Physical Education

It is our aim at Carden Nursery and Primary School to provide the opportunity for our pupils to safely experience a range of sporting activities for fun and enjoyment.

Through carefully planned PE and sports activities, we aim to ensure that all pupils are active, happy, healthy and enjoy Physical Education. We aim to encourage the love of sports through our purposeful PE program, developing pupils’ physical literacy thus providing them with a movement foundation and aiding lifelong participation in physical activity.

We help pupils develop a passion for a range of sports where they can use their imagination; develop physical skills and be curious learners – all the while encouraging them to develop their passion for sport outside of school in the local community. We strive to provide high quality PE and sports teaching in both curriculum and after school clubs providing pupils with extensive opportunities to learn outside.

We aim to ensure that within their own level of ability all learners can achieve and understand success though an active, language rich experience that enables them to reach their full potential.  We value the benefits of PE and sport to help build children’s self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth which is character building and essential for pupil development. We celebrate pupils’ physical success as well as their personal development in the ‘social me’, ‘thinking me’ and ‘healthy me’.

We value equality and aim to provide opportunities for all children to experience competition at a variety of levels including individually, inter-school and as part of a team through healthy competitive games held with other local schools.

A highly experienced team teaches the PE curriculum.  All areas of the national curriculum are planned and taught in a sequential manner, which enables pupils to practise and refine their skills during and across the years.

The curriculum is arranged so that the skills children develop first in each year group are fundamental to the acquisition of further skills, and are applicable to the widest range of sports and activities. Opportunities are built in through the year for dance and gymnastics, again sequencing the units so that the skills of agility, balance and coordination are constantly being revised and developed. This is supported by a skills progression document.

There is repetition year to year, with the same units falling into the same order across the vast majority of year groups. This cyclical approach allows children to revisit familiar skills and develop them, with each year becoming progressively harder. As the children move up through the school, there is also more emphasis on team competition and more opportunity for children to lead their own and each other’s learning. This consistency of approach allows children to revisit skills and develop them to the best of their potential.

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 enjoyed by the children. Children’s achievements in and out of school are valued and celebrated on the weekly updates throughout the year. Whole school celebration and rewards encourage children’s participation in sport.

We regard swimming as being an essential part of the curriculum. Reception to Y3 children benefit from two terms of swimming a year in our onsite school pool. Pupils in Y4-Y6 continue their learning at a local high school pool. The swimming lessons provide children with the experience of water confidence and water safety, as well as learning stroke techniques. Carden has the highest number of pupils leaving a primary school within the city who can swim confidently.

Certain areas of curriculum teaching are supplemented by professional coaches such as tennis and football. We have strong links with Albion in the Community who support lunch time games and with Galaxy Girls who run our successful girls’ football team.

Residential experiences and adventurous outdoor activities are offered to pupils in Y4/Y5 with the Big School Camp. This is a two day/one night camping experience and activities on the school field. Y6 pupils take part in a three day/two night residential experience at YMCA Fairthorne Manor near Southampton.

Pupils are encouraged to further develop their PE interests further by taking part in one of our 22 sporting clubs that run at various times across year.  We aim for all pupils to access at least one enrichment activity and have monitored this closely over recent years. Pupil voice has been an important part in this process; we have listened and actioned suggestions offered by pupils for different after school clubs.

PE is a strength at Carden Primary School. We are a Gold Mark Sports provision. All pupils learn that physical activity is important for their development, health and wellbeing and can be fun. We support all pupils to find a sport/physical activity that they enjoy and whilst traditional invasion games are an important part of the curriculum, we encourage pupils who prefer less active sports to find something that suits their needs and personality. We aspire for all pupils to see themselves as young sports people and hope to embed positive practices, attitudes and behaviours that they will carry forward into the next stage of their learning and adulthood.