Physical Education – Intent Statement

At Leigh St Mary’s we understand that there are essential characteristics that physically active pupils demonstrate. The intent of the PE curriculum from Early Years to Year 6 is to build these characteristics within our pupils.

The essential characteristics of physically active pupils are:

• The ability to acquire new knowledge and skills exceptionally well and develop an in-depth understanding of PE.
• The willingness to practise skills in a wide range of different activities and situations, individually, in small groups and in teams and to apply these skills to a high level of performance.
• High levels of physical fitness.
• A healthy lifestyle, achieved by eating sensibly and exercising regularly.
• The ability to remain physically active for sustained periods of time and an understanding of the importance of this in promoting long-term health and well-being.
• The ability to take the initiative and become excellent young leaders, organising and officiating and evaluating what needs to the done to improve, and modelling excellent sporting attitudes in others.
• Exceptional levels of originality, imagination, and creativity in their techniques, tactics and choreography. Knowledge of how to improve their own and others’ performance and the ability to work independently without the need of guidance or support.
• A keen interest in PE. A willingness to participate eagerly in every lesson, highly positive attitudes and the ability to make informed choices about engaging fully in extra-curricular sport.
• The ability to swim at least 25m and to swim with a range of strokes before the end of Year 6 and knowledge of how to remain safe in and around water.

(The Essentials Curriculum, Chris Quigley Education)

Physical Education – Implementation Statement

At Leigh St Mary’s we teach PE based on schemes of work from Twinkl Plan Its. Our curriculum aims to instil a deep understanding of a healthy lifestyle and the benefits of physical activity in pupils, to develop their confidence to excel in and to experiment in a variety of sports and to evaluate performance and to know how to improve.

The PE curriculum at Leigh St Mary’s is sequential, allowing children to build their skills and knowledge, applying them to a range of outcomes.

The formal elements of PE are included throughout the teaching sequence. Key skills are revisited again and again with increasing complexity in a spiral curriculum model. This allows pupils to revise and build on their previous learning. Learning in each year group is organised into five core areas:

• Games
• Gymnastics
• Dance
• Outdoor Adventurous Activities
• Athletics

The PE progression map shows the skills that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage. Focused activity and independent outcomes are robustly embedded into our lesson plans, supporting students in learning how to make their own decisions, so that their PE outcomes are unique to each pupil. Lessons are always practical in nature and encourage individual, group and team attainment.

At Leigh St Mary’s, PE is embedded in the weekly curriculum. We have invested in expert PE teaching and high-quality PE resources which provide opportunities for pupils to encounter new skills, embed previously taught learning and become experts in a particular technique or sport.  

PE is given a high profile at Leigh St Mary’s and we are proud to have earned the Gold Sports Mark and are currently working towards Platinum. Our highly skilled PE lead runs a large range of extra-curricular clubs to complement the curriculum teaching in school. Pupils are also given the opportunity to take part in inter-school events which are always highly inclusive. School also has strong links with local high schools, especially Bedford High School, which enables pupils to take part in large dance shows and sporting events.