We believe that Physical Education helps students with their personal, social and health development, as well as their physical and creative skills and the application of these in sporting activities.
In KS3, students are taught essential skills and processes that enable them to:
- Develop skills in physical activities
- Make and apply decisions
- Develop physical and mental capacity
- Evaluate and improve performance
- Make informed choices about healthy, active lifestyles.
During this Key Stage, we use the following activities in lessons to deliver the curriculum: Athletics, Dance, Games, Gymnastics and Outdoor Adventure Activities. In Games, we use hockey, netball, basketball, volleyball, football, rugby, rounders and tennis. We also deliver modules on Health Related Exercise.
These activities allow us to ensure that students have the opportunities to learn to:
- outwit opponents
- accurately replicate movement
- explore and communicate ideas, concepts and emotions
- perform at maximum levels
- identify and solve problems
- exercise safely and effectively.
In KS4, we offer an options system to students. They are able to choose two National Curriculum activities from those taught in KS3. They are also able to follow modules in Health Related Exercise/First Aid and can opt to do off-site activities in skiing, skating and sailing. We also have outside teachers who come in to deliver activities such as self-defence and cheerleading.
Every student follows the Junior Sports or Dance Leadership course in Years 10 and 11, with the vast majority passing the qualification successfully each year.
Also in KS4, we offer AQA GCSE Physical Education, which is 60% practical and 40% theoretical. We have a healthy take-up from our students and results are good.
At KS5, we offer OCR Physical Education at AS and A2, which is 80% theoretical and 20% practical. Group numbers are good, as are our results.
In the Sixth Form we offer the Level Two Community Sports Leaders Award, which is very popular. Students finish the year by organising a festival day for local primary pupils.
The department also runs a large range of extra-curricular clubs before school, at lunchtimes and after school. We enter teams for local leagues, district and county tournaments and play matches in a variety of sports. Students are also entered for competitions in other sports as well as District and County trials.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is offered initially to all students in Year 10. At present we have over eighty students doing the Bronze Award, nine students doing the Silver Award and seven doing the Gold Award.
We also organise Inter-form tournaments, an annual Sports Day, trips to sporting events, an Army Day for Year 9, an outdoor adventure day for Year 10 and the school Fun Run, which raises money for local charities.