Physical Education & Swimming

Physical Education forms an essential part of the curriculum at The Pegasus Academy Trust.

Intent

Our PE curriculum is intended to support the characteristics outlined in our ‘Pegasus People’ statement – especially those around health, pride in achievement and good manners.  We teach Physical Education (PE) in a safe and supportive environment, demonstrating to children that participation in regular sporting activity can benefit both their physical health and overall wellbeing.

The high-quality lessons that we plan within the Pegasus schools are intended to inspire all children to succeed in physical education as well as to develop important life skills like how to ‘meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostors just the same’ 

Through participation in sport our children learn to cooperate and collaborate with others as part of an effective team, understanding fairness.  We have an inclusive curriculum that children at all levels of fitness, skill and experience can participate in.  We also give those children who have shown particular expertise the chance to take part in competitive sport across a good range of activities.  As well as learning the rules and skills associated with a range of sports our children learn about values and discipline.  We hope that this will build resilient characters and good habits that will serve them well in adult life.

Implementation

We offer a balance of individual and team sports with both co-operative and competitive activities and skills sessions which can be accessed by all regardless of ability.

We cover a wide range of activities where pupils have the opportunity to learn new skills whilst consolidating and building upon existing ones. Our long term plans set out the PE units which are to be taught throughout the year and ensure that the requirements of the National Curriculum are fully met.

  • Our pupils participate in two high quality PE lessons each week, covering two sporting disciplines every half term;
  • Our PE sessions cover: Games; (football, basketball, hockey, netball, lacrosse, volleyball, tennis and cricket) Gymnastics; Dance; Athletics and Swimming (in Key stage 2)

There are also a wide range of extra curricular sports clubs which children who have a particular interest or talent are encouraged to join. Some of these clubs require a trial session to take place – e.g. to represent a school at boys or girls’ football.

A list of clubs for each term is provided on the Trust’s website.

All PE clothing should be named and taken home frequently to be washed. Records will be kept of those not participating and contact made with parents for those children who persistently forget their PE kit.

If a child is not participating in a lesson due to illness or injury, etc. this should be evidenced by a letter from home.

Watches and any other form of jewellery should be removed in PE (note that only stud earrings are allowed at school). All stud earrings should be removed or taped over.

Long hair, below shoulder length, is a safety hazard and must be tied back carefully.

The school has some spare, clean PE kit and in the event of children persistently forgetting their PE kit and with no written explanation we may provide this for the children’s use. However, this is not a long term substitute for children’s own kit and contact will be made with parents in order for them to make more satisfactory arrangements.

Impact

By offering our children a ‘taster’ of lots of different sports and by playing small sided games and focussing on skills we hope to motivate children to participate in sports into adulthood by demonstrating that sport is engaging and fun. From our lessons our children also learn to the importance of maintaining good levels of health and fitness and benefits of doing so.

Many of our children also enjoy the success of competitive sports and, having had the chance to represent their school, may then go on to play for local teams or their secondary school or university.

The skills and knowledge acquired through these first steps into sport means that our children will hopefully grow up to live happy and healthy lives.

Swimming

The National Curriculum sets the target that all children should be able to swim 25m by the time they leave their primary school.

We put a great deal of time into making sure that our children achieve this target through regular swimming sessions at Thornton Heath and South Norwood pools.  All Year 4 children in the Trust will swim every week as we believe that this is the best way to see sustained progress.  We encourage families and carers to supplement this with another visit each week to the pool with their children to build confidence and practise skills.

Please note: Swimming is a required subject within the National Curriculum and therefore is not optional.

First published on 31st May, 2017 and modified 21st September, 2022

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