PE

PE: Curriculum Statement.

INTENT

At Somerford, our aim is to foster a lifelong love of sport and physical activity by ensuring all children enjoy and engage in physical education from an early age. We strive to inspire pupils to remain active beyond Key Stage 2 by helping them develop and improve the fundamental movement skills required for a wide range of physical activities. Our curriculum promotes healthy competition, whether through striving for personal bests or competing with others, while also emphasising the value of teamwork, independence, and resilience. Children are taught to understand the benefits of an active lifestyle and how physical activity contributes to their overall health and well-being. Through our inclusive and supportive approach, we aim to build confidence, instil positive habits, and provide children with the knowledge and motivation to lead healthy, active lives.

IMPLEMENTATION

PE lessons are fully inclusive, allowing every child to participate and enjoy physical activity. Children have opportunities to join events through the Christchurch Sports Partnership, which encourages teamwork and confidence. Lessons are thoughtfully planned using CompletePE, ensuring all pupils, no matter their ability, can access learning and feel valued. The teaching approach is ‘I do, we do, you do,’ providing clear modelling, guided practice, and independent application. Teachers and our specialist PE teacher continually assess progress during lessons. After each unit, a final assessment helps track development and guides future planning, making sure every child’s needs are supported.

At Somerford, we value physical development as a core part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). All the children enjoy daily outdoor play to develop coordination, balance, and gross motor skills in an active, engaging environment. In Reception, children practise fundamental movement skills such as balancing, rolling, throwing, catching, and kicking. These sessions promote physical competence, enjoyment, confidence, and teamwork, laying the foundation for a lifelong active lifestyle and positive attitude towards physical activity.

Within Key Stage 1, children have two one-hour PE sessions weekly, meeting the government target of two hours of activity. Lessons give opportunities to work alone, with a partner, or in groups, promoting cooperation, confidence, and fun. All activities follow the National Curriculum for PE, ensuring steady progress. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils should master basic movements like running, jumping, throwing, and catching. They also develop better balance, agility, and coordination, building a strong foundation for their future physical development and encouraging a love for staying active.

In Key Stage 2, children take part in two one-hour PE sessions weekly, engaging in a variety of activities such as invasion games, dance, gymnastics, swimming (Year 4 and Year 5), and outdoor adventures. Pupils build on previous skills, improving control, confidence, and accuracy. They learn how to refine their performance and evaluate themselves and others. These lessons promote success, teamwork, resilience, and enjoyment of physical activity. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils can confidently run, jump, throw, and catch, apply tactics in games, perform dances, and swim 25 metres using different strokes, including safe self-rescue skills.

IMPACT

Children leave our school understanding the benefits of physical activity and are encouraged to stay active throughout their lives. They develop personal aspirations in PE, gaining confidence to enjoy or compete in sports after KS2. Pupils also learn the importance of a healthy lifestyle and how to achieve it. Additionally, they build vital skills like teamwork, resilience, independence, self-motivation, and sportsmanship. These skills prepare them for future challenges and help them enjoy physical activity for life, supporting their overall well-being and confidence in staying active beyond school.