Physical Education
Core Physical Education
Hours taught per fortnight (KS3): 4
Hours taught per fortnight (KS4): 3
Our aim is to ensure that all students receive a fully inclusive Physical Education programme of study in order to develop confident, successful students who can achieve their full potential.
We aim to develop our students holistically through the enjoyment of physical education, by equipping them with the motor competencies, cognitive understanding and personal attributes to live a healthy, active lifestyle. Students will learn under the four pillars of Physical Education: healthy active lifestyles; rules, strategies and tactics; motor competence; and personal development.
Year 7 & 8
KS3 is broken down into 7 key areas of study: Dance, Gymnastics, Athletics, Invasion Games, Outdoor and Adventurous Activities, Striking and Fielding and Net/Wall Games. A focussed offer of sports at Key Stage 3 will ensure students develop the fundamentals of movement skills and knowledge required to build a solid foundation to build upon in each area of study.
Students will be encouraged to take part in extracurricular sport within college with the intention that students will join clubs outside of school.
Years 9-11
As they move on from Year 8 into Year 9, students should have a good level of motor competence across seven key areas. In KS4:
- Focus will shift from securing the motor competencies required at KS3, to the deeper understanding of rules, tactics and strategies.
- A greater emphasis will be placed on the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle and gaining the personal attributes and knowledge to succeed in recreational sport/ fitness.
- Students will experience a broader range of sports and activities to give them the opportunity to transfer the knowledge and skills gained in KS3.
- Students will continue to develop personal and social attributes and understand how these skills will help them holistically.
It is our aim to deliver a curriculum that can help to create a well-rounded student with an array of skills and attributes that can be used long after the student has left education.
Core Physical Education Curriculum Summary
GCSE Physical Education
Hours taught per fortnight (KS4): 5
The GCSE Physical Education curriculum introduces students to a range of theoretical factors that underpin physical activity and sport. The content focuses on three key areas: physical factors affecting performance, socio-cultural issues and sports, and performance in physical education. Learning about these provides students with an in-depth understanding of sport and activity. Students will be able to critically analyse and evaluate physical performance and apply their experience of practical activities in developing their knowledge and understanding of the subject.
This course will prepare students for the further study of PE or sports science courses as well as other related subject areas such as psychology, sociology and biology. The subject is enriched by an extensive extracurricular programme that will further develop and enhance the students’ practical ability and theoretical understanding of the subject.
GCSE Physical Education Curriculum Summary
CNAT Sport Studies
Hours taught per fortnight (KS4): 5
The Cambridge National in Sport Studies offers students the opportunity to develop different types of skills through largely practical means. Communication, problem-solving, team working, evaluation and analysis, performing under pressure, and formulating written findings from practical investigation are all skills that will be taught through this course.
Students will have the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge about different types of sport and physical activity, skills development and sports leadership to their own practical performance. They will learn about contemporary issues in sport such as funding, participation, ethics and role models, and sport and the media.
The subject is enriched by an extensive extracurricular programme that will further develop and enhance the students’ practical ability and theoretical understanding of the subject.
CNAT Sport Studies Curriculum Summary
BTEC Dance
Hours taught per fortnight (KS4): 5
BTEC Dance is both a practical and theory-based course that offers the chance to learn and be assessed on dance performance and choreographic ability. It has a three-block structure (explore, develop and apply) which has been developed to allow students to build upon and embed their knowledge. This allows students to grow in confidence and then put into practice what they have learned. The course centres around three key components:
- Exploring the performing arts - students will explore performance styles, creative intentions and purposes. Students will investigate how practitioners create and influence what is performed. Students will discover performance roles, skills, techniques and processes for live performances.
- Developing skills and techniques in performing arts - students will take part in workshops, classes and rehearsals to gain physical, interpretative and rehearsal skills. Students will apply these skills in performance and reflect on their progress, their performance and how they can improve.
- Responding to a brief - students will use the brief and previous learning to come up with ideas, build on their skills in classes, workshops and rehearsals to help them create choreography. Students will review the process using an ideas and skills log. They will perform their piece to a live audience and reflect upon their performance afterwards in the form of an evaluation report.