Physical Education 
The foundations of our curriculum begins in our EYFS where children have free flow access to a large outdoor area where they can experiment and challenge themselves with numerous gross and fine motor activities. Through play and support, children start to develop:
- Proprioception
- Strength
- Co-ordination
- The understanding that their bodies can produce different movements and they can have an affect on objects, developing the skill and acquisition to affect them in different ways.
- Confidence in their own bodies by making managed risks.
- Stamina
- Precision and control
Progression is tailored to each child’s needs and current level of development as they are supported by their key workers who play and work alongside the children to model skills and provide security when trying new skills.
In our EYFS children also learn about the affect physical activity has on their bodies and the importance of healthy food choices. Woven through the entire curriculum is the development to play/ work cooperatively with others.
Our long-term plan sets out the P.E units which are to be taught throughout the year, showing how the skills and knowledge gained through our EYFS are developed and applied to specific sports and skills. Pupils from Years 1-6 access two P.E sessions per week covering 1 sport discipline every half term. Sessions are delivered by class teachers and sports coaches, where we utilise the talents of our staff to provide the very best for our children. Our sports coaches not only provide fantastic sessions for the children, but also provide fantastic CPD opportunities for our teachers to develop their own practice.
We deliver the Balanceability programme to our Early Years pupils, progressing onto Bikeability in Key Stage 2, as the skill of being able to ride a bike, is something we value of high importance at a young age. This also applies to swimming, and our children in early years have the opportunity to begin swimming from the age of 3. Through intensive lessons held in the pool on our school playground (hosted by Elite Swimming), we are able to offer swimming to all pupils in school.
We provide opportunities for children to stay healthy and develop skills in their chosen area of interest by running clubs everyday after school and during lunchtimes for those children who are unable to stay after school. We provide lots of opportunities for children to experience sport in a competitive nature by entering local sports competitions and holding inter house tournaments for those children who again are unable to attend after school, for which we ask our junior sports leadership team to help organise.
Physical Education at St Paul's
Mapping of Key Knowledge
When designing our curriculum, we have considered knowledge in PE through several lenses: the disciplines that PE draws its knowledge from, along with declarative knowledge (knowing what) and procedural (knowing how) knowledge.
Substantive knowledge – this is the core subject knowledge and vocabulary used about the sporting disciplines. It is based on deliberate practice and development of specific skills that can be used in a variety of disciplines, sports and games. The substantive concepts that we develop through our Physical Education curriculum are:
- Fundamental movement skills
- ABC
- Gymnastics
- Dance
- Sending & Receiving
- Athletics
- Striking and Fielding
- Tactics and Strategies
- Outdoor Activities
- Swimming
Disciplinary knowledge – Disciplinary knowledge in PE comes through opportunities for the children to choose and apply their own actions, balances, movements and skills. Once they have mastered the specific skills, they have opportunities to apply these within sports and games and therefore have to choose different strategies and the best way to approach different challenges. When the children know more, they remember more and can do more. As they move through school, their skills and knowledge around tactics become more complex and they have to work collaboratively to make decisions. There are lots of opportunities for the children to evaluate their performances and reflect on how they will improve next time. Through deliberate practice, the aim is for the children to know more, remember more and do more.
Vital Vocabulary
Vital vocabulary is identified in each unit of learning, which enables our pupils to access a range of tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary.
