Why do we teach Physical Education?

At St Silas Primary School, we aim to create a culture which inspires all of our children to be active and to enjoy PE, encourage each other and achieve. We provide a safe and supportive environment for children to flourish in a range of different physical activities which is essential in supporting their physical, emotional, spiritual, social and moral development.

At St Silas we offer a dynamic, varied and stimulating program of activity to ensure that all children progress physically through an inspirational, unique and fully inclusive PE curriculum. We encourage all children to develop their understanding of the way in which they can use their body and equipment safely yet imaginatively to achieve their goals. All children at St Silas have the opportunity to be physically active, maintain a healthy lifestyle and through using sport, increase their general health, communication, confidence and well-being. We aspire for children to adopt a positive mind-set and believe that anything can be achieved with determination and resilience.

The aim of Physical Education is to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles. Children are taught to observe and use the concepts of fair play, honest competition and good sporting behaviour as individual participants, team members and spectators, thus embedding life-long values such as co-operation, collaboration and equity of play.

We provide opportunities for children to learn how to stay safe in water and start swimming lessons in Year 3/4 and this gives children the opportunity to become confident in the water, know how to keep safe, and also meet the National Curriculum requirements of swimming 25m by the end of Year 6.

Our PE Curriculum, along with PSHE and science, teaches children about the importance of healthy living and learning about the need for good nutrition. At St Silas Primary we aim for children to develop the necessary knowledge and skills which will have a positive impact on their future by becoming physically active citizens to benefit their long-term health and well-being.

How do we teach Physical Education?

To maximise learning and impact, PE, in some year groups, is taught in conjunction with our school sports partners (external sports coaches who come into school and work with our teachers and children, or work with our classes in offsite locations).  These coaches provide staff with a comprehensive programme of training, they support their teaching and provide targeted resources.

The subject leader is a sports specialist and keeps up to date with PE developments and disseminates skills and ideas to all staff. Regular developmental conversations allow the subject leader to assess the effectiveness of all PE delivery.  This ensured a full understanding and the sharing of best practice. This process of staff development provides high quality PE delivery and is vital in allowing pupils to make positive progress in their physical health and mental well-being.

EYFS and KS1 is a crucial time for teaching PE, especially as we want the children we work with to buy into the enjoyment and importance of being physically active throughout life.  Early impressions are formed here, but it is also the first place that preconceived and sometimes false impressions of what PE is, can actually be eradicated. At EYFS physical development involves providing opportunities for young children to be active and interactive; and to develop their co-ordination, control, and movement. Children must be helped to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food. When moving and handling children need to show good control and co-ordination with both fine and gross motor skills. It is important that children move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space. They should handle equipment and tools effectively, including pencils for writing. Children also need to know the importance for good health of physical exercise, and a healthy diet, and talk about ways to keep healthy and safe. They should manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs successfully, including dressing and going to the toilet independently

In order to lead practitioners in high standards of practice throughout the school, the PE subject leader is a member of the Association for Physical Education and attends local PE subject leaders’ meetings {BPSSA}.  Any relevant information is then disseminated to staff. Staff CPD is carried out through team teaming with recognised coaches and sports organisations.  This CPD is led currently facilitated by Blackburn Rover Football Club and the school subject leader. Throughout the year, these coaches also run extra-curricular clubs.  Children are encouraged to take part in active sports after school and many children participate in leagues and competitions.

Additional to this, we use a wide range of quality resources for all areas of the PE curriculum and also during activity focused break and lunchtimes. Resources are reviewed and updated on an annual basis. 

What do we teach?

We aim to teach up to two hours of PE each week.  Within our two hour PE lessons we aim to:

  • Follow a progressive, evolving curriculum that, with time, builds on past experience and adds new practice.  

  • Make Physical Education a thoroughly moving experience.  

  • Find ways to actively engage all children in moderate to vigorous physical activity for the majority of every lesson.

  • Give children plenty of chances to practice the ability or idea being taught that day.  

Our PE curriculum (Junior Jam) will offer many practice opportunities, sometimes alone, sometimes with a partner and sometimes during small sided games in groups.

At St Silas, we aim to design lessons so that youngsters of all capabilities have a high rate of success and experience the emotions that it brings, as when children, above all unskilled pupils, experience success, they are more likely to carry on practising and working to improve than when they fail repetitively.

We try to bring positive learning experiences to the children in a safe environment and warm atmosphere in which children are encouraged to exercise new skills and expand their fitness levels without feeling self-conscious.

We aim to make sure all our classes are as enjoyable as they can be, so that children appreciate and look forward to PE, both at primary and looking ahead to secondary school.

Throughout their time at St Silas Primary School children will have the opportunity to take part in:

  • Basic skills

    • Spacial Awareness

    • Moving

    • Jumping

    • Rolling

    • Catching

    • Striking

    • Throwing

    • Fielding

  • Swimming

  • Gymnastics

  • Dance

  • Athletics

  • Invasion Games

    • Hockey

    • Tag Rugby

    • Football

    • Handball

    • Netball

    • Basketball

  • Net and Wall Games

    • Tennis and Short Tennis

    • Badminton

  • Striking and Fielding Games

    • Cricket

    • Rounders

In each year group, the children are coached by a qualified coach. Foundation Stage and Year 1/2 are taught by Junior Jam coaches, Year 3/4 are taught by Junior Jam, Blackburn Town swimming teachers and the school subject leader (a sports specialist). Year 5 and 6 are taught by Junior Jam coaches and Blackburn Rovers Community Trust coaches.

Assessment

Over the last few years the children have worked with Blackburn Rovers Community Trust.  This year our assessment will be not only based on the new Junor Jam PE assessment, which covers all aspects of the National Curriculum objectives, but will also be based on teacher and coach assessments.  These assessments will take place at the end of each term.

Message from the Subject Leader

My name is Graeme Hadwin and as well as being one of the school’s senior leaders, I am also a Sport Scientist. I have a passion for all types of health and fitness. I believe that sports and exercise can have a massive impact on, not only the direct physical health of a person, but also on their long term mental well-being, confidence, resilience, communication (both speaking and listening), team building skills and organisational abilities. I keep up to date with the latest techniques used in the teaching of Physical Education, I am a member of the Association for Physical Education. I lead PE at St Silas and I ensure that all the staff receive training and advice from all the specialist coaches who work with the children and the school.

Sports Clubs

At St Silas Primary Academy, we organise and run, with our partners, who include the Children’s University, Blackburn Rovers Football Club, Wigan Warriors and Lancashire County Cricket Club, a wide variety of after school clubs, from multi-sports, to cricket, football, rugby and dance. Our school has taken part in many sport events, including competitions and tournaments.   Furthermore, I am delighted to note, we have had success and are proud to have won in a number of these including cricket, dodgeball, football, netball, athletics meetings and multi-sports.

Gymnastics with BRFC