Brudenell Primary School

At Brudenell Primary School, we aim to provide a Physical Education curriculum that ensures every child has the opportunity to develop the physical confidence and competence to enjoy being physically active. We aim for our children to leave Primary Education with physical literacy in a variety of areas which will subsequently give them the choice to decide which activities they would like to participate in later in life. We also strive to give the children at Brudenell Primary School an experience in Physical Education that will lead to life-long physical activity. 

Our curriculum offers a wide and varied range of opportunities for physical activity that allow the children to undertake competitive, individual and team-based sports which widen their experience of ‘sport’. We aim to facilitate competitive opportunities both within school and with other local schools; giving the children a perspective of understanding the values of competition, being part of a team and to be able to both win and lose respectfully.

It is also important that our children lead, reflect on and evaluate their experiences of Physical Education and therefore we offer all of our children these opportunities in their school life. These skills give our children the understanding of what it is like to have responsibility, to show respect for rules and brings the added challenge of organisation, communication and teamwork. We hope that all these opportunities will help our children to develop into well-rounded and balanced individuals, with a passion for sport and physical activity, all set for life's challenges. 

Time on activity 

Time on activity is essential when learning new skills, developing mindset and honing interpersonal skills.  Unfortunately, teacher-led input can be as high as 70% in some PE lessons, which takes away from this activity-based learning. 

To develop and master skills children must be able to try, fail, repeat and refine.  Teacher intervention should be only when necessary and to the pupils who need it.  Avoid at all costs stopping the class and sitting them down to labour a point. 

Aim for 20% teacher speak and 80% activity time.  A few ways to help you achieve this are: 

• Only stopping small groups at a time and allowing others to continue play/participate in activity 
• ‘Stop, stand still’ – make your point and allow the class/group/individual to continue, there is no need to stop everyone and sit them down 
• Peer review with small groups or pairs rather than the whole class watching and feeding back, its more effective 

Learning activities are differentiated 

In a good PE lesson, all children are working towards the same outcome, how they achieve this is through effective differentiation. A good PE lesson can be differentiated by using the STEP method.  If we change the Space, Task, Equipment or People involved in an activity, it can increase the chances of success for those taking part. 

Pupils are making progress 

Children are improving.  Improvement does not just mean becoming physically more proficient but also meeting other areas of the national curriculum outcomes such as engaging in competition, working well with others and developing a deeper understanding of healthy active lifestyles. What does progress in PE look like? Pupils are performing against a SC.  It is important to consider what  this SC may look like over an activity,  a lesson and longer term.  Pupils must be aware of how they can make progress and describe and show this to others. 

Pupils can link learning 

A good PE lesson means that pupils can draw links to things they have previously learnt; which does not mean that they can reiterate what they discovered the last lesson, but can draw parallels in more sophisticated ways. 

Linking learning could mean making comparisons between activities such as discussing an aspect of defending in gameplay in both netball and football.  Or another example, children can suggest that they could develop their work in dance by trying a concept that worked in gymnastics.