Curriculum Intent

At Oaklands It is our belief that Physical Education is vital in maintaining our students’ health; not just their physical health but using PE and Sport as a vehicle to improve positive mental health and social wellbeing for all our students.

The purpose of the PE curriculum and extra curricular programme is to provide opportunity for high quality teaching and learning, which immerses students in specialist knowledge and skill, and inspires them to engage in a lifelong love of sport and remain physically active.

Underpinning the curriculum design there are the principles of resilience, confidence and independence. These are not only vital characteristics and skills for life but are essential for what is takes to be successful in the world of sport. We use our curriculum to explore the values and virtues explicit to the school. Our curriculum is inclusive for all abilities.

Our PE curriculum is ambitious because

• The aim of the PE curriculum is to ignite a passion for Physical education by offering experiences that lead to the development of positive attitudes towards physical activity.
• The curriculum cultivates opportunities for students to develop physically, emotionally and mentally.
• We aim to develop successful learners with enthusiasm and motivation for learning who can think creatively, problem solve, learn independently and make reasoned evaluations on how to improve. This is reflected in many areas but particularly through the delivery of gymnastics in which students explore flight through vaulting and in Dance.
• Our Orienteering course provides an excellent platform for students to demonstrate a sense of wonder and develop problem solving skills in the outdoors. This is particularly beneficial for our SEND students.
• Students learn to be courageous through their experiences of success and failure.  Our extra-curricular program provides all students with an opportunity to experience this.
• The curriculum also encourages students to reflect on the choices they make regarding their health.  By the end of Key Stage 3, students should understand the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  The department’s commitment to delivering Heath related exercise throughout Ks3 reflects this.  As does our investment in the health-suite facility.
• The HRE curriculum also includes the delivery of first aid for all students in Y7&8.
• The curriculum contains opportunities throughout for personal development and excellence both in the curriculum and through extra-curricular opportunities.
• There is a clear connect between the quality of teaching within the games curriculum and the success students have experienced through our extra-curricular program.
• Our Ks4 curriculum is designed to provide a choice of activities with the aim of encouraging individual liberty whilst also developing positive attitudes towards physical activity. A range of ‘off-site’ activities provides a variety of opportunities for our students.

In Y7, activities such as Badminton and Rounders encourage students to use a range of tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in direct competition.  A focus on technique is encouraged through Athletics while a Health-Related Exercise module, using our Health-Suite, enables students to develop an awareness of how to improve fitness and reflect on the choices they make regarding health.

Physical education provides an opportunity to develop cultural awareness be that through the part sport has played in our British identity, or through the origin of sport and physical activity. Both are discussion points in lessons.

At Key Stage three we hope students will become competent performers.  Year 7 students are analysed in a variety of skill contexts. Many of the chosen sports repeat themselves into Years 8 and 9 where more complex skills and understanding can be explored as well as the skills that transfer across areas. When assessing progress, a variety of strands are considered: range of skills, quality of skills, physical attributes and decision making.

Within each scheme a student’s ability to independently evaluate, analyse and adapt their performance develops over the key stage. For example, at Ks3, students are encouraged in Badminton to independently devise strategies to beat and outwit opponents. This includes information about angles and weight of shot.  As students move through the key stage, they are further encouraged to recognise the importance of responding to changing situations within a game.  The ability to solve problems is implicit within the Ks3 curriculum.

At Key Stage 4 and 5, PE requires students to develop their academic skills and we aim to facilitate this through our NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Health and Fitness, GCSE PE and A-level PE qualifications.  These pathways allow for students to critically analyse and evaluate physical performance and apply their experience of practical activities in developing their knowledge and understanding of the subject.  The ability to independently analyse and evaluate performance is encouraged through completion of the NEA component.  Students will also develop key transferable skills that are in demand by further education, Higher Education and employers in all sectors of industry.

Furthermore, students study the models and theories that affect learning and performance in physical activities, how different methods of training and feedback work and why their effectiveness differs from person to person. They also explore the psychological factors that affect group dynamics and the effects of leadership and stress. This component focuses on the social and cultural factors that have shaped sport over time, and their influences on physical activity. Students consider the impact of hosting a global sporting event such as the Olympic Games, and the influence of modern technology on both the performer and the spectator of contemporary sport.

It is not untypical for Key Stage 2 students to have tried their hand at a large variety of sports or experienced a broad range of extra-curricular opportunities so that they can participate and compete in sport all year round. Equally, some Key Stage 2 students have had very limited experiences of high quality Physical Education. Whilst there has been some exposure to Physical activity, few students have the range or quality of skills required to access the Key Stage 3 curriculum. Many students have not been exposed to situations where they are forced to make decisions or outwit an opponent. This is particularly important when they lack the physical attributes required in many physical activities. Therefore, the curriculum in Year 7 focuses on developing physical confidence whilst deepening their knowledge of how to improve the quality of skills required. The range of sports and activities chosen across KS3 ensures that students develop the knowledge and skill to employ tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in direct competition, improve techniques, work with others to develop cohesiveness, analyse techniques and have an opportunity to compete in and outside of school.

Finally, the delivery of our curriculum is based on the limitless enthusiasm of teaching staff whose diligence and passion is reflected in the students we teach.  Through the delivery of beneficial experiences in our lessons we aim to have a positive impact on students’ lifestyle choices, enabling them to develop a lifelong appreciation of the benefits of physical activity and the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

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Updated August  24