Intent

At Waterfield Primary School, we view Physical Education as essential to developing the physical literacy, confidence, and wellbeing of every child. Our intent is to equip children with the fundamental movement skills, knowledge, and understanding they need to lead physically active, healthy lives – both mentally and physically. We believe that true physical literacy goes beyond physical competence; it includes the motivation, confidence, and understanding to value and engage in lifelong physical activity.

 Through a carefully planned and sequenced curriculum, we build upon children’s prior knowledge, from EYFS to Year 6, enabling them to revisit and deepen their understanding through progressive skill development. Our PE curriculum provides opportunities for all pupils to develop schema by applying and transferring skills into a wide range of sports and physical activities. We strive to ensure all children experience challenge, enjoyment, and success, fostering resilience and positive attitudes that support their broader personal development. In doing so, we aim to nurture well-rounded individuals who understand the importance of physical and mental health and are empowered to take ownership of their own wellbeing.

We firmly believe that our children should be empowered to make healthy lifestyle choices and maximise opportunities to encourage children to take part in physical activities. PE is taught twice a week. All children in Year 4, 5 and 6  have a half term’s swimming tuition taught by qualified swimming teachers at our local pool. We also run a range of after-school sports clubs and participate in a range of local tournaments and sports workshops, ensuring that as many pupils as possible are chosen to take part.

Implementation

 At Waterfield, our curriculum is a mixture of the REAL PE curriculum and opportunities to develop gymnastics, dance and other sports skills. REAL PE places an emphasis on physical literacy and fundamental movement skills, enabling ALL children to build the strong foundations required to take part in any chosen sport in their later lives.

Progressive layering of knowledge, embedded in long-term memory, scaffolds pupils to:

  • Understand how the body moves, developing and improving key fundamental movement skills
  • Link and apply key fundamental movement skills in a variety of games
  • Learn to follow rules of games and be a good sportsperson
  • Understand the effect being active has on the body
  • Develop understanding of the impact of good healthy active lifestyle choices on their physical and mental wellbeing

Our PE Curriculum includes:  

  • A progressive, sequential journey of knowledge, skills and concepts from EYFS to Year 6, encompassing the depth and breadth of the PE curriculum  
  • Immersion in a variety of physical activities 
  • Opportunities to address potential cultural capital disadvantage  
  • A focus on subject specific vocabulary to equip children with the language to describe their body, how it moves, and effects physical activity has, with precision and confidence 
  • Key outcomes, described as ‘sticky knowledge,’ which form the foundation of prior and subsequent learning 
  • Enhanced learning through visiting experts 
  • Adapted learning and teaching to support those with additional needs through the pre-teaching of PE vocabulary, the use of observing, copying and repeating and refining skills 
  • Targeted support for children with additional needs including peer collaboration, adapting the lesson through space, task, equipment and people 
  • Adapted learning and teaching to challenge all pupils to understand concepts on a deeper level such as why it is important to make good choices for an active and healthy lifestyle
  • Learning opportunities that encourage children to develop a genuine interest in and appreciation for being active, watching and participating in a variety of physical activities for life  

View our Curriculum Progression Map for PE.