Physical Education

Physical Education is delivered through the Get Set 4 PE scheme, providing a structured and progressive approach to physical development across the school. Units are carefully sequenced so that pupils revisit and build upon previously acquired knowledge and skills, progressing from fundamental movement patterns towards increasingly complex sport-specific techniques and tactical understanding.

Teaching follows Ascot Road's whole-school pedagogical framework of Revisit and Review, Teach, Practice and Apply, adapted appropriately for the practical nature of PE. Teachers revisit previously learned movements or skills before explicitly modelling new techniques. Pupils then have structured opportunities to practise before applying their learning in increasingly challenging activities, sequences, games and competitive situations.

Checking for understanding is continuous and practical. Teachers observe pupils' movement, decision-making and application of skills and use questioning to establish pupils' understanding of techniques, tactics, rules and safety. Feedback is timely and specific so that pupils can make immediate adjustments and improve their performance.

Lessons are designed to maximise purposeful physical activity. Teachers use clear explanations and concise modelling so that pupils spend appropriate amounts of time moving, practising and applying skills. Activities progress from supported practice towards increasing independence and challenge.

Fundamental movement skills are developed systematically, particularly in the Early Years and Key Stage 1. Pupils learn to move with increasing control and coordination and progressively combine movements when participating in games, gymnastics, dance and other physical activities.

As pupils progress through Key Stage 2, skills are applied within increasingly complex contexts. Pupils develop greater tactical awareness, make decisions under pressure and consider how positioning, teamwork, communication and strategy can influence performance.

In games, pupils develop skills such as sending, receiving, striking, throwing, catching and movement before applying them within increasingly complex game situations. They learn how attacking and defending principles operate and develop an understanding of rules, tactics and decision-making.

In gymnastics, pupils progressively develop balance, strength, flexibility, coordination and control. They create and perform sequences, considering body shape, travel, rotation, levels and transitions and increasingly evaluate how performance can be improved.

In dance, pupils use movement creatively and expressively. They explore actions, dynamics, space and relationships and learn to remember, refine and perform sequences with increasing control and confidence.

In athletics, pupils develop running, jumping and throwing techniques and learn how these can be improved through attention to technique, pace, power and accuracy. They increasingly compare performance against previous outcomes and recognise personal improvement.

Outdoor and adventurous activities provide opportunities for pupils to develop problem-solving, communication, teamwork and decision-making. Pupils learn to work collaboratively, respond to challenges and take appropriate responsibility for themselves and others.

Teachers model safe and responsible participation. Pupils are explicitly taught how to use spaces and equipment safely, warm up appropriately, follow instructions and recognise potential risks. As they mature, pupils take increasing responsibility for ensuring that they and others can participate safely.

The curriculum is enriched through opportunities beyond timetabled PE. Pupils are encouraged to participate in lunchtime and after-school clubs, intra-school competition and inter-school sporting events, enabling them to apply their skills in different contexts and discover activities they may wish to pursue further.

Leadership opportunities allow pupils to develop confidence and responsibility. Older pupils may support or lead physical activities for younger children, developing communication, organisation and teamwork while contributing positively to the wider school community.

Where appropriate, links with sports coaches, local clubs and external organisations enrich provision, broaden pupils' experiences and provide pathways for children who wish to participate in particular sports beyond school.

In the Early Years, the foundations of PE are developed primarily through Physical Development. Children are given frequent opportunities to run, jump, climb, balance, travel, throw, catch and manipulate equipment through both structured teaching and purposeful continuous provision.

Gross motor experiences enable children to develop core strength, stability, balance, coordination and spatial awareness, while fine motor experiences contribute to the control and dexterity required for manipulating smaller equipment. Children are encouraged to move confidently within different spaces and increasingly control their bodies in response to instructions and challenges.

Early physical development is closely connected to Personal, Social and Emotional Development. Through games and collaborative activity, children learn to take turns, cooperate, follow rules, manage emotions and respond appropriately to success and disappointment. These experiences introduce Respect, Kindness, Responsibility and Fairness within meaningful physical contexts.

Adult-led PE explicitly teaches fundamental movement skills and introduces children to appropriate equipment and simple games, while child-initiated outdoor play provides opportunities to practise and apply these skills independently. This balance supports children in entering Year 1 with the confidence, coordination and physical foundations required for the curriculum that follows.

Assessment is ongoing and practical. Teachers use observation, questioning and performance to identify pupils' strengths and next steps. Subject leadership uses learning walks, pupil voice, participation information and curriculum monitoring to evaluate the quality, inclusivity and progression of PE across the school.

The impact of our Physical Education curriculum is seen in pupils who become increasingly confident, competent and motivated participants in physical activity. They develop secure fundamental movement skills and are increasingly able to combine and apply these within a broad range of sporting and physical contexts.

Pupils demonstrate increasingly accurate and controlled movement. They are able to run, jump, throw, catch, balance, travel and manipulate equipment with greater coordination and progressively apply sport-specific techniques with confidence.

As pupils progress, they demonstrate increasing tactical understanding. They can make appropriate decisions during competitive and cooperative activities, recognise space, respond to teammates and opponents and explain how strategies can improve performance.

Pupils understand that physical improvement comes through practice, feedback and refinement. They can identify strengths within their own performance, recognise areas for improvement and use feedback to make appropriate adjustments.

Pupils understand the relationship between physical activity, health and wellbeing. They recognise that regular movement can support physical fitness, emotional wellbeing and a healthy lifestyle and are increasingly able to explain why remaining active is important.

Pupils demonstrate our school values through their participation. They show Respect towards teammates, opponents and officials; Honesty by following rules and acknowledging outcomes fairly; Kindness through encouraging and supporting others; Responsibility through safe participation and commitment; and Fairness through good sportsmanship and inclusive behaviour.

Competition provides pupils with opportunities to develop emotional maturity. They learn to celebrate success appropriately, manage disappointment and recognise the value of effort and improvement. Pupils increasingly understand that being successful in sport involves character and conduct as well as physical performance.

Pupils demonstrate an increasingly positive attitude towards physical activity and recognise that success can take different forms. Some pupils may excel competitively, while others experience success through improving a personal best, developing a new skill, participating confidently or contributing effectively to a team.

PE strengthens pupils' sense of belonging. Team activities and shared challenges help pupils recognise that their contribution matters and that successful participation depends upon individuals supporting and respecting one another. Pupils increasingly understand that sporting communities should be inclusive and that physical activity is for everyone.

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils possess a broad foundation of physical skills and knowledge that prepares them for secondary PE and enables them to participate confidently in physical activity beyond school. We aim for pupils to leave Ascot Road motivated to continue being active and equipped to make positive choices about their physical health and wellbeing.

Curriculum impact is evaluated through teacher assessment, lesson observations, pupil voice, participation in curriculum and extracurricular activity, sporting opportunities and pupils' ability to apply physical skills and tactical knowledge independently. Subject monitoring considers whether pupils are becoming increasingly competent, confident and active as they progress through school.

At Ascot Road Primary School, Physical Education is inclusive by design. Every pupil is entitled to experience the physical, social and emotional benefits of meaningful participation in PE. High expectations are maintained for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with adaptations made to remove barriers and enable success.

Teachers consider pupils' individual physical, sensory, communication, cognitive and emotional needs when planning lessons. Adaptations are made according to need rather than applying a single approach to all pupils.

Support may include adapted equipment, larger or lighter balls, alternative targets, adjusted distances, changes to space, modified rules, visual demonstrations, simplified instructions or additional opportunities for rehearsal. These adaptations maintain the intended physical learning while enabling pupils to participate successfully.

Skills are broken into manageable stages and explicitly modelled. Pupils may observe a movement several times, practise individual components and receive immediate feedback before combining these into a complete skill. Repetition supports pupils in developing confidence, coordination and automaticity.

Visual prompts, demonstrations and physical modelling are particularly important for pupils who find lengthy verbal instructions difficult to process. Teachers use concise language and check understanding before activities begin.

Teachers consider sensory needs when organising spaces, equipment, noise levels and groupings. Where appropriate, pupils are gradually introduced to busier or more competitive situations rather than being excluded from them altogether.

Pupils with physical disabilities are supported through appropriate adjustments to equipment, activity or method of participation. The focus remains on the intended physical or tactical learning, recognising that pupils may demonstrate competence in different ways.

Competition and public performance may create anxiety for some pupils. Teachers build confidence progressively through individual practice, paired work and small-group participation before introducing more demanding situations where appropriate.

Adult support is used purposefully to facilitate independence. Adults may model movements, support understanding or help modify equipment but avoid unnecessarily completing tasks for pupils or restricting opportunities for independent physical participation.

Pupils who demonstrate secure physical competence are challenged through greater precision, tactical complexity, leadership, decision-making or performance under increased pressure rather than simply being given more activity.

Our value of Fairness is particularly visible within inclusive PE. Pupils learn that fair participation does not always mean everybody using exactly the same equipment or completing a task in exactly the same way. Appropriate adaptations allow each child to access the same purpose and experience meaningful success.

Through inclusive participation, pupils develop an understanding that physical ability varies and that every person's contribution has value. This helps strengthen Respect, Kindness and the central principle of belonging, ensuring that every child can see themselves as an active member of the Ascot Road community.

Physical Education provides valuable opportunities for pupils to understand that sport and physical activity are enjoyed by people across cultures, communities and societies around the world. Through curriculum PE and wider sporting experiences, pupils encounter a range of activities and develop an appreciation of sport as a shared part of human experience.

Pupils are introduced to sports and physical activities with different historical and cultural origins, helping them understand that the sporting landscape of modern Britain has been shaped by traditions, communities and influences from across the world.

Where appropriate, pupils encounter athletes and sporting role models from diverse backgrounds. This helps challenge stereotypes about who can participate or succeed within particular sports and enables pupils to see sporting achievement represented by people of different genders, ethnicities, cultures, abilities and backgrounds.

PE provides meaningful opportunities to explore Fairness. Through rules, competition and teamwork, pupils develop an understanding of fair play and equality of opportunity. They recognise that competition should involve agreed rules and that success should never come at the expense of another person's dignity or right to participate.

Pupils learn that equality in sport has not always been experienced by everyone and that barriers can exist because of factors such as gender, disability, socioeconomic circumstances or discrimination. Where age appropriate, these issues can be explored through sporting examples to deepen pupils' understanding of inclusion.

Respect is fundamental to sporting participation. Pupils learn to respect teammates, opponents, officials, coaches and different levels of ability. They understand that disagreement with a decision or disappointment with an outcome does not justify disrespectful behaviour.

Honesty is promoted through adherence to rules and fair play. Pupils learn that integrity matters even when an adult is not directly observing and that taking responsibility for their own actions is an important characteristic of a good sportsperson.

Kindness is demonstrated through encouragement, inclusion and support. Pupils learn to recognise when a teammate may require reassurance or help and understand that a positive sporting environment is one in which people encourage rather than belittle one another.

Responsibility is developed through teamwork, leadership and safe participation. Pupils increasingly understand that they are responsible not only for their own behaviour but also for helping create an environment in which others feel safe and able to participate.

Our PE curriculum challenges the idea that sporting success belongs only to the fastest, strongest or most traditionally athletic pupils. Success is recognised through improvement, effort, skill, tactical understanding, leadership, creativity, teamwork and participation, allowing pupils to recognise the many different ways they can contribute within physical activity.

Ultimately, PE strengthens belonging by bringing pupils together through shared activity. Sport can connect people across cultural, linguistic and social differences, and pupils learn that teams and sporting communities are strongest when everyone's contribution is respected. We aim for every child to leave Ascot Road recognising that physical activity is for everyone and that they have a place within an active and inclusive community.

Click here for Physical Education overview.