Key Stage 3

At Key Stage 3 the focus in PE in on a broad and balanced curriculum which gives students the opportunity to participate in a variety of different sports.  Our curriculum provides opportunities for students to become physically confident through a focus on Gymnastics and Dance.  This includes the chance to develop leadership through a Sports leader’s pathway in Year 9.  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.

Key Stage 4

At Key Stage 4 all students can opt for PE. All students engage in a core PE programme. A focus on participation is facilitated through more complex and demanding physical activities. Students are given more choice about the activities they participate in with the aim of enriching attitudes towards physical activity and sport and encouraging lifelong participation.  Students are provided with opportunities to use leisure facilities in the local area through activities such as Swimming, Outdoor Pursuits and Fitness sessions.  A variety of on-site activities are delivered as well.

Students taking PE as an option choose a pathway.  The GCSE PE pathway equips learners with the necessary skills to complete two written examinations worth 60%; with a focus on Anatomy and Physiology in paper 1 and Socio-cultural issues/Sport Psychology in paper 2.  30% of the assessment is based on performance in three practical sports.  Students complete a written piece of coursework worth 10% which requires them to use theoretical knowledge to observe and analyse a sporting performance and use their knowledge to identify how performance could be improved.

As well as the practical focus during lessons, at Ks4/5  attention is given to theoretical knowledge which underpins sports performance, this helps to create a bigger picture of what it takes to be an elite sports person. Example themes are basic anatomy and physiology, the components of fitness and effective warm ups. These key mastery concepts will be taught discretely through depth of questioning and retrieval practice.

The Vcert pathway includes a vocational and project-based element. The qualification is a programme of study that focuses on career orientated learning.  More specifically, it allows for students to develop knowledge and understanding of how to work in the Health and Fitness sector or progress onto further study.  40% is assessed through a written paper and 60% is assessed through a synoptic project.

Key Stage 5

At Key Stage 5 we offer an A-level pathway.  Students who study the course develop an understanding of key systems in the body and how they react to changes in diet and exercise. They also study the effects of force and motion on the body and how they can be used to our advantage.  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.

Further information Curriculum Detail Key stages 3,4 and 5

Catholic Social Teaching

How we address values and virtues through the Physical Education Curriculum

Catholic social teaching is concerned with global issues and the church’s stance is to tackle the issues an find ways to resolve them. There are a number of areas within the PE curriculum where students are exposed to theses issues and the Catholic view point can be discussed.

Human Dignity : The PE curriculum supports the value of human dignity by encouraging our students to be virtuous.  This is shows through compassion and respect towards opponents or teammates.  Students learn ……… click to continue

Peace : In PE, students have to control their emotions during adversity and thus develop temperance through participation in sport.   They learn to be gracious in victory and congratulate opponents in defeat………. click to continue

The common Good: Through team sports such as Rugby, our students learn that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  Although, the enhancement of individual skill is encouraged through our extra-curricular program.  This notion is explored further at A-level where students learn ……… click to continue

Dignity of work: At Ks4, students consider the impact of socio-economic status on participation in physical activity.  More specifically, they look at the impact of particular barriers that exist and encouraged to reflect on strategies to improve participation for individuals from a lower socio-economic background. ……… click to continue

Solidarity: Participation in team sports fosters an understanding of how interdependent members of a team are. Students learn ……… click to continue

The department uses a range of resources and skills to support disadvantaged learners. A range of students have learning passports that include implementation strategies to support.  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.  In addition, the outdoor adventurous option at Ks4 provides an opportunity for SEND students to explore physical activity in a less structured but safe environment.

Assessment and Feedback

Students studying PE are assessed on their practical performance and knowledge of the sports and physical activities.  Therefore, the range/quality of skills taught at Key stage 3 facilitates improved performance at Key stage 4/5.  Retrieval practice is used to practice some of the core skills that students have learnt at Ks3.  This allows students to develop more complex/advanced skills required in a particular sport.  For example, in Badminton, knowledge of how to perform an overhead clear using the forehand supports the development of attempting it on the backhand side, which is a more complex skill.

At Key Stage 3, evidence of progress is monitored on a six-week basis.  Each year begins with a baseline assessment which helps the teacher identify the range of ability within the teaching group.  In addition to regular Assessment for Learning tasks, each learner is given the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learnt in a summative assessment lesson which also provides an opportunity for students to evaluate their progress and identify how they can improve.  Each module at KS3 is assessed using the department grade descriptors for each activity or sport.  The grade awarded is based on the quality of skills demonstrated, the range of skills, physical attributes and decision making.  The grade that has been awarded is logged on SIMS and the End of Year grade is based on a ‘best fit’ approach. This is in line with the assessment process of practical performance at GCSE & A-level.

At Key Stage 4 and 5, the progress of students is monitored through formative tests at the end of each topic.  At KS4 this is logged in their exercise books and logged by the teacher.  Feedback is provided with students given the opportunity to identify how they can improve their grade in a feedback lesson.  This also involves a ‘green pen’ activity.  In line with department policy, all students are expected to complete a minimum of one additional extended question per half term.  This piece of work is marked and a detailed feedback process is initiated by the teacher based on helping the student to see how they can improve.  At KS4, a book scrutiny is carried out each half term to monitor the effectiveness of this process.  At KS5, folders are scrutinised on a half termly basis.

The purpose of all assessments is to monitor the impact of teaching and effectiveness of learning. Additional revision sessions are also provided to account for any gaps in knowledge.  This also provides HPA with an opportunity to develop exam technique and improve the depth of their knowledge.  Furthermore, staff are expected to scrutinise topic tests results and present outcomes in departmental meetings.  Staff use 4Matrix to identify where improvements can be made in relation to targets.  Where necessary, staff contact home to establish further strategies to improve progress.

High Prior Attainers are further supported in PE through our leadership program in Year 9 and our extra-curricular program in which HPA are given an opportunity to excel in competitive sport.  This is also possible through our inter-form competition and Sports Day.

Extra Curricular and Cultural Capital

The curriculum within the PE department focus in five areas to enrich the cultural capital in students: personal, social, physical social moral and cultural. The following examples illustrate this:

Personal: In Year 9 students develop coaching skills – this engages students in public speaking for a purpose therefore building self-esteem.

Social: All PE lessons encourage varied social interaction across different groups. Working as teams in lessons and through an extensive house programme – encouraging the social side of sporting endeavour, e.g. sports day. Provision of sporting/social opportunities during break and lunch times throughout the year. The PE department also provide opportunities for social development through Year 9 Camp and the Ski Trip,

Physical: PE Curriculum throughout – challenge of physical endeavour in all lessons and activities. PE teams for all sports and extra-curricular opportunities. House activities, enrichment week activities. Strength and conditioning training for Rugby teams. Promotion of school/club links for elite performance e.g. Havant Rugby Club.

Spiritual and Moral: Co-operation, etiquette, team-work, fair-play, values all promoted in all practical PE lessons including extra-curricular opportunities.

Cultural: Analysis of the position of sport in the countries heritage and narrative  and the origin of sport.

Opportunities to compete in competitive sport are facilitated through the extra-curricular programme that the PE staff deliver on a daily basis.  This has a particular focus on Rugby, Netball, Athletics and Cricket.  The combination of activities at KS3 and our programme of extra-curricular activities enables individuals to build character and helps to embed values such as fairness, discipline, rule of law and mutual respect.

Development of Literacy through Physical Education

The development of Children’s literacy skills is complex. Despite PE largely begin a practical subject children are given regular opportunity to develop their literacy skills.
Where possible we ensure students engage in flying start. However a sa partly practical subject there are other areas where we can focus more effectively on literacy.

When developing literacy through PE  our focus includes:

Prioritising disciplinary literacy 

• Using talk and debate to clarify ideas
• Providing an opportunity for students to accurately and precisely articulate the knowledge required to demonstrate a particular sports skill or procerss
• Students are provided with opportunities to research and present findings to the class
• Discussion during group based tasks
• Leadership opportunities exist where students discuss leadership concepts and issues.
• Exposure to text in relation to the subject including articles on fitness and sport.
• Development of literacy required to write longer answers as part of an examination.
• Development of complex writing to fulfil; the requirements of the NEA

Giving students the ability to read complex academic texts

• Exposure to text books at Key stage 4 and 5
• Exposure to articles related to fitness and sport at KS4 and 5
• Posting articles to students and then providing a framework to deconstruct these
• Chucking and summarizing articles

Targeted vocabulary instruction 

• Deconstructing the vocabulary used during demonstration
• Asking students to explain vocabulary used in a complex task
• Revisiting complex tasks
• Helping students reframe sentences either oral or written so they include more complex vocabulary related to PE
• Deconstructing words before students visit them