Physical Education (PE)

Welcome to the
Faculty of Physical Education (PE)

Faculty Leader:   Mr B Anstee


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Curriculum Statement for Physical Education

Physical Education is a National Curriculum non-core foundation subject. This policy outlines the purpose, nature and management of the physical education taught at Meadow High School. The physical education subject co-ordinator is responsible for designing and implementing the curriculum throughout the school, but it is the responsibility of all staff to be aware and help where possible with its implementation.

The Aims of Physical Education:

1.    Stimulate and maintain pupil interest and enjoyment in PE and to promote health and
        fitness for current and future lifestyles.

2.    Enable pupils to be familiar with a body of knowledge, principles and vocabulary to
        relate to PE.

        a.    To enable pupils to see PE as:

                i.    A major feature in our lives, related to employment, leisure and culture.

                ii.    Part of a wider body of knowledge and skills, EG interpersonal and
                       problem-solving skills.

        b.    To enable pupils to:

                i.     Understand and use safe practice and to appreciate its importance in PE.

                ii.    Understand the short and long term effects of exercise on the body.

                iii.   Understand the role of exercise in a fit and healthy lifestyle.

3.    Enable pupils to develop a range of desirable personal qualities such as safety,
        awareness, politeness, perseverance, concern for others, initiative and
        independence. The establishment of self-esteem through the development of
        physical confidence is a major aim for the Physical Education department.

4.    Enable pupils to work independently and as part of a group or team in varied
        activities so as PE contributes to the development of core skills such as
        communication by speech.

5.    Employ teaching methods and resources that will allow all pupils to have equal
       access to PE and to experience success and enjoyment in their PE work.

6.    Allow pupils to develop informed opinions and be able to support them in reasonable
        argument.

As part of the Meadow High School ethos ‘Achieving Together’ the department seeks to develop pupil’s awareness of citizenship and pay special attention to the following:

  • a sense of team spirit and Fair play;
  • abiding by the rules- moral and logistics judgements are made;
  • being gracious when winning and losing;
  • develop positive self-concepts, enhanced self esteem and have a confident attitude to the abilities of themselves and those of others;
  • learning to work with others including teachers and peers in order to achieve a common goal;
  • learning to share, to acknowledge each others skills, and to respect those who are physically and mentally challenged in any way;
  • Develop a respect for authority and officials within the game.

As a school we fully support the development of sporting potential. Any pupil showing exceptional talent in an area, they will be placed on the gifted and talented register.

Where possible the school will try to accommodate a pupil on the gifted and talented register attending external coaching sessions to try and progress them further into elitist sport.

The Objectives of Physical Education:

These objectives relate directly to the aims for PE and are intended to show how the aims are put into practice.

1.    Staff should provide a variety of experiences and activities during the course of study
       and during a PE lesson if possible and appropriate, for example:

        a.    Games

        b.    Gymnastics

        c.    Swimming

        d.    Indoor and Outdoor activities

        e.    Individual and group activities

        f.    Problem Solving

        g.    Communicating PE ideas to others by means such as speaking

        h.    Listening and appraising.

         i.    Practising and refining skills

         j.    Using repetition in order to improve

2.    The National Curriculum Key Stages 2 and 3 Orders should be used as the basic
        core skills for the Schemes of Work. Rules, vocabulary and games skills such as
        attack, defence and fielding will be taught. Staff should encourage pupils to recall and
        apply their knowledge and skills in familiar and unfamiliar situations.

3.    Staff should refer to work in other curriculum areas when appropriate:

       a.    Pupils should follow written and verbal instructions accurately.

       b.    Safety is further enhanced by emphasis on the following:

                i.    The need to wear correct clothes/equipment.

                ii.    The need to follow rules.

                iii.    How to lift, carry, move and place heavy equipment.

                iv.    The need for warm-up and recovery period when exercising.

                v.    How to swim and be safe when around water.

                vi.    General safety rules when engaged in Outdoor Education.

4.    Lessons should be conducted in a secure, supportive and disciplined manner that
       demonstrates mutual respect. Pupils should learn the rules, etiquette, laws and codes
       for various activities. The department’s schemes of work identify planned
       opportunities for pupils to develop a range of desirable personal qualities.

5.    There should be opportunities for individual and/or group activities so as pupils can
        express their feelings verbally and learn how to work cooperatively as well as on their
        own.

6.    Staff should encourage pupils to improve in a particular sport or skill over a period of
        time.

7.    Staff should adhere to the School and Departmental reward systems in order to
        encourage pupils to achieve their full potential and experience a feeling of
        achievement.

8.    Pupils should be encouraged to share their experiences/culture with others in order to
       enhance the quality of learning and to develop socially and inclusively.

9.    Staff should not attempt to spend inequitable amounts of time with any one pupil or
        groups of pupils/gender group etc. However staffs often spend considerable amounts
        of their own time helping individual pupils. Support staff should be deployed to work
        with those who need a greater level of staff support.

10.    Staff should attempt to show the enjoyment and benefits that PE and Sport have
       given us. This can be done by carefully phrased comments and well-chosen
       resources.

11.    As a school working toward inclusion we will allow opportunities at various times for
       group discussion. At these times we can listen to each other’s views and hopefully
       reflect upon them, particularly on health and fitness issues.

Non-Participants

At Meadow High School it is expected that if pupils are well enough to attend school that they should participate in all subject areas. With this in mind, parents/carers are welcome to highlight a particular concern regarding illness or injury that they would like to bring to the PE staff’s attention, although this will not necessarily excuse that pupil from participation. The pupil will still be required to change into correct MHS PE Kit and participate in their Physical Education lesson.  PE staff will however take note of the information provided to them and ensure that the pupil is provided with a suitable learning experience, e.g. having a reduced lesson, differentiated tasks or becoming a Coach or Referee / Umpire.

Pupils will only be “excused” from participation where a medical professional has directed so in the form of a medical note.

If the pupils fail to bring in PE kit without a medical note then they will expected to borrow spare kit and participate in the lesson. The lesson will be logged as the pupil failing to be properly equipped for the lesson. Pupils who refuse to participate without a medical note will be dealt with in accordance with the MHS Behaviour Policy.

Where a pupil has a personal protocol or time out allowance then they are able to be outside the lesson in their specified place for 5 minutes before returning to the lesson. If the teacher deems it necessary then time out periods can be used multiple times in the lesson. However, if the pupil exceeds the time scale then it will be classed as an unauthorised absence to the lesson.