P.E.

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Mission Statement

Physical Education aims to equip students with the knowledge, understanding and skills to develop their own performance in sport. As a department, we are passionate about students experiencing a breadth of sporting opportunities in their Core Physical Education lessons before beginning to specialise in competitive scenarios. Further to this, students can develop their understanding of socio-cultural influences on participation in sport and the benefits of physical activity to their health, fitness and well-being. Ultimately, our mission statement is to promote a passion for sports performance and to equip students with the necessary sport scientific understanding for a lifelong involvement in sport.​

Within physical education pupils will learn how to take part in a broad range of sports and physical activities. Pupils’ participation varies from accessing the basics of a sport or physical activity through competing within sports. Pupils will be able to demonstrate their knowledge through becoming physically literate in number of fundamental physical skills. Physical education is well placed as a subject to develop character. Physical education aims to develop confidence in pupils’ self-esteem. We aim for all pupils to have the ability to take part in a range of physical activity inside and outside of the school environment. Within team sports pupils will develop co-operation, leadership skills and engage with the concepts of morality in organic situations. Pupils will experience a range of challenges through a variety of activities they get taught in. Enabling them to build the confidence and skill set to take part in these activities outside of a school setting. In addition, all pupils shall have the opportunity to compete in intercollege team competitions and year 7 to 10 in intercollege athletics during sports day. All pupils have the opportunity to further their skills and confidence through P6 clubs and school teams. Living in an active and healthy way is an important part of a happy life. Core PE will provide you with the opportunity to participate in this healthy lifestyle and it will give you the skills and knowledge to live in an active and happy manner for the rest of your life. Pupils will be exposed to increasingly more challenging environments to work within. This will enable pupils to form strategic methods in order to outwit opponents within competitive sport environments. Pupils will also have the chance to form team or group tactics with other pupils in order to manage the way they apply their skills within competitive situations. Within physical activity, pupils shall be encouraged to analyse their health and wellbeing and shall be challenged to improve this. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on the components of their health and wellbeing that physical education provides.

Overview of Year 7 and 8

Throughout years 7 and 8 students are exposed to a breadth of sporting opportunities where the intent is to develop the basic fundamentals across the range of sports in line with the national curriculum. Throughout year 7 and 8 all students will receive two hours a week of physical education where they will cover one new sport each half term. This gives our students access to experience a variety of sports and activities and supports our philosophy of providing sport for all.

Sports units of study in year 7 and 8

  • Aesthetics 
  • Athletics 
  • Badminton 
  • Basketball 
  • Cricket 
  • Dance 
  • Dodgeball 
  • Fitness 
  • Football 
  • Gaelic Football 
  • Gymnastics 
  • Handball 
  • Hockey 
  • Netball 
  • Outdoor Adventurous Activities 
  • Rounders 
  • Rugby 
  • Softball  
  • Table Tennis 
  • Touch Rugby 
  • Tennis 
  • Volleyball 

Overview of Years 10 & 11

The GCSE physical education course aims to provide students with a broad knowledge of physiological, psychological and social cultural factors effecting sport. Students study three units: Physiological factors effecting performance, Socio- Cultural & Psychological factors effecting performance and Performance in Physical Education. Students must compete in three sports which they will be assessed as they work towards their final grades throughout year 10 and 11.

Physical Factors Effecting Performance (01) – 30% of total GCSE/ 1 hour written paper (60 marks)

–       Applied anatomy and physiology

1.1a) The structure and function of the skeletal system

1.1b) The structure and function of the muscular system

1.1c) Movement analysis

1.1d) The cardiovascular and respiratory systems

1.1e) The effect of exercise on the body systems

In this unit students will develop knowledge and understanding of the basic structures and functions of the body systems that are particularly important to physical activities and sports. They will also study the short and long-term effects of exercise on these systems, and how these effects can impact on physical fitness and performance. Students will also develop the ability to collect and use data, analyse movement and apply their knowledge and understanding, using examples from physical activity and sport.

–       Physical training

1.2a) Components of fitness

1.2b) Applying principles of training

1.2c) Preventing injury in a physical activity and training.

Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of the components of fitness required for physical activities and sports and how each can be measured.  Students will also be able to apply their knowledge of training principles to personal exercise/training programmes to improve fitness, along with the knowledge of how to optimise training and helping to prevent injury.

Socio-cultural issues and sports psychology (02) – 30% of total GCSE/ 1 hour written paper (60 marks)

–       Socio-cultural influences

2.1a) Engagement patterns of different social groups in physical activities and sports.

2.1b) Commercialisation of physical activity and sport.

2.1c) Ethical and socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport.

In this topic, students will develop their knowledge and understanding of the factors that continue to impact on physical activities and sports in the UK today. Students will be introduced to engagement patterns of different social groups in physical activities and sports and will develop their understanding of the influences of commercialism and the media on physical activities and sports.

–       Sports psychology

2.2a) Characteristics of skilful movement

2.2b) Classification of skills

2.2c) Goal setting

2.2d) Mental preparation

2.2e) Types of guidance and feedback

In this topic students will develop their knowledge and understanding of the psychological factors that can affect performers. They will also develop their knowledge and understanding of how movement skills are learned and performed in physical activities and sports

–       Health, fitness and well-being

2.3a) Health, fitness and well-being

2.3b) Diet and nutrition

In this topic students will develop their knowledge and understanding of the benefits of participating in physical activities and sport to health, fitness and well-being as well as having a clear definition of health and fitness. Students will know about the physical, emotional and social benefits as well as the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.

Performance in Physical Education (03) – 40% of total GCSE

–       Practical activity assessment

In Component 3, students are internally assessed through the non-exam assessment in performing three practical activities/sports and one performance analysis task. Students must perform in three practical activities, one from the ‘individual’ list, one from the ‘team’ list, and one other from either list. Students will be internally moderated and will receive a mark out of 20 for each one of their three sports.

–       Analysing and Evaluation Performance (AEP)

In addition to three practical performances, students are required to demonstrate their ability to analyse and evaluate their own performance. This is done through a written piece of coursework where students have to, analyse aspects of personal performance in a practical activity, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the performance and then produce an action plan which aims to improve the quality and effectiveness of the performance

We follow the OCR specification at GCSE. A comprehensive overview of the GCSE course curriculum can be accessed here: https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse/physical-education-j587-from-2016/

Core Physical Education in year 9

Physical Education in year 9 has focus of ensuring students are GCSE physical education ready through a curriculum of Advanced skills. It aims to effectively bridge the gap between year 8 and GCSE levels of practical performance, and to develop the skills that students will require to tackle GCSE. Year 9 continues to build upon the fundamental skills introduced through a practical setting during year 7 and 8 practical lessons.

Sports units of study in year 9:

  • American Football 
  • Athletics  
  • Badminton  
  • Basketball  
  • Cricket  
  • Dance  
  • Dodgeball 
  • Football  
  • Gaelic Football 
  • Gymnastics  
  • Handball  
  • Hockey  
  • Lacrosse 
  • Netball  
  • Rounders  
  • Rugby  
  • Softball  
  • Table tennis  
  • Touch Rugby  
  • Tennis  
  • Volleyball 

Core Physical Education in year 10 and 11

All students, whether they choose to specialise in GCSE physical education in year 10 or not, also get the opportunity to follow a core physical education pathway in years 10 and 11. The curriculum for Year 10 & 11 has been developed to provide students with the opportunity to build on and embed the basic and advanced skills learned in year 7, 8 and 9 whilst gaining further exposure to competitive performance. Our core physical education curriculum in year 10 and 11 has the intent to empower students to choose to experience a range of rigorous competitive sports and master the advanced skills. Students will have the skills to continue to enjoy and engage in sports opportunities beyond their curriculum lessons in activities that continue to develop personal fitness and promote an active, healthy lifestyle.

In line with the National Curriculum, students will be taught to:

  • use and develop a variety of tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in team and individual games
  • develop their technique and improve their performance in other competitive sports or other physical activities
  • take part in further outdoor and adventurous activities in a range of environments which present intellectual and physical challenges and which encourage pupils to work in a team, building on trust and developing skills to solve problems, either individually or as a group
  • evaluate their performances compared to previous ones and demonstrate improvement across a range of physical activities to achieve their personal best
  • continue to take part regularly in competitive sports and activities outside school through community links or sports clubs

Sports units of study in year 10 and 11:

  • American Football 
  • Athletics  
  • Badminton  
  • Basketball  
  • Cricket  
  • Dance  
  • Dodgeball 
  • Football  
  • Gaelic Football 
  • Gymnastics  
  • Handball  
  • Hockey  
  • Lacrosse 
  • Netball  
  • Rounders  
  • Rugby  
  • Softball  
  • Table tennis  
  • Touch Rugby  
  • Tennis  
  • Volleyball 

Extra-Curricular Opportunities

The physical education department is extremely proud of its wider-curricular provision where students have a wealth of opportunities to participate in sports. The wider- curricular timetable offers sports that build on curriculum time and new opportunities to take part in a range of alternative sports. With sports clubs on both before and after school we are extremely committed to this provision for students and firmly place it at the heart of the school culture.

Learning Journeys

Year 10 – Learning Journey 2023-24Download
Year 11 – Learning Journey 2023-24Download

Autumn Term

Spring Term

CORE PE Learning Journeys

Elms Learning Journeys

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