynch Hill: committed to promoting sport and physical activity in partnership with the Slough Sports Network and the School Games.

We recognise that the overall impact of sports participation on academic achievement and mental well-being tends to be very positive and that is one of the main reasons why sport and physical activity has such a high profile at this school. It is our intention that we develop a curriculum that encourages and provides opportunities for all children to lead healthy, active lives and enables them to know more, remember more, apply more and articulate more about the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.

Our PE curriculum is designed to develop knowledge and skills that are progressive, as well as transferable such as observation, performance analysis, teamwork and problem solving.

Implementation

At Lynch Hill, PE is taught from EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) through to Year 6 by dedicated sports coaches who strive to pursue excellence as standard. PE in EYFS lays a strong foundation focusing on exploring movement in a safe PE setting, introducing age-appropriate equipment, and developing fine and gross motor skills. This gets the children ready for the transition to KS1 where there is a key focus on the development of the fundamental skills and where personal challenges are introduced. As the children enter KS2, we see lessons move to a more sports specific focus, whilst still successfully linking this to the fundamental skills developed in previous years. By upper KS2, there is a very holistic approach to PE, with the sports coaches using sport as a tool to showcase personal and physical skill and development. The key knowledge and skills are clearly identified for each of the 12 sports taught across KS2 and consideration has been given to ensure clear, logical progression.

It is a PE curriculum for all, with suitable challenge and support as needed. Adaptions are made to ensure all of our pupils can access the lessons and achieve.

The fact that we teach the same sports at the same point in the year for each year group in KS2, means we are confident that we are building on skills and the progression is there. We have been very clear on how a sport’s skills build from one year to the next so that the right scaffolding is in place and we are never merely repeating teaching. Our learning objectives are our assessment skills for each sport; this allows us to teach age related PE skills alongside age related life skills such us respect, resilience and communication. Our assessment skills allow for children to work towards greater depth and mastery.

Beyond the PE curriculum, sports clubs run every morning and after school. We promote clubs which give demonstration lessons which encourage our pupils to be active outside of school.

Inter and intra events allow for all children to experience competition at different levels and the Lynch Hill Games is now a well-established and popular feature of the summer term.

Impact
Observations of PE lessons and sports clubs demonstrate children’s acquisition of identified key sports knowledge and skills. Within these sessions, we see 100% participation as much as possible with child focused groups all engaged in challenging progressive skills, both individually and team based. We see children reviewing and evaluating their performance, striving for personal bests and practising life skills that will help to prepare them for the wider world. The ability to work with others in teams, and to challenge and support, transfers to other lessons seamlessly; such skills will serve them well as they move onto secondary school and beyond. We see the majority of our pupils achieving or exceeding age-related expectations in PE and pupils enjoying PE and sport with many now seeking additional extra-curricular activities both linked to school and externally.

Displays for PE celebrate participation and the continuing success that Lynch Hill experiences in sporting competitions both locally and at a county and regional level; they offer motivational messages to encourage pupils to get active.

As a school inspired by the Active Movement philosophy, physical activity now features in every lesson across the curriculum, with active answering, active reading and active group work and this extends to developing their understanding of healthy choices beyond PE – including ensuring they are aware of the need for a healthy, balanced diet.

We are extremely proud to have achieved the School Games Platinum Award for our commitment to sport and physical activity.

 Click here to download the 'I Can' statements for PE