Physical Education
Our Curriculum Intent
The Physical Education faculty seeks to engage students in activities that develop health and fitness, as well as to develop independence through problem solving physical challenges, evaluating, modifying technique and consolidating skills through practice and repetition. We understand the importance in instilling a sense of good sportsmanship, and encourage recognition of other pupil’s contribution, developing leadership skills, responsibility, and self-awareness. We also recognise the ways in which our curriculum can support the development of self-esteem through the development of physical confidence and helping pupils to manage both success and failure in competitive and co-operative activities. We actively seek to develop skills as a team player, including praise for others and motivation skills, to understand and recognise relevant rules, laws, codes and etiquette and safety procedures for different activities and provide all students with the confidence to participate in life sports. Alongside this, most pupils leave The Howard of Effingham School with a qualification in GCSE PE, GCSE Dance, BTEC Sport and/or a leadership qualification. Exposing students to competition at the highest level is a focus of both the school and the faculty, ensuring that students fully embrace these sporting opportunities and the many benefits that this brings.
Key Points
- Competition exposure for ALL STUDENTS and for the ELITE
- Academic PE routes to success
- Sustained physical activity to develop social health, physical fitness and wellbeing
- Instilling Sportsmanship and resilience
- Nurture physical and cognitive skills as an individual and team player
- Outcome Management: utilising success and failure as opportunities to develop
Implementation
All our students have access to an extensive range of facilities whilst undertaking our Physical Education curriculum. Opportunities for cross-curricular learning include Inter House competitions, educational sports trips, an extensive array of competitive sports fixtures, 90 sports clubs on offer ‘For All’ each week and strength & conditioning programmes. Our curriculum is designed to build and expand on previous skills and understanding over a 5-year period with a particular focus on Rugby & Netball as our elite pathways, whilst also planning explicit opportunities for repetition to embed subject knowledge. We offer qualifications in Physical Education, which are selected to provide an appropriate challenge, based on each pupil’s stage of development and personalised discussions with their parents, including GCSE PE, BTEC Sport Level 2 and GCSE Dance at KS4 and also A Level PE, BTEC Sport Level 3 and A Level Dance at KS5. We provide a substantial range of extracurricular activities before school, during lunch times and after school including competitive team training, recreational sports, fitness, artistic sports and academic PE support through group catch up and 6th form sports ambassadors intervention support sessions. Our students are taught by subject specialists in all sports and all staff have a very high level of subject knowledge and expertise as well as regularly playing high level competition themselves and participating in CPD training to develop further. Physical Education teachers use a range of formative and summative assessment procedures using The Howards version of Hands / Head / Heart to assess progress and attainment, including self/peer assessment, fitness testing, targeted questioning, academic PE coursework and academic PE monthly interleaving assessments to assess understanding and inform teaching.
Key Points
- All Core PE and Academic PE lessons are taught by highly skilled, experienced subject specialist PE teachers
- Substantial opportunities for both intra and inter school competitions at all levels
- Assessment in PE aligned with career pathways with strands linked to Performance (Hands), Officiating (Head) and leadership (Heart)
- All students access our elite pathway in Rugby and Netball as well as a broad and balanced curriculum designed by the Head of PE in collaboration with student voice via the sports council
- Academic PE specification embedded in KS3 practical PE lessons to ensure all students are 'GCSE Ready' if they choose an academic PE course at KS4
Impact
The vast majority of students exceed their FFT5 target grades in Physical Education at the end of KS4 and continue to study an academic PE course in KS5. Uptake in A Level PE, BTEC Sport Level 3 and A Level Dance is high with students from other schools joining our KS5 Academic PE courses due to the high reputation the school has in the local area. Many students continue their love for PE by pursuing higher education studies in an array of sport related courses at university. Healthy lifestyles, leadership, sportsmanship, teamwork, resilience, enjoyment, and dedication is embedded in all PE lessons. Alongside this, students have opportunities such as sports tours, ski trips, Duke of Edinburgh award, fixtures, awards evenings as well as many social sports events for students and parents. We are very proud of our many students that have continued their elite sport pathways and are currently playing professionally in Football (England international, Premier League and Women’s Premier League), Rugby (Gallagher Premiership) and Cricket (County Championship), European gold medallists in Athletics, Swimming, Martial arts and Figure skating as well as national representation in Gymnastics, Trampolining, rowing and All England Dance. Elite sport at The Howard can be clearly acknowledged with teams competing in National Finals at Rugby Union, Rugby League, Football and Netball. Several of our ex-students have also completed their PGCE/i2i in PE, returning back to complete their teacher training at The Howard and either current teachers in our PE faculty or have become PE teachers including Heads of PE in nearby local schools.
Key Points
- Outstanding Academic PE results in all GCSE PE, GCSE Dance, BTEC Sport L2, A Level PE, A Level Dance and BTEC Sport L3 courses
- Students 'love for PE' is evident in full participation within lessons, exemplary behaviour and motivation within all lessons, very high numbers opting to take academic PE courses at KS4 and KS5 and more than 500 students taking part in extracurricular sport each week
- More than 30 6th form sports leaders assisting with core PE, academic PE and extracurricular sport each week
- Pathway to elite sport is clearly evident with ex-students playing professionally in football, cricket and rugby at the highest level
- Ex students continuing their love for PE post-18 and furthering their careers in PE via the i2i Teaching Programme, physiotherapy, coaching, sports psychologists and sports nutritionists
Our Learning Journey
Please click here for our KS3 PE Learning Journey.
Please click here for our KS4 PE Learning Journey.
Please click here for our GCSE KS4 PE Learning Journey.
Please click on the relevant link below for PE Learning Journeys:
Please click on the relevant link below for GCSE PE Learning Journeys:
National Curriculum Mapping
Our schemes of work are aligned with the National Curriculum and are designed to at least meet its requirements, going beyond them in many respects.
To access the National Curriculum Programmes of Study for KS3 & KS4 Physical Education, click here.
The National Curriculum Purpose of Study for Physical Education is as follows:
A high-quality physical education curriculum inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically-demanding activities. It should provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect.
KS4 Course Information
For information about KS4 courses, please refer to the KS4 Curriculum e-booklet.
Please click here for the KS4 BTEC Sport exam specification.
Please click here for the KS4 GCSE PE exam specification.
KS5 Course Information
For information about the KS5 Courses available, click here.