Intent

The significant contribution Physical Education (PE) plays on the mental health and wellbeing of pupils is paramount to the design of the curriculum at Idle CE Primary School for PE. It is our intent to inspire an active generation who:

·       enjoy taking part in physical activity

·       work together as part of a positive team

·       encourage each other to succeed

·       understand fairness and equality of play

·       recognise the opportunities PE offers in building the foundations of skills for life

·       are able to flourish in the fullness of life. 

·       are physically literate when they move onto the next stage in their education

Our curriculum aims to improve the well-being and fitness of all children at Idle, not only through the sporting skills taught, but through the underpinning values and disciplines PE promotes. Through the opportunities provided for pupils to participate in competitive and physically demanding activities we offer our pupils experiences that build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect.

At Idle CE Primary School, we provide a safe and supportive environment for children to flourish in a range of different physical activities. We believe this is essential in supporting the physical, emotional, spiritual, social and moral development of our pupils. 

Implementation

“Regular participation in sport and physical activity develops character, creates a sense of belonging, and supports building personal resilience. Additionally, playing team sports has positive impacts on developing leadership and teamworking skills.” DFE, March 2024  

At Idle CE Primary School, all pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 have two hours of high-quality, timetabled PE lessons each week, covering two areas of activity every half-term. In addition to this, there are opportunities created throughout our school day and through our varied range of extra-curricular activities that allow pupils to take part in moderate to vigorous physical activity for an average of 60 minutes a day. 

Idle CE Primary School provides challenging and enjoyable learning through a range of sporting activities across the five areas of activity, as outlined in the national curriculum programme of study for PE: 

·       Games

·       Gymnastics

·       Dance

·       OAA

·       Swimming for pupils in Year 5

(Instruction provided by Bradford Council Swimming instructors, supporting pupils to succeed in the target of pupils being able to swim 25 metres by the time they leave Primary School. Pupils are also taught water survival skills through this instruction.)

Competitive sports are an important aspect of life at Idle CE Primary School, and pupils are invited to attend competitive sporting events on a regular basis, including intra-school events, inter-school events, district events and county events. We take an inclusive approach to competitive sports, which endeavours to encourage not only physical development but also mental health and the well-being of as many pupils as possible.

Pupils in Year 5 are trained to become play leaders for the school. These play leaders facilitate opportunities for pupils to participate in physical activities during their break times and lunchtimes. In addition to this, a number of Year 6 pupils are Sports Leaders. Our sports leaders develop into sporting role models for the younger children, assisting with lunch-time clubs, our annual Sports day and any other sporting activities that take place during the academic year. 

Pupils at Idle CE Primary are able to participate in workshops covering a variety of sports throughout the year through our links with Sports UK and through our residential visits. Pupils experience activities such as: archery, outdoor and adventurous activities, boxing and skipping. These experiences provide the pupils at Idle CE Primary School with an opportunity to develop, improve their fitness, try something new and flourish in different areas of the National Curriculum for PE. 

Impact

At Idle CE Primary School, we equip our children with the necessary knowledge skills to be physically literate and with a love for sport in order to allow them to succeed in sporting areas when they transition to secondary school. The high-quality physical education we offer has a positive impact on both academic learning and physical activity patterns of our pupils, allowing our pupils to make informed choices and understand the value of leading a physically active lifestyle.

Pupils at Idle CE Primary School are motivated through high quality teaching that is engaging and fun. Our pupils learn to take responsibility for their own health and fitness, and share in our vision that that a healthy, physically active pupil is more likely to be academically motivated, alert and successful in life.