THE BIG IDEAS OF PE

At Highwood, our PE curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils:

•  develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
• are physically active for sustained periods of time
• engage in competitive sports and activities
• lead healthy, active lives.

Performance-Skills developed using fundamental and sports specific activities.

Control-To develop skills that enable children to control objects using a range of equipment

Pass & receive-To develop abilities to pass and receive a range of objects including different types of balls, beanbags and quoits using various items of equipment

Target-To develop skills necessary to hit targets using a range of methods such as throwing and striking

Invasion-To develop key skills in small group games encouraging spacial awareness, strategy, positioning, stealing possession and competition.

Balance & Coordination-To develop movement, strength, shape and balance using Gymnastics, dance and strategy games 

Competition

Children are given the opportunity to represent Highwood in a range of sporting competitions within the National School Games, Woodley Sports Week, Woodley Carnival & various invitational leagues (Football, Tag Rugby, Athletics & Cricket). This promotes both our gifted and talented children along with our “Activities For All” ethos. 

Leading Healthy lives

Health & Fitness-At the beginning of each academic year, children are given a range of activities within a circuit’s suite, to test their overall strength, agility and fitness. Also covering the respiratory system, heart & muscle groups, keeping fit and choosing a healthy diet. KS2 record data to show progress over a 4-week period.

In Summer 1 the children are given a range of activities within the athletics suite to further show their progress in their Strength, agility and fitness. KS2 record the data and this forms the basis of our “Quadkids” team” at the Wokingham Schools Games.

Teamwork/Confidence/leadership/Communication Children are given the opportunity to work on these vital “life Skills” in preparation for life after education. This can occur during the warm up (children encouraged to lead their peers through the warm up thus building confidence and good communication, speaking in front of a group of people. House Captains are chosen which helps develop leadership skills. Within PE lessons, leaders are chosen within groups to help develop their own leadership style. Team work is a constant in our lessons right from getting changed into their PE kits improving changing times to increase learning time for rewards such as house points. 

Swimming

KS2 children are given the opportunity to attend swimming lessons for half a term each working from non-swimmers to competition swimmers. The aim is to have all children leaving KS2 with the ability to swim 25 meters.

Dance

KS1 children are taught dance for a whole half term working on shape, poise, timing, creativity, tempo, rhythm and teamwork. Routines will be mastered in groups with individuality included with freestyle opportunity. These will be based on the current year groups topic subject i.e. “The Great Fire Of London” for year 2s. 

This is developed through the planned and repeated coverage of the following key areas. Please see the Big Ideas document attached below.