Intent

At St. Mark’s C of E Primary Academy, we aim to develop pupils who will be physically active and can flourish in a range of different physical activities. We want them to look after the bodies that God has blessed them with.

 The aims of our PE curriculum are to develop pupils who:

• Are willing to practise skills in a range of different activities and situations, alone, in small groups and in teams, and to apply these skills in chosen activities to achieve exceptionally high levels of performance;
• Have and maintain high levels physical fitness;
• Lead a healthy lifestyle which is achieved by eating sensibly, being aware of the dangers of drugs, smoking and alcohol and exercising regularly;
• Are able to remain physically active for sustained periods of time and have an understanding of the importance of this in promoting long-term health and well-being;
• Take the initiative and become excellent young leaders, organising and officiating, and evaluating what needs to be done to improve, and motivating and instilling excellent sporting attitudes in others;
• Employ imagination and creativity in their techniques, tactics and choreography;
• Are able to improve their own and others’ performance;
• Can work independently for extended periods of time without the need for guidance or support;
• Have 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 extracurricular sport;
• Can swim at least 25 metres before the end of Year 6 and know how to remain safe in and around water.  

Implementation

St. Mark’s Teachers work closely with the experienced coaches offered by Crystal Palace Sports Academy who provide opportunities to work with experts in the field and the ability to learn from their work ethic and demonstrations of good practice. The long-term plan sets out the PE units which are to be taught throughout the year and ensures that the requirements of the National Curriculum are fully met. There is a cycle of lessons for each subject, which carefully incorporates the development of progression and key skills. There are also challenging opportunities for pupils to apply their learning in a philosophical/open manner. Pupils participate in two high-quality PE lessons each week, covering two sporting disciplines every half term. In addition, children are encouraged to participate in a varied range of extracurricular activities. Lunchtime supervisors support PE-based activities. 

Children can attend after-school sport clubs throughout the school year.  Children are given the opportunity to develop their skills before playing competitive games against each other and other schools. The school takes part in annual swimming and sports competitions against other schools and counties.

The Physical Education curriculum offers work that extends our students with activities that enrich and promote high achievement and good progress.  Specific tasks are set at a higher level than that of their peers for those identified as more able.   A wider range of contexts and resources are used for learning and pupils who show greater skills are encouraged to move through their learning at a faster rate than their peers are.

Impact

We help motivate children to participate in a variety of sports through quality teaching that is engaging and fun. From our lessons, our children learn to take responsibility for their own health and fitness. Many of our children also enjoy the success of competitive sports with other schools and organisations. We equip our children with the necessary skills and a love for sport. They will prayerfully grow up to live happy and healthy lives utilising the skills and knowledge acquired through PE.