Furness Primary School

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Physical Education

At Furness Primary School, our aim is to help every child fulfil their potential through a vibrant and inclusive Physical Education curriculum. We encourage our students to participate in a wide range of sporting activities designed to enhance their physical, social, and emotional development.

Our curriculum aligns focuses on fostering critical skills and knowledge in Physical Education. We carefully identify the areas where students can grow, ensuring they improve their understanding, abilities, and confidence in the subject.

Through PE, students develop a broad range of skills, including decision-making, physical and mental resilience, and the ability to evaluate and improve their performance. These essential processes not only support progress in Physical Education but also align with the values and ethos of our whole school community.

Whole school approach to PE (Physical Education), PA (Physical Activity) and SS (School Sports). 

SDP PE - Intent, Implementation, Impact

Intent

A high-quality physical education curriculum which inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically-demanding activities. It should provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect. Children at Furness explore and learn a variety of skills and sports covering different areas: Invasion Sports, Gymanstics & Dance, Net/wall games, Sticking & Fielding,  Swimming and Athletics. The delivery of PE is carefully crafted to meet the needs of all the children and this is achieved through:

Quality Teaching – Teachers relentlessly aim to maximise the children’s potential by constantly challenge them and inspire them in a safe and positive learning environment. Learning always take place in every second of each lesson. This is possible because of our understanding of children’s capabilities through constructive observations, which allows us to guide them to their next step. This balance between knowing the curriculum, area of study and the children’s abilities, creates a perfect environment for children to succeed. It's one of the reasons PE doesn’t follow a standard scheme of work. Planning fits the specific conditions of our children, school and skills needed while following the National Curriculum.

Planning – Challenges are adapted to the needs of the children and are structured from simple to complex. No matter what level children are at, they will always be challenged appropriately so they can progress at a pace that is right for them. Planning can be accessed by teachers on the website under the PE page. Each year group has their own PE area with content, resources and tailored scheme of work.

PE equipment – Furness Primary school is a very resourceful school and the variety and specificity of the equipment gives children a much more enriched experience and access to a variety of sports. It also offers better support for children with difficulties which makes achieving the most demanding challenges a more engaging process.

Space - Regardless of the prevailing weather conditions, Furness children benefit from ample space for physical education activities, both indoors and outdoors. With access to two playgrounds equipped with games areas, as well as two indoor halls, students have the opportunity to fully engage in exploring and developing their physical capabilities year-round, free from interruptions. The outdoor playgrounds serve as dynamic environments where children can engage in sports, team activities, and recreational games, fostering a sense of camaraderie and teamwork. Meanwhile, the indoor halls offer versatile spaces for activities such as gymnastics, dance, and other indoor sports, allowing for a diverse range of physical exploration. This comprehensive infrastructure ensures that, regardless of the weather, Furness students have the resources and space they need to develop their physical skills, promoting a healthy and active lifestyle within the school community.

At Furness we aim to ensure that:

• Children develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities.
• Children are physically active for sustained periods of time.
• Children engage in competitive sports and activities.
• Children lead healthy, active lives.

EYFS

The EYFS framework is structured very differently to the national curriculum as it is organised across seven areas of learning rather than subject areas. This part demonstrates which statements from the 2020 Development Matters are prerequisite skills for PE within the national curriculum. The bullet points below outline the most relevant statements taken from the ELG (Early Learning Goals) in the EYFS statutory framework and the Development Matters age ranges for Three and Four year-olds as well as Reception which all syncs with the programme of study for PE.

• Continue to develop their movement, balancing, riding (scooters, trikes and bikes) and ball skills.
• Go up steps and stairs, or climb up apparatus, using alternate feet.
• Skip, hop, stand on one leg and hold a pose for a game like musical statues.
• Use large-muscle movements to wave flags and streamers, paint and make marks.
• Start taking part in some group activities which they make up for themselves, or in teams.
• Increasingly able to use and remember sequences and patterns of music that are related to music and rhythm.
• Match their developing physical skills to tasks and activities in the setting. For example, they decide whether to crawl, walk or run across a plank, depending on its length and width.
• Choose the right resources to carry out their own plan. For example, choosing a spade to enlarge a small hole they dug with a trowel.
• Collaborate with others to manage large items, such as moving a long plank safely, carrying large hollow blocks.
• Show a preference for a dominant hand.
• Be increasingly independent as they get dressed and undressed. For example, putting coats on and doing up zips.
• Revise and refine the fundamental movement skills they have already acquired:

- rolling - running - crawling - hopping - walking - skipping - jumping – climbing

• Progress towards a more fluent style of moving, with developing control and grace.
• Develop overall body-strength, balance, coordination and agility needed to engage successfully with future physical education sessions and other physical disciplines, including dance, gymnastics, sport and swimming.
• Use their core muscle strength to achieve a good posture when sitting at a table or sitting on the floor. • Combine different movements with ease and fluency.
• Confidently and safely use a range of large and small apparatus indoors and outdoors, alone and in a group.
• Develop overall body strength, balance, coordination and agility.

KS1

Pupils should develop fundamental movement skills, become increasingly competent and confident and access a broad range of opportunities to extend their agility, balance and coordination, individually and with others. They should be able to engage in competitive (both against self and against others) and co-operative physical activities, in a range of increasingly challenging situations.

Pupils should be taught to:

• Master basic movements including running, jumping, throwing and catching, as well as developing balance, agility and co-ordination, and begin to apply these in a range of activities
• Participate in team games, developing simple tactics for attacking and defending
• Perform dances using simple movement patterns. 

KS2

Pupils should continue to apply and develop a broader range of skills, learning how to use them in different ways and to link them to make actions and sequences of movement. They should enjoy communicating, collaborating and competing with each other. They should develop an understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and sports and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success.

Pupils should be taught to:

• Use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in combination
• Play competitive games, modified where appropriate [for example, badminton, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rounders and tennis], and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending
• Develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance [for example, through athletics and gymnastics]
• Perform dances using a range of movement patterns
• Take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team
• Compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best.
• Swimming and water safety
• Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
• Use a range of strokes effectively [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke]
• Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

Implementation

• PE lessons follow the 8Es approach in delivering outstanding quality teaching. The idea of Embed learning involves providing opportunities for students to practice and consolidate what they've learnt, ensuring that key knowledge is transferred to their long-term memory through methods such as recall, recognition, and relearning. Students revisit key concepts, skills and rules they have learned in previous PE lessons. This can involve brief discussions, Q&A, or interactive activities that reinforce their understanding. The next part is Explore and it is normally part of the warm up, which is specifically linked with each topic in PE. After this, in the Explain part where the teacher discusses the topic being taught, aims of the lesson and how to achieve and meet the targets. Examples are where we put the ideas discussed into action, and demonstrations are shown. Children then Expand on the level of difficulty by adding other variables and skills. Enrich happens when they apply these learnt concepts into small games situations. They evaluate when they reflect on the learning, talk to each other and discuss the best strategies. In Expert, students who excel in specific athletic skills or understand key concepts are encouraged to showcase their expertise. These individuals are provided chances to support their peers in various ways, such as guiding them through physical activities, demonstrating proper techniques, offering constructive feedback, or participating in peer evaluations of performance. This collaborative approach not only enhances students' self-esteem and confidence but also reinforces their own comprehension of physical education concepts. By actively engaging in peer support, students not only solidify their skills but also contribute to the accelerated progress of their classmates.
• Children also follow the PRIDE rules in PE and each letter of the PRIDE acronym is linked to the PE environment. This builds character, makes children more understanding, improves resilience, tolerance, respect and makes the learning environment more conducive.
• Nursery follows the new framework, both PE and EYFS lead work together to insure children dedicate time to physical development. They have specific time in their timetable dedicated to physical activity exploration both indoor with games and movement. Children engage in story yoga in the morning as well as dance throughout the day. During their free flow time, there are a lot of opportunities for physical development with sports equipment where children can explore the fundamental movement skills such as ball and gymnastic skills: Balance, hand eye coordination, and agility.
• Throughout the year and more specifically at the end of each term, children will engage in various Level 1 competitions across the different sports depending on what children are learning each term, within the same year group. At the end of Autumn 1, KS1 and KS2 children take part in a Football Tournament. In Autumn 2, KS2 children aim to produce a Gymnastics routine. In the spring term, KS2 children take part in a Net/Wall  tournament (Badminton). In the Summer term, everyone takes part in Sports Day.
• Cycling training for KS1 and KS2 will be run throughout the academic year in the form of an activity club giving children the opportunity to learn and improve lifelong skills and creating healthy and active habits for life. EYFS can use their own scooters and tricycles outdoors. A team of cycling instructors comes to Furness once a year to take cycling to a more advanced level where children complete a level 2 cycling programme where they have the opportunity to go on the road.
• Each year group follows a particular rota while in the playground giving children the opportunity to engage in active breaks and to further develop their sporting skills through play activities using a more informal format. Children have daily access to and are encouraged to take part in a range of games: Basketball, Handball, Football, Pickleball and Table Tennis. There is also a variety of sports equipment in the playground which children have access to furhter develop thei physical skills like rope skipping, balancing boards, bounce hoppers and Hula Hoops.
• Furness Primary School has forged valuable partnerships with a local secondary schools (Newman and Harris - work experience), University Campus of Football Business (UCFB - work experience), Brent Council (guest speakers and workshops), and Sustrans (research) creating a dynamic network that extends beyond PE lessons. Through these collaborations, children engage in extra-curricular sessions during the day linked to their own wellbeing,. These partnerships enrich the students' overall sports education by providing specialised coaching and diverse sporting experiences. The collaboration with the local secondary school fosters progression in their athletic journey. Additionally, the connection with the university enhances the quality and breadth of sports education. The involvement of the council underscores a commitment to community engagement and the holistic development of young athletes. Together, these partnerships not only contribute to the physical well-being of the students but also cultivate a culture of teamwork, discipline, and passion for sports within the Furness Primary School community.
• Throughout the year, children take part in reading and writing activities, when they self-assess or compare their performances with previous ones or against that of their peers. They also have the chance to improve their reading and writing skills through observations, fact files for different sports, assess the lesson as well as the creation of posters linked to topics such as cycling, the environment, and Sports Day.
• We promote active travel to and from school.  One of the ways we do that is to ask children to sign in when they scoot and cycle to school every day. The most active child from each class then gets a medal at the end of the school year. We also take part in the cycle to school week and Be Bright Be Seen (road Safety) events in September and The Big Walk and Wheel in April. Furness Primary school currently holds a gold accreditation as part of the TfL stars programme.
• Young leaders / Sports Captains help supervise and run some of the activities for younger year groups in the KS1 playground. Their level of responsibility improves purpose, satisfaction and they become very engaged members of the school in very positive leading roles. As well as supervising activities in the playground, they also run activities with EYFS and KS1 children during the PE lessons.
• KS2 children swim once a week from Year 3 to Year 6, this is part of the school’s long-term commitment towards swimming and making Furness stand out from other schools. We definitely offer more (4 years of swimming lessons during their school life) than the average school (one term in most schools) and we are very proud of that. This high level of provision equips our children with skills for life.
• There are 4 Football training sessions per week for Year 5 and 6 children. These sessions are part of the Level 2 competitions and will spring board the most talented children to an even higher level of achievement in sports. 
• SEN and FSM children can take part in a free after school sports club. In Change4Life they discover the joy of physical activity and teamwork. These resilient and inspiring young individuals come together to embrace the transformative power of sports. Change4Life Sports Club creates an environment where every child, regardless of ability, can thrive. Through laughter, friendship, and the exhilaration of movement, SEN children not only build physical strength but also cultivate confidence and a sense of belonging. The Change4Life Sports Club is not just about playing sports; it's about fostering a supportive community that celebrates diversity and empowers every child to reach their full potential.

Impact

• A high quality delivery of physical education will have a positive impact on young people’s physical, social and cognitive development, their well-being and their overall level of achievement not only in PE but across other areas of study. Physical education is not merely about developing athletic skills, it is a holistic approach to nurturing the mind and body. Through well-crafted lessons, interactive activities, and a supportive environment, our students not only learn essential motor skills but also gain valuable life skills.
• School Sport experiences such as Level 1 and 2 competitions give students an opportunity to further improve their sporting skills, strengthen their social connections, improve confidence and build character.
• Having structured play in the playground at break and lunch time gives more children the opportunity to practice their sporting skills and this impacts their behaviour and levels of engagement in a more positive way and it also promotes our PRIDE rules. Having more stimulating activities during breaks increases their physical activity and strengthens positive social links.
• Extra curricular activities such as those delivered by Sports Coaches (Cycling, assemblies and workshops) have a great impact on the children’s lifelong skills, it promotes good habits for life as well as equipping children with new skills. Children will benefit greatly from being exposed to a wider variety of experiences in their school life, this is very enriching and inspiring.
• The impact of swimming can be seen in the increased percentage of students meeting the national swimming requirement (25m swim) compared to standard provision by the time they leave primary school compared to when they started in year 3. Over 80% of children were not able to swim in year 3 when they started swimming lessons and through Furness commitment towards swimming, this percentage drops to 7% in year 6. 

• According to opportunities for swimming in brent, only 3 percent of children swim 25m by the end of KS2, that percentage at Furness was 15% in 2024

• Boosts Academic Performance: Engaging in regular physical education enhances cognitive function, focus, and memory, which positively impacts academic performance across all subjects. Physical activity helps stimulate brain activity, promoting better concentration and problem-solving abilities in the classroom.
• Promotes Mental Health: Physical education offers an outlet for stress and anxiety, fostering emotional well-being. Activities such as structured play and team sports provide a safe space for students to express themselves, leading to improved mood and resilience.
• Enhances Teamwork and Communication: PE encourages collaboration, teamwork, and communication skills. By participating in group sports and activities, children learn how to work together towards common goals, resolve conflicts, and communicate effectively, skills that are vital both inside and outside the classroom.
• Builds Confidence and Leadership: Participation in PE and school sports competitions, such as Level 1 and 2 events, instills confidence and leadership qualities in students. By taking on different roles within a team, they gain the courage to step up and lead, both in sports and other areas of life.
• Develops Lifelong Healthy Habits: Exposure to a variety of physical activities, including swimming, cycling, and extra-curricular sports, helps children develop lifelong habits of physical fitness. These experiences instill an understanding of the importance of maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle as they grow.
• Improves Social Integration: Through structured play, PE encourages positive social interactions and friendships. This contributes to better playground behavior and helps students learn empathy, cooperation, and respect for others, promoting a more harmonious school environment.
• Supports Character Development: PE promotes the development of essential life values such as perseverance, discipline, and respect. Through challenges, whether in competitive sports or individual activities, children learn to set goals, manage setbacks, and celebrate successes with humility.
• Improves Physical Fitness and Reduces Obesity: A consistent PE program helps improve children's physical fitness, agility, and stamina while encouraging an active lifestyle. This not only supports their overall health but also helps combat childhood obesity, leading to better long-term health outcomes.

Swimming Data 2024

All Students have received training on water confidence as well as how to swim effectively on three different strokes: Frontcrawl, Backstroke and Breastroke (body positioning, stroke development, full stroke and breathing)

All Year 6 students have also been been trained on water safety skills including:

1. Treading water for 1 minute 
2. Swimming with clothes on
3. Performing rescues
4. Safe jumps into the water.

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