Intent

At Silkmore Primary Academy, we believe that PE and sport are important in supporting fulfilment of our mission ‘Aim high, achieve together’, as physical education offers opportunities for children to develop and excel in a range of activities that support physical, social, cognitive, and moral development. Through physical education, we aim to provide children with the fundamental knowledge and skills required to make a positive, long-term impact on their health and well-being.

We intend to deliver a high-quality, broad and balanced PE curriculum that inspires all children to try, learn and succeed in sport. We want all children to experience a wide variety of sports and life skills to enhance their opportunities and encourage a love of sport and fitness, and to lead a healthy, active lifestyle. Providing a well-rounded program will support, develop, and challenge students’ confidence and self-esteem in their ability to apply fundamental skills to a range of activities. By offering opportunities to work individually, cooperatively, and competitively as part of a team we educate children and embed values of mutual respect and fairness, whilst catering for the needs and talents of each student.

Our PE curriculum is designed to progress learning to allow children to become proficient in a variety of sports by the end of key stage 2. We endeavour to provide engaging, active, challenging, and enjoyable sessions for all. As part of our wider curriculum offer, we encourage the uptake of extra-curricular activity clubs, participation in competitions, and daily exercise through active lessons and break times.

Implementation

Teaching

Our PE curriculum is designed to meet the needs of all our pupils, offering a range of activities that appeal to different interests and levels of ability. Our PE curriculum follows the National Curriculum and is delivered through Get Set 4 PE, a progressive scheme of work. The scheme aids staff in delivery, through its progressive lesson plans, key skills, knowledge, and vocabulary meeting each year groups requirements.  Each lesson ensures skill development and knowledge as well as application to a sport. Teachers have the autonomy to use the detailed lesson plans and structure whilst adjusting these to suit the needs, interest, and talents within the class, and may supplement activities with a range of other resources. Our teachers encourage pupils to take an active role in adapting activities to suit individual needs, promoting a sense of ownership, responsibility, and a supportive learning environment. Lessons are delivered either by the class teacher or by the HLTA, who have worked in partnership with the PE lead.

In KS1 children have access to two hours of physical education every week, with a strong focus on fundamental key skills and early knowledge of game situations to be able to apply into game situations towards the end of spring and summer terms. Children focus on agility, balance, co-ordination, and movement and apply these skills to areas including gymnastics, dance, athletics, and various team games.

In KS2 children also receive two hours of physical education a week. Children in upper key stage 2, currently use their first hour of PE provision on swimming lessons to help meet the KS2 requirement of swimming 25 metres unaided. For KS2 pupils they continue to apply and develop a range of skills enabling them to utilise them across different sport areas – net and wall games, invasion games and striking and fielding. There is a greater focus on communication, collaboration, and competition with an understanding of rules and how to improve to achieve greater success.

Each lesson, children are given opportunities to practise and further embed previous skills. Different skills are introduced and recapped throughout the year, across the subject areas. Children are then given opportunities to apply this knowledge within the session and in subsequent sessions. Within sessions we aim to make sure children are active for sustained periods of time in line with the national curriculum recommendation.

Wider Curriculum offers

As part of our wider curriculum offer, all year groups from reception to year 6 are given the opportunity to join a range of extra-curricular after school clubs, delivered by teachers, local clubs, and coaches. Some of the extra-curricular opportunities include dance, gymnastics, football, netball, forest schools, multi skills, cricket, and tag rugby. By making links with local community clubs, we also aim to offer taster sessions to encourage uptake outside of school. We aspire to also engage children into competitions both in school and at events within the local area. As part of our 11B411 promise with Reach2, children take on exciting, challenging adventures, some of which immerse them in an area of physical activity. Year 4 completed the ‘Messing about in water’ promise at an inflatable water park thus helping to build water confidence and enjoyment in the water. Year 2 are becoming ‘Hiking Heroes’ and are climbing the Wrekin, linked with outdoor and adventure skills. Other promises include a flash mob dance and make or break a Reach 2 record whereby in September 2022 all Reach schools took part in a colour run at the same time.  In the year 2020/21 we received recognition of ongoing engagement with the school games mark framework and in 2022 received a bronze award. 

​Daily physical activity

To encourage healthy, active lifestyles, we aim to embed 30 minutes of physical activity throughout the school day. Our active lunch and break times enable children to become more physically active through a zone of their choice with equipment provided, including the following: use of the trim trail, climbing frame, football on rotation, crates, tyres, rounders, cricket, hoops, scooter boards, frisbees and space hoppers.

​Impact

As a result of our PE offer, Silkmore Primary Academy leavers will:

• Have experienced a wide range of sports and activities
• Children will leave proficient in tennis, dodgeball, netball, hockey, cricket, rounders, swimming, athletics, dance, gymnastics, and outdoor and adventure skills
• Pupils will be more confident, physically literate, and motivated with many choosing to participate in additional extra-curricular activities
• Be confident and competent in the skills and knowledge required to meet expected standard
• Lead happy and healthy lifestyles
• Have had opportunities to compete in sporting events
• Have developed their thinking and decision-making skills
• Demonstrate a desire to improve and gain confidence
• Embed values of fairness and respect
• Develop positive attitudes towards sports and healthy lifestyles