The school's 'Champion' for PE  is Mr Niall Taylor working collaboratively and with the whole teaching team (within a horizontal leadership model) to deliver Physical Education across the school, ensuring standards continue to replicate the School Games gold award - a government led awards scheme launched in 2012 to reward schools for their commitment to the development of competition across their school and into the community.

Please find whole school Physical Education plan here!

Frequency of sessions: Two hours per week. At the current time (because of the pandemic), all sessions are outside. In non covid times, there would be an hour of indoor PE and an hour of outside PE a week. This is in line with the current statutory requirements for PE:

The minimum content for each Key Stage is as follows:

• Foundation and Key Stage 1 - athletics, dance, games, and gymnastics
• Key Stage 2 - athletics, dance, games, gymnastics and swimming

To read further about the statutory requirements in this subject click here.

At Deanshanger, we believe that Physical Education is a vital part of the curriculum as it not only promotes a healthy and active lifestyle but teaches the key values of teamwork, honesty, self-belief, passion, determination, and respect.

We currently use the REAL PE programme which heavily focuses on coordination, balance and agility and promotes mastering and improving key skills within a sport. All staff are trained in this approach and deliver REAL PE to their class.

Foundation Stage follow some of the REAL PE programme and satisfy the Early Years curriculum through other units of dance, gymnastics, apparatus use and multi-skills activities. They also incorporate Balanceability into the week for some children. 

Key Stage 1 follow their REAL PE programme, complete with REAL GYM and dance for indoor PE. In addition, KS1 take part in a skills-based approach to invasion, net/ball and fielding and striking games for outdoor PE.

Lower KS2 follow their REAL PE programme, complete with REAL GYM, and dance for indoor PE. Outdoor games covers traditional sports games which focus on the skills development whilst being played within competitive recognised sport.  REAL PE units can also be done as the outdoor games too.

Upper KS2 follow their REAL PE programme, complete with REAL GYM, and dance for indoor PE. Outdoor games consists of traditional sports games which focus on the skills development whilst being played within competitive recognised sport. REAL PE units can also be done as the outdoor games too. Upper KS2 also follow an in-house competition format earning points towards Sports Day.

All year groups have access to the Real Jasmine platform which enables the subject to be taught using real-life context for the skills needed to be successful. There is a heavy focus on individual self-improvement no matter what the perceived ability. The best examples of this come through our investment in Skip2Bfit and Run a mile.

As well as Physical Education in curriculum time, Deanshanger Primary also take part in many sporting events with other schools in the local area. These include tag rugby, football, athletics (indoor and outdoor), gymnastics, netball, cricket, Kurling, Boccia, Archery, Tri-golf, cross country and hockey.

Specifically, Year 4 attend Towcester swimming pool for swimming lessons and top up swimming is provided to children in Year 6. Years 4 and 6 get the opportunity to go to school residentials which provide chances to explore more outdoor experiences related to physical activity.

We also offer a range of extra-curricular activities before and after school. These include the traditional sports of football, gymnastics and athletics as well as individual events such as run a mile and Skip2Bfit.

We also have a broad range of in-house activities delivered by our Sports Leaders, Play Leaders and several outsourced sports providers.

There is no formal assessment within Physical Education. However, teachers are consistently assessing their pupil’s attainment and progress against the skills outlined in the Real PE programme. The success of this programme is apparent in the ability of Year 5 and Year 6 to take part in competitive sport.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1 - What decisions have been made about the curriculum in your subject?

For indoor PE it was decided that we would follow the REAL PE/REAL GYM programme offered by Create Development and an outside Dance provider. For outside PE Key Stage 1 and below would follow Val Sabin which offers the three types of invasion, net and fielding games that can be adjusted as needed. For outside PE Key Stage 2 we allow any sport to be focused on provided the skills taught match the needs of the children following the national curriculum.

PE is a stand-alone subject incorporated into the IPC as and when allows depending on the topic. For example, dance can be included depending on the culture being covered in the topic.

The REAL PE/GYM is heavily focused on the individual and coaching/mentoring through peer and adult reflection.

This is the right curriculum for our children as it caters, includes and offers PE for all children across the school, regardless of ability, EAL, ethnicity, gender, etc… It has a healthy balance of individual and team improvement whilst not losing the healthy competitive side of sport too.

2- How has the subject curriculum been adapted to meet our needs?

REAL PE and REAL GYM are both written to fully accommodate and ensure the requirements of the national curriculum. The outdoor PE we follow allows teachers to cover the breadth of skills needed to be taught across a range of traditional sports that children could have an interest in and out of the school setting.

Ofsted 2019: Leaders use the additional funds provided through the primary physical education (PE) and sport premium particularly well to ensure that all pupils take part in a range of sports and make healthy choices. Raising day-to-day physical activity is given a high priority for pupils and families through ‘skip2bfit’ and ‘run a mile’. There are events for elite sports and less confident pupils. There are also opportunities in alternative sports, such as martial arts and yoga. Staff training and working alongside specialists has raised their confidence and subject knowledge in aspects such as teaching gymnastics.

Our curriculum works even better now due to competitive competition having almost ceased to exist, we still have the developed competitiveness within all Key Stage 2 year groups.

3 - How do you know your curriculum is working?

All staff have the required training to deliver all parts of PE. If any gaps are identified, training is provided externally or internally. We constantly take part in outside sporting competitions which show that are children develop their abilities to a standard good enough to compete against others. Teachers regularly feed back that children are accessing the content in line with expectations, if not pushing themselves to achieve more. Since 2019 it has been very hard to monitor and assess individual lessons but a plan is in place for this to happen during this academic year so the evidence to prove this is there to back up it up. Elevation group planned for.

 

4.  What has been the impact of lockdown etc on the subject and what positive examples can we share about the subject and its remote delivery?

Lockdown and Covid measures destroyed the subject initially. To begin with children were set tasks and directed to such things as Joe Wicks. Following the improvement of remote learning, Northamptonshire sport offered a range of activities that were shared with pupils as much as was possible to continue providing ideas and activities for children and parents. Some teachers took it to the next step of even doing their own Joe Wicks lessons. Now we are back in school the curriculum carried on as normal from before all of the disruption with training provided as needed. Recently, indoor PE was halted but children were given extended outdoor sessions to make up for the loss of indoor session time.

5. What are the strengths of your current subject curriculum?

The healthy balance of individual improvement and competitiveness in a healthy all participating environment. This is down to the use of REAL PE/GYM and the open sport focused approach to outdoor pe. This can be demonstrated at the end of each half term with inter tournaments taking place across Key Stage 2.

6 - What are the areas of the curriculum that might need development?

The assessment side where we prove children’s progress with physical tangible evidence from lessons over a period of time. This is part of the subject action plan and time has been allocated ready to do this.

7.  Leading professional development, providing guidance and support to colleagues.

REAL PE and REAL GYM training provided in staff meeting time for all staff so many had a refresher and new members of staff had full training. Support is regularly given by myself to colleagues who need help and support. In year 6, teaching to strengths is encouraged where one teacher does both PE lessons and the other does both RE lessons.

8.  How is PE resourced?

See Ofsted comment above but I write the Sport Premium document with the head so I know resources are provided as needed. The equipment is checked every year so all equipment is ready for use. Subscriptions are also paid and provided for through sustained funding every year too. REAL PE and REAL GYM were the most recent but now longstanding. Equipment is

9. What do you expect that Ofsted will see when they focus on the subject?

They will see indoor PE delivered through the interactive resource of REAL PE or REAL GYM across years 1 to 6. In reception the planning and provision is fluid and can be found more easily on planning for the week. This is then encouraged and provided for individual children as needed. Outdoor PE will see a skills-based lesson followed by an opportunity to use skills taught in an arranged sporting environment.