PE & Sports Curriculum

Typical sport and active learning timetable

Before School Morning Lunchtime Afternoon After School
Monday Multi-sports EYFS PE Inter-school sports skills leading to competitions
Y6 Playleaders
Y2 Games Tennis
Tuesday Y2 Forest School Cheerleading Y1 Dance Y1 Forest School Gymnastics
Wednesday EYFS Games Y1 Forest School Inter-school sports skills leading to competitions Y1 Forest School Cricket
Forest School
Thursday Inter-school sports skills leading to competitions Y1 Games Football
Friday Yoga Y6 Playleaders Y2 Dance Yoga
*Maths of the Day takes place throughout the week delivering the Maths curriculum through physical activity for Years 1 and 2. As part of our Health & Wellbeing curriculum, children regularly participate in yoga and mindfulness techniques and activities.

Our physical education curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:

  • develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities;
  • are physically active for sustained periods of time;
  • engage in competitive sports and activities;
  • lead healthy, active lifestyles.

Children spend formal P.E. lessons learning the skills they will need to participate in a variety of team and individual sports in later years. Physical Education lessons and playtimes develop both physical competence and self- confidence. Children have the opportunity to develop skills in gymnastics, dance and games. Our links to the Sports Council Partnership has enabled specialist coaches of various sports to work with each class. Physical Education provides opportunities for pupils to be creative, competitive and to face up to different challenges as individuals and in groups and teams. It also promotes positive attitudes towards active and healthy lifestyles.

The school is well equipped with a large playground and grassed areas which are used for recreation during break and lunchtime and for lessons during the school day.

At break times children are encouraged to be active by having access to a variety of play equipment, a low level adventure play area, activities marked on the playground and playground games taught to them. At lunchtime we have a playground games zone, fitness zone and skipping/cheerleading zone. Year 2 pupils are trained to be play leaders (assisted by Year 6 sports leaders and play leader trained midday assistants), to assist and encourage active physical play during lunchtimes.

The children in Foundation Stage have daily access to a large outdoor garden with a range of resources and activities to promote and develop their physical skills. They also have timetabled lessons in the hall for whole class lessons to develop games, gymnastic and dance skills.

In Key Stage 1 all pupils have 3 P.E. lessons a week: 1 games lesson, 1 gymnastics lesson and 1 dance lesson. All pupils also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of clubs provided by school staff or outside providers. Extra-curricular activities have included Football, Mini Tennis, Gymnastics and Dance.

Competitive sport

Pupils participate in intra-school competitions in Year 1 and 2 at the end of each half term. Our school also participates in the full range of inter-school competitions available within Chelmsford for Key Stage 1 pupils. These include: Key Stage 1 gymnastics competition, 3 Tees cricket festival and the Chelmsford Mini Games. We also hold an annual sports day which involves all pupils competing in teams, as well as sprint finals for boys and girls in each year group. The children undertake the Golden Mile daily.

Intent

At Writtle Infant School our aim, in the teaching of PE, is to inspire our children and for each child to fulfil their potential through the experience of positive and motivational teaching. Our PE curriculum supports children’s health and wellbeing as well as developing their physical fitness, thus providing the foundations for a healthy lifestyle. We want our children to have the opportunity to experience the thrill of competitive sport, together with a range of physical activities, both in and outside of school, therefore offer all children the chance to compete in sport and other activities. This is character building, as well as providing the children with the opportunities to learn important values such as fairness, working as a team, inclusivity and respect.

We want each and everyone of our children to feel valued, reach their full potential and feel proud of their sporting achievements, as well as recognising and appreciating the skills and achievements of their peers. We provide a breadth of opportunities to work on and improve physical skills across the key stage as well as providing the children a range of extra-curricular sports clubs by staff and out of school professional sports coaches. As a member of the Chelmsford Schools Sports Partnership, there are opportunities throughout the year to compete against other schools and have opportunities to experience new and varied sporting challenges.

Implementation

Each child in Key Stage 1 receives 2 hours of PE a week, either with their class teacher or with specialist coaches. Children in EYFS are involved in physical activities on a daily basis as well as a set PE lesson once a week. Lessons are planned to give a broad, progressive and full range of skills and activities. Children also have the opportunity to be active through our wide range of sports clubs in Key Stage 1. Physical ‘brain breaks’ and ‘active’ cross-curricular learning are a key part to the day.

Our teaching provides opportunity for the children:

  • to have fun whilst being active
  • to experience individual success
  • to develop skills at their own pace and ability
  • to build and develop a range of physical skills
  • to develop excellent sporting attitudes
  • to understand and follow basic rules and fair play
  • to learn in a safe environment
  • to experience positive competition

Impact

All children receive a broad and balanced PE curriculum where every child will experience all key areas of the curriculum. Teachers will plan their lessons with a clear progression of skills and knowledge to ensure that lessons and skills taught are age-appropriate. Daily opportunities to enhance physical fitness further will be experienced through the ‘Daily Mile’, ‘active’ curriculum lessons and ‘brain breaks’ together with sponsored sporting events along with active lunchtime activities. Together with sporting competitions against other schools, will give the children a varied and broad opportunity to become active and healthy individuals.

EYFS: In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children will begin to improve their movement skills. Teachers will begin to develop their children’s agility, balance and coordination.
Key stage 1: Pupils will further develop and improve their movement skills as well as extend their agility, balance, fitness and hand-eye coordination. They will engage in competitive and cooperative physical activities through games, dance and gymnastics.

Progression Map

PE Progression Map