Physical Education (PE)
2 Timothy 2:5
Building fitness, self-esteem, creativity and competition through physical education.
Organisation of PE
At Eltham we firmly believe that a healthy lifestyle is linked to strong mental wellbeing so we allocate the recommended two hours for high quality PE each week. We have a varied and exciting programme of lessons, with clear progression across the year groups. In addition, we incorporate intra-competitions such as football, cross country and cricket across the school year. Sport is encouraged in other aspects of the school day for example: organised clubs in the morning, after school and at lunchtime; daily skipping or jogging; and supervised playtime activities.
The ‘Get Set 4 PE’ scheme forms our medium-term planning. It is a scheme of work designed to improve children’s physical skills, cooperation and a love for lifelong activity. The programme is progressive and structured with clear lesson plans, success criteria and assessment tools to track student progress.
During all PE lessons, we encourage self-analysis and raise pupils’ self-esteem whilst providing opportunities for them to be creative and competitive. All lessons include:
- Plans aligned with the National Curriculum.
- A progressive structure.
- Adaptive and inclusive activities.
- Appropriate warm-up with health-related discussion using correct technical vocabulary.
- Acquiring and developing new skills and reinforcement of old.
- Using and applying skills in a range of increasingly challenging activities.
- Reference back to lesson objectives and language learnt.
Click here for the PE Curriculum Overview
Swimming, a national curriculum requirement, takes place in Year 4 with additional lessons in Year 6 for those not achieving 25m. We also endeavour to offer our children access to specialised sports such as rock climbing, skateboarding, scootering and golf. As a member of the Greenwich Schools Sport Partnership, we have access to regular staff training and events for the children to participate in, such as cross-country, inclusive swimming and dance.
All children are expected to take part in PE lessons appropriate to their stage of development. Challenge for all is integral to our teaching and we aim to encourage all pupils to reach their full potential through the provision of varied opportunities and skills demonstrated within lessons. Lessons are differentiated to aid children’s learning. Gifted pupils are challenged by giving them the opportunity to apply their skills in more complex games and activities.
We recognise that our curriculum planning must allow pupils to gain a progressively deeper understanding and competency as they move through our school and any specific individual’s needs must be identified in their provision maps.
PE takes place on the MUGA (Multi-Utility Games Area), in the junior and infant playground and in the hall. Markings on the junior playground are for netball, basketball, small-sided football and short tennis. We use the Eltham Centre for swimming lessons throughout the year and we use Sutcliffe Park for KS2 Sports Day in summer. We also use Eltham Park South and Avery Hill Park for large-scale running, cricket and rounders events.
Focus Athletes
Each year group is assigned a ‘focus athlete’ to learn about which changes every term (these are listed on our PE curriculum overview). The athletes are diverse, varying in their nationalities, abilities (including para-athletes), gender and sports. This is essential in PE as it promotes inclusivity, supporting pupils to develop a broad range of physical skills, build their confidence and self-esteem and respect for others. Some of our athletes include Philip Kim (Canadian breakdancer), Dina Asher-Smith (British runner), Yasuhiro Yamashita (Japanese judoka) and Trischa Zorn (American Paralympic swimmer). Exposing the children to diverse role models ensures that all of our learners see themselves as capable.
PE Lessons
Reception
In our Reception classes, the pupils are encouraged to be physical throughout the day. They are given the opportunity to ride bikes and scooters, to climb in a safe environment and to create games using a wide variety of small PE apparatus. To support Reception children achieve their physical development early learning goals, pupils are taught a range of skills to help them develop their strength, balance and coordination. In the summer term, Reception transition into more formalised PE lessons.
Year 1
In Year 1, PE is generally skill-based activities which support children to develop locomotion in jumping and running and ball skills with hands and feet. In the autumn term, the pupils focus on fundamentals, athletics, ball skills and sending and receiving. In spring, they progress onto gymnastics and some target and invasion games. In the summer term, Year 1 focus on dance and applying their previously taught skills into striking and fielding games and net and wall games.
Year 2
In Year 2, we are looking for the children to start applying their skills and exploring. In locomotion, the children are now encouraged to use their hand and feet skills more intricately. For example, by passing the ball in different ways, thinking about the force applied and how they can make the ball go in different directions and dodging. This is taught in the autumn term’s sessions on fundamentals, athletics, ball skills and sending and receiving. In spring’s gymnastics lessons, the focus switches to linking controlled movements together and developing their understanding of pathways. The children continue to progress their skills in target and invasion games. In summer dance sessions, the children are expected to be able to develop their dances, improving through constructive advice and giving feedback to other children on their performances. Year 2 also develop their skills within striking and fielding games and net and wall games in summer.
Year 3
Through our links with Metro Judo Club, we offer all pupils in Year 3 judo coaching in the autumn term. This is a wonderful addition to our curriculum because, alongside the physical benefits, this sport also helps with discipline and building resilience. They are also taught fitness and athletics skills at the start of the year. In the spring term, Year 3 develop their dance and fundamentals skills, followed by basketball sessions. The children are also coached by CAFC for the Joy of Moving Programme (encouraging children to get active using play as the foundation, whilst also helping them to develop key skills such as motor coordination, creativity and social skills). Throughout the summer term, the pupils are taught gymnastics, football and dodgeball sessions. They are also taught tennis by one of the local TwistFizz coaches.
Year 4
In Year 4, all the children attend swimming lessons at the Eltham Centre. The National Curriculum requirement is for all pupils to be able to swim 25m by the end of Year 6. Throughout the autumn and spring terms, our Year 4 learners experience gymnastics, dance, fitness, athletics and cricket lessons. A TwistFizz tennis coach also delivers sessions to progress the children’s tennis skills. In the summer term, the children cover fundamentals and are introduced to dodgeball and netball (which is taught by an external coach).
Year 5
In Year 5 PE, the development is towards playing competitive games in a range of sports and the children are taught skills in defence, attack and interception. In the autumn term, our learners progress their skills in gymnastics, fitness, athletics and they further develop their dance abilities (with the expectation for improved self-analysis and refinement of their skills). In spring, pupils build on their previously taught netball skills, being taught by a coach. A coach from Kent Cricket delivers sessions to the children too and they develop their skills in dodgeball and handball. In the summer term, Year 5 have judo coaching as well as tennis and rugby lessons.
Year 6
One of the highlights of Year 6 is the annual residential trip (more information below). The children have a wonderful opportunity to try a wide range of outdoor and adventurous activities. In the autumn term’s netball sessions, they apply their skills to play the recommended junior netball version, High 5. In gymnastics and dance, we encourage the children to create more complex dances/sequences, with opportunities to develop and refine for performance. In spring, Year 6 develop their athletics skills and are taught cricket and judo by external coaches. In judo, pupils will progress to more complex holds and throws, alongside learning about the history of judo. In summer, the children experience tennis, handball, dodgeball and OAA (Outdoor Adventurous Activities) sessions. Learners who require additional swimming lessons are identified and attend further sessions at the Eltham Centre in the summer term.
Enrichment
We enjoy a strong relationship with local football team, Charlton Athletic (CAFC), who through their Community Trust, (CACT) offer a variety of sporting incentives and enrichment programmes to local schools.
CAFC Joy of Moving Festival Programme
Each year, our learners experience the Joy of Moving Festival programme delivered by CAFC which encourages children to get moving through play. It also supports them to develop key skills, such as motor coordination, creativity and social skills.
CAFC Primary League Stars Programme
This education programme inspires learning, promotes an active lifestyle for our children and helps them to develop important life skills. This year, CAFC staff will deliver a range of PSHE sessions to UKS2 on body image and equality and competitiveness in sports. This is to improve school engagement, social development and wellbeing.
CAFC Football Tournaments
Our UKS2 learners can participate in Charlton Athletic Community Trust’s boys and girls football tournaments which are held at Charlton’s training ground in New Eltham. This includes the Boys Shield tournaments, the Girls Shield tournaments and the Mixed (boys and girls) tournaments. Within a competitive environment, pupils can develop their skills and work as a team to represent the school.
Year 4 Platform Cricket tournament
Each spring or early summer, some of our pupils attend the Year 4 Platform Cricket tournament which is held at various local locations. This offers our children the chance to develop their skills and teamwork whilst participating as a team in a competitive and supportive environment.
KS2 TCS Mini Marathon and Cross-Country events
Coinciding with the London Marathon, our Year 4 – 6 learners participate in our own Eltham CofE version of the ‘TCS Mini Marathon’, held at Eltham Park South. This inspires our learners to be physically active and lead healthier lifestyles by allowing them to run, jog or walk at least 2.6km. The children also participate in cross-country events with local schools.
Diverse sports experiences and external coaches
Throughout the academic year, we aim to expose our children to a wide range of diverse sports activities/experiences:
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In the Autumn term, KS1 participate in a scooter workshop and KS2 are taught skateboarding skills by specialised coaches.
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Our older learners develop their cycling skills in sessions delivered by Cycle Confident. Children are taught basic bike control and balance off-road, followed by being trained to cycle safely on quiet, local roads with light traffic. -
In the spring and summer terms, KS2 experience a cricket taster day and golf taster day led by a PGA professional.
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South London’s biggest climbing wall, ‘The Reach’, is local to Eltham CofE. Our children can enjoy bouldering and rope climbing in a supportive and inclusive environment. -
Our learners have participated in a ‘Healthy Eating’ workshop' (led by the Fit4All team - part of Spark2Education). The children spent time in the workshop looking at what a healthy diet is (e.g. including food packaging and sugar content). They also discussed what makes a healthy lifestyle and took part in some physical activity too.
Travel Ambassadors
Here at Eltham CofE, we are part of the TfL Travel for Life Scheme. We have recently appointed four travel ambassadors across Year 5 and 6. The aim is to encourage friends and families to travel more safely and actively to school. Our ambassadors attended the Annual Convention for Travel for Life Ambassadors at The Valley stadium. This provided our ambassadors with an opportunity to learn more about activities and campaigns which can be implemented in our school whilst being in the presence of the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Councillor Linda Bird.
Athlete Visits
We believe it is important for our learners to meet various athletes in order to inspire them to be more active and to serve as positive role models for hard work and resilience. We recently had the pleasure of two CAFC players, Sophie O’Rourke and Miles Leaburn (a previous Eltham CofE student), sharing their inspirational stories of success with the children in an assembly.
Year 6 School Journey
In the Summer term, Year 6 visit Cumulus Outdoors Centre in Swanage for their residential trip. Their adventurous week away involves participating in a range of outdoor sports activities, including tag archery, volleyball, aero ball, rifle shooting, high ropes, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, a mud trail, beach games, tunnelling, bushcraft and raft building. They also take part in a range of on-site team building games, visit a local water park and Swanage beach and the arcades.
