Subject Lead: Mr Rob Youson [email protected]
The curriculum for PE at All Souls builds upon the programme of study outlined in the National Curriculum for England which can be found here.
What is our vision for PE at All Souls?
At All Souls Catholic Primary School we passionately believe that all children should be encouraged to develop a love for physical activity and sport, understanding that exercise and sport can and should play a significant role in leading a healthy lifestyle and preparing them so that they are able to make informed choices about physical activity throughout their lives. Through a carefully mapped, diverse and ever evolving PE curriculum we strive to develop both children’s fundamental physical characteristics of fine and gross motor skills, core strength, fitness, stamina, co-ordination and balance alongside the physical intellectual skills of teamwork, strategy, creativity and problem solving so that All Souls children are versatile and highly-skilled across what is such a multi-discipline subject. Alongside a comprehensive PE curriculum, delivered by experts with high levels of subject knowledge, we ensure that all children have not only access to a rich and varied extra-curricular fitness and sport programme, but also receive regular opportunities to participate in competitive and non-competitive activities within and outside of the school, drawing on our vast and well-established links across the regional community. Irrespective of age, ability, background or barrier to learning, we believe that all children can gain huge levels of enjoyment, self-confidence, self-worth and achievement through sport and exercise and our ultimate goal is to ensure that, for All Souls children, this is the case.
How do we achieve this vision?
In the EYFS, physical development activities are woven throughout the curriculum and children have many opportunities daily to develop their fine and gross motor skills, co-ordination and balance. In addition to this, in groups, children receive weekly 30 minute sessions with a dance/gymnastic specialist to further enhance these core skills as well as their ability to listen, sequence movements, move rhythmically and follow instructions.
Throughout KS1 and 2, children have two dedicated PE sessions weekly of 45-60 minutes in KS1 and 60 minutes in KS2. A minimum of one of these, each week is delivered by the school’s dedicated PE specialist teacher whilst the other, under their leadership, is delivered by class teachers. Teachers also plan into their timetables opportunities for fitness and exercise, both within and outside the classroom throughout the week so that children are active on a daily basis.
Across these two, weekly lessons, children complete two PE units simultaneously in accordance with the school’s curriculum map, which has been improved and finely tuned over a number of years. The curriculum is designed so that alongside developing core PE skills and fitness, they progressively develop their knowledge and understanding of different sports, the rules and strategies associated with playing these and can increasingly adapt to and learn new games with ease.
Across each Key Stage, children learn a range of invasion, net/wall and striking & fielding games. They also complete yearly units in athletics, fitness and gymnastics and a qualified specialist dance teacher is employed to deliver dance units to each year group.
In Year 4, all children participate in a term of weekly swimming sessions, delivered by qualified swimming instructors in a local sports centre. Further opportunities then exist in Years 5 and 6 for those who are not yet confident and competent swimmers across a range of strokes to undertake further tuition.
Children also develop their outdoor and adventurous skills during their time at All Souls. Each year, children undertake a specific outdoor learning unit where their orienteering, team building and problem-solving skills are developed. In Year 5, children have the opportunity to participate in a two-night, spiritual retreat residential to Alton Castle, Staffordshire, where they undertake numerous outdoor and adventurous activities. In Year 6, children then have a second residential opportunity – a four-night adventure retreat to Plas Dol-y-Moch, an outdoor pursuit centre located in the heart of Snowdonia, Wales. Here children experience mountain walking, water sports and other adventurous activities, led by highly skilled and qualified instructors.
Throughout their time at All Souls, children experience many additional opportunities, over and above the specific PE curriculum to experience sports and exercise. These vary from year to year, depending upon specific cohorts, teachers and availability of activities but in recent times have included paddleboarding, ice skating, archery, high ropes, assault courses, countryside walks and many others.
We count ourselves very fortunate at All Souls to have both a rich resource in terms of our school grounds and also facilities within the local area. We consider our school grounds to be well-equipped in order to deliver and support our ambitious vision for excellence in PE and sport. We have a large, flat, well-maintained school field, generously proportioned playground, an artificially-turfed multi-use zone as well as two fixed apparatus climbing structures/trim trails and a tyre park. The school playground is also equipped with fixed MUGA goals and numerous basketball and netball goals. The school grounds have also been professionally mapped for the purpose of orienteering. We are also fortunate to have two further professionally marked orienteering courses within close proximity to the school.
During break and lunch times children are encouraged to be active and play games and sports together. Each class has a range of multi-purpose equipment and, where weather and staffing ratios allow, under the close supervision of adults, children are able to use the fixed equipment during these times. Music is often played during lunch times for children to move and dance to.
Children of all ages have access to a wide range of extra-curricular fitness and sports activities. These vary throughout the year but typically could include football (for different ages and girls/boys), netball, running club, dance, glee club, gymnastics, cricket club, dodgeball, athletics, kurling, darts and others. All of these are either free or very low-cost to access, and attendance and demand for spaces is high.
In addition, children have many, many opportunities to participate in events both organised by the school and those to which the school is invited. We actively look for as many opportunities as possible for children to represent All Souls. We are always careful in ensuring that we participate in both competitive events and those which are not and we ensure that inclusion is as important as success. As part of the Coventry Catholic Sports Partnership we participate in boys’ and girls’ football leagues and tournaments, a netball league and rally, athletic competitions, swimming galas and cross-country events. We also part of other local partnerships including those organised by our local SGO (School Games Organiser) which includes many competitive, non-competitive and inclusive events which vary from year to year.
Our annual sports day is a highlight of the school calendar. This event involves all children, each representing their allocated school house group, challenging themselves to complete a range of activities which allow them to demonstrate their attainment and progress in core PE skills. We also celebrate many other high profile world sporting events through hosting our own, school-based versions, including but not limited to the Olympic games, the Commonwealth Games, the World Cup and the European Championships so that children are aware of significant events globally.
The school has a Level 3 Forest School trained teacher and a dedicated forest school area and curriculum. Many core PE skills are further developed and refined through this.
Within the school’s ‘101 Pledge’ there is a dedicated ‘Sport, Exercise and Adventure’ section which further demonstrates the school’s commitment to providing a balanced set of experiences and life skills alongside the specific school curriculum. Teachers use these records to plan additional activities and opportunities for children in their class, for example, all children across the school recently took part in a mini marathon world record attempt as a way of achieving the ‘Attempt to break a world record’ pledge.
A team of four children, from Upper Key Stage 2, are appointed as Sports Leaders each year. These children become ambassadors for sport, exercise, teamwork and fair play and take on responsibilities including the organisation of events and equipment and seeking/representing the views of children from across the school.
How does this impact our children?
All Souls children of all ages speak very positively about PE and sport:
“PE keeps us fit, makes us healthy and allows us to try things that you wouldn’t normally try.” Year 4 pupil
“I enjoy learning new sports. It can be tricky at first but we get better each time we play.” Year 5 pupil
“PE is my favourite lesson. Mr Youson is good fun and he teaches us really well.” Year 2 pupil
“We take part in so many different tournaments. I always feel really proud to represent All Souls.” Year 6 pupil
“After doing gymnastics at school, I joined a local gymnastics club.” Year 4 pupil
“I really enjoy it when we have whole school events such as during the Euro’s.” Year 5 pupil
Parents and carers are very appreciative of the school’s commitment to sport:
“The school offers so many different before and after school clubs. The children are very lucky.”
“There is a very inclusive approach to sport and it seems like all children have the opportunity to success.”
“Mr Youson is a huge asset to the school. He is well liked by all of the children and is an excellent coach and teacher.”
The school enjoys high levels of success in local and regional events, competitions, festivals and tournaments:
- We have achieved the School Games ‘Gold’ award for three years running.
- We reached the county finals schools’ athletics tournament (2022-23)
- We reached the county finals schools’ rowing tournament (2022-23)
- We reached the county finals schools’ speed stacking tournament (2022-23)
- Our teams perform consistently well in all local competitions, overachieving for a school of our size
High numbers of children, of all ages, backgrounds and abilities represent the school regularly:
There continues to be high uptake and demand for places at extra-curricular PE and sport clubs:
Current (2022-23) statistics of how many children across school attend extra-curricular PE and sport clubs.
Former pupils go on to achieve great things in PE and sport:
- A former All Souls pupil is currently signed for Fleetwood Town FC
- A former pupil went to win a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Judo
- A former pupil has been selected to represent GB in swimming at the international children’s games (ICG), taking place in South Korea, July 2023
- A former pupil received a rugby scholarship with Leicester Tigers
- A former pupil is currently signed for Worcester Warriors RFC
- A former pupil represented the midlands in Nationwide Dance Finals
- A former pupil was accepted in the World Snooker Tour Q school
PE Curriculum Map & Progression of Skills
