Intent

At Backwell Junior School, we aspire to maintain a culture of confidence in PE for mental and physical health, strong values of sportsmanship and positive competitive experiences.

Our aim is that our high-quality physical education curriculum inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in both competitive and non-competitive sport and to learn the substantive and disciplinary knowledge to maintain a healthful lifestyle for their whole lives. We provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way that supports their health and fitness. We believe fairness and respect are best taught through character building experiences that physical disciplines, team games and competition can provide. At Backwell Junior School, we provide access to varied and rich opportunities for sport so that all interests and abilities are provided for. Our successful approach allows children to achieve their personal goals, build self-esteem and embed life-long values that empower them to win and lose with grace and pride, cooperate and collaborate with equity and fairness and live life to the full with courage and positivity.

Implementation

Our PE curriculum is varied and we have a clear progression of knowledge, underpinned by long-term plans, which ensure that we meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. All pupils receive 2 hours of curriculum time PE on a weekly basis; these sessions are delivered by specialist coaches or class teachers during PE lessons. Staff are encouraged to allow children take movement breaks throughout the day to generate higher activity levels. In KS2, pupils continue to apply and develop their broad range of skills such as movement, running, jumping, throwing, and catching. They do this through team games supported by specialist coaches. These skills are incorporated into competitive invasion games, net and wall games, dance and gymnastic performances using movement patterns and, finally, they are improved upon through supportive evaluations of their own and others’ work. Pupils are encouraged to communicate and collaborate with each other to develop their personal understanding of how to improve in physical activities. There are many opportunities across the year for children to take part in inter and intra school competitions, as well as festivals, where children’s successes and participation in sports are celebrated. Children in Years 3 and 4 attend swimming lessons at the local swimming pool where they are taught to swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of 25m using a range of strokes. Children who are unable to do this by the end of year 4 will continue to receive swimming lessons until they are able to swim 25m.  All children are encouraged to take part in the annual whole-school swimming gala, where they can display their talent in a particular stroke or just take part for fun. In addition to PE in curriculum time, we strive to provide opportunities for children to access extracurricular physical activity through a wide range of sporting and active clubs such as: basketball, multi sports, running, football, touch-rugby, dance, and gymnastics. We also encourage active playtimes using sports ambassadors and coaches, who provide opportunities like; ‘Walk and Talk’, Football, Netball and Basketball to ensure all children are getting the best chance of hitting the 60 active minutes per day target.

Impact

All children at Backwell Juniors receive a broad and balanced PE curriculum regardless of year group or ability. Every child accesses all of the key areas of the subject on offer at our school. PE is planned and delivered through the teaching of a clear progression of substantive and disciplinary knowledge, as part of our curriculum offer, to ensure that all children access it at an age-appropriate level. Festivals and competitions ensure all of our children have the opportunity to take part in a range of sports both in and outside of school whether that be at a competitive or non-competitive level. The school has maintained our ‘Gold’ School Games Mark - which rewards schools for their commitment to, and development of, competition, school sport, physical education, and physical activity - for 2 years, and we are working to achieve this award for a third year running!