At Elson Junior School PE is a vital area within our school curriculum, it is not only important for the children’s physical health but also for their mental well-being. The curriculum is well planned out and shows progression throughout each year group.
The aim for PE in our school is for all our children to assess all areas of the curricular and have positive and active experiences.
PE can challenge and promote self-esteem through the development of physical confidence and problem solving. It can teach children to cope with both success and failure in competitive, individual and team based physical activities. Within dance, it will allow children to explore their personal and spiritual identity whereas gymnastics allows the children to show core strength, balance and Flexibility.
Each child receives 2 hours of PE a week, 1 hour with a specialist coach and the second with their class teacher. Their sessions are planned to cover a broad and full range of skills and activities.
We teach in a way that children:
- have fun and experience success in sport
- can join in at their own level of development
- build and secure a range of skills
- develop good sporting attitudes
- understand basic rules
- experience positive competition
- learn in a safe environment
Children in year 5 attend swimming lessons at a local pool. They learn to swim 25 metres competently and confidently in a range of strokes. If a child does not reach the 25m target, they will be offered ‘Top Up’ swimming in year 6.
Children also have the chance to be part of our school football and netball team and have the chance to have an active leadership role being either a Playground leader or Sports Day leader. We also celebrate sport achievements throughout the school. Where possible we attend local sporting festivals to provide opportunities for all and allow us a school to progress through the different levels of competition.
The government is providing additional funding to improve provision of Physical Education (PE) and sport in primary schools. This funding provided jointly by the Departments for Education, Health and Culture, Media and Sport it is allocated to primary school Head teachers. The funding is ring-fenced and therefore can only be spent on provision of PE and sport in schools. Schools must spend the additional funding on improving their provision of PE and sport, but we do have the freedom to choose how they do this.
September 2024