Physical Education

PE at Leighton Middle School aims to develop the capabilities, knowledge and skills necessary for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing in our children now and for their future. Physical fitness is an important part of leading a healthier lifestyle. It teaches self-discipline and that to be successful you must work hard, show resilience and have the determination to believe that anything can be achieved. To be the best they can be. We encourage the students to be independent learners, always striving to improve and show resilience. They each have a PE ‘Progress’ booklet which they complete on their journey through Leighton Middle School.

Intent

It is our intent at Leighton Middle School to teach children life skills that will positively impact on their future. We aim to deliver high-quality teaching and learning opportunities that inspire all children to succeed in physical activities. The knowledge and skills are built up from Year 5 (Fundamental skills), Year 6 (Rules of the game), Year 7 (Tactics and more advanced skills) and Year 8 (Leadership/Coaching others).  We want to teach children how to cooperate and collaborate with others, as part of a team, understanding fairness and equity of play to embed life-long values and achieve personal excellence. P.E. is taught at Leighton Middle School as an area of learning in its own right as well as integrated where possible with other curriculum areas.

PE Curriculum  Map 

PE_Curriculum_Map_2023_2024.

In Year 5 we aim to give children the access to key fundamentals within sports, rather than be specific to each area.  This will include key motor skill development, such as improving running and jumping.  They improve balance, agility and co-ordination and the opportunity to apply these skills within a range of activities.  We also aim to ensure each child forms a healthy bond with sports and fitness.

In Year 6 children will continue to apply and develop a broader range of skills.  Effective communication will be taught, and the importance of team work and collaborating with each other.  Pupils will play within a competitive environment learning game team-based sports e.g. football, hockey, netball, handball etc.  Also, they will develop flexibility, strength and balance within gymnastics and dance.

Children will also have access to gymnastics and dance related PE, helping support the need for fitness, strength, flexibility and muscular development.

Year 7 & 8 pupils should build on and embed the physical development and skills learned in key stages 1 and 2, become more competent, confident and expert in their techniques, and apply them across different sports and physical activities. They should understand what makes a performance effective and how to apply these principles to their own and others’ work. They should develop the confidence and interest to get involved in exercise, sports and activities out of school and in later life, and understand and apply the long-term health benefits of physical activity.

In Year 7 and 8 the students use the reciprocal coaching cards to peer assess and support both in class and when helping in KS2 PE lessons.

Implementation

Pupils at Leighton Middle School participate in twice weekly high quality PE and sporting activities.  Our PE programme incorporates a variety of sports to ensure all children develop the confidence, tolerance and the appreciation of their own and others’ strengths and weaknesses. We provide opportunities for all children to engage in extra-curricular activities before, during and after school, in addition to competitive sporting events. This is an inclusive approach which endeavours to encourage not only physical development but also well-being.

PE at Leighton Middle School provides challenging and enjoyable learning through a range of sporting activities including; invasion games, net & wall games, strike and field games, gymnastics, dance, swimming and outdoor & adventure.

The long term plan sets out the PE units which are to be taught throughout the year and ensures that the requirements of the National Curriculum are fully met. Pupils participate in two high quality PE lessons each week, covering two sporting disciplines every half term. In addition, children are encouraged to participate in the varied range of extra-curricular activities. Lunch time sports clubs are available each day and children can attend after school sport clubs four evenings per week.

Children are invited to attend competitive sporting events within the local area. This is an inclusive approach which endeavours to encourage not only physical development but also mental well-being. These events also develop teamwork and leadership skills and are very much enjoyed by the children. In addition, some children (those that might be less confident to try out for a team) participate in workshops covering a variety of sports throughout the year. For example archery, outdoor and adventure, boxing and skipping, again providing the children with an opportunity to develop, improve their fitness and to try something new. The School Sports Partnership (SSCO), who we work closely with, have changed the competitions structure in-line with the Youth Sports Trust; this takes the focus away from purely competitions and competing. It allows students to develop skills during the workshop events or play fixtures without the overall placements of teams to reduce pressure and maximise enjoyment.

Each year a small group of Year 8 children are invited to become Sports Leaders for the school. They develop into sporting role models for the younger children, assisting with lunch-time clubs, our annual Sports day and any other Sporting activities.

We teach lessons so that children:

• Have fun and experience success in sport
• Have the opportunity to participate in P.E at their own level of development
• Secure and build on a range of skills
• Develop good sporting attitudes
• Understand basic rules
• Experience positive competition
• Learn in a safe environment
• Have a foundation for lifelong physical activity.

Impact

Our curriculum aims to improve the wellbeing and fitness of all children at Leighton Middle School, not only through the sporting skills taught, but through the underpinning values and disciplines PE promotes. High numbers of students attending extra-curricular clubs and involvement in the inter house games. Within our lessons, children are taught about self-discipline and that to be successful you need to take ownership and responsibility of their own health and fitness. Our impact is therefore to motivate children to utilise these underpinning skills in an independent and effective way in order to live happy and healthy lives. 

 PE Progress Booklets

PE Progress Booklet 

Athletics PE Progress Overview

Basketball_PE Progress Overview

Hockey_PE_Progress Overview

Rugby_PE_Progress Overview

Volleyball_PE Progress Overview

British Values

Careers

Health and well-being - importance for all careers.PE teacher, NHS worker. Sports journalism, Photographer. RAF, Navy, Army. Emergency services. Physiotherapist.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development (SMSC)