In the Lower School there is a significant focus on development for pupil’s physical skills and building positive attitudes for PE and beyond. From the offset, pupils from the age of zero and through KS1 take part in tactical and skill-based activities which provide vital development in gross motor skills and embed the key attitudes that we want our pupils to take forward with them.

Pupils begin their journey in school with lessons designed to promote enjoyment and motivation as well as develop gross motor skills. We want our pupils to grow a long-term interest in PE through positive experiences (Sullivan, 2020). By focusing on positive experiences, we can use PE to build their Physical Literacy (Myers and Whitehead, 2021) that pupils carry with them on their journeys into the Middle and Upper phases of PE.

In PE lessons, we work towards the development of 4 key attitude concepts;

• health & wellbeing

• personal development

• competition & fair play

• interpersonal skills.

These concepts link to the 7 strands of Physical Literacy and underpin “the idea of physical literacy as a journey” (Taplin, 2020). Our curriculum begins this journey in the early years foundation stages (EYFS) meeting many of the expectations of the EYFS National Curriculum and leading effectively into the ‘confidence and competence’ expectations of the KS1 National Curriculum.

Pupils in years 3 and 4 continue following the attitude-based approach, but with the physical skills developed during EYFS and KS1, there is a greater attention on invasion sports and the communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills needed to perform with peers. Aesthetic activities increase the focus from ‘listening and copying’ to setting personal goals and collaborating with peers to create and take ownership for their work.

The objectives of the Lower School curriculum are for all pupils to develop beyond their sporting ability, developing soft skills, and feeling comfortable in their health & wellbeing, personal development, competition & fair play, and interpersonal skills. We expect pupils to be competent with their physical skills, in preparation for Middle School PE, but to also have a strong mindset to be better prepared for life beyond PE.

Readiness for Middle School

Attitude based competencies: At the end of year 4 all pupils:

• are able to work in teams and understanding the importance of how cooperation brings success.

• embody good sportsmanship by following the rules in the best interest of fair play.

• should have a desire to want to be involved with structured physical activity.

• embody positive communication with peers, such as congratulating and praising each other's work.

• will come to PE with a willing-to-listen attitude and transferring their positive classroom behaviours outdoors.

• understand and can apply safety in an active environment.

• Pupils engage in discussions around self-reflection and peer reflection with class teachers and peers.

Skill based competencies: At the end of year 4 all pupils:

• have achieved the recognised standard for swimming and water safety

• have achieved the TJWA physical literacy standards for accessing sport and physical activity

• can run 1-mile under their own steam in one continuous occasion.

• have achieved Level 6 PLC criteria in 1 activity in each of the NC areas of study.

Intervention and Catch-Up

Any pupils not yet working able to demonstrate mastery of the knowledge/concepts listed above will receive the following support in Year 5, and 6:

• The concept curriculum is broken up into individual items. Those that have been missed or not visible can be taught in small group settings by the SEN dept.

• After school interventions for concepts that students have not grasps was well.

• Priority in sports related after school clubs for any identified pupils

• Lunch time breakout sessions where activities can be planned for students to engage with at non-structured times to influence concepts.

• Sporting mentors can support student.

In Middle School there will be concept-driven and personalised curriculum that will prepare pupils for life through Physical Education. A concept-driven approach to curriculum design is one that moves away from subject-specific content and instead emphasises ‘big ideas’ that allows pupils to become life-skilled. Our innovative approach offers an alternative to the traditional sport and skill-based approach to Physical Education curriculum design and delivery to offer ‘positive experiences,’ with this in mind the Middle School PE experience will involve a variety of concepts (see example below):

Personal Development

Unit 1: The value of PE, Unit 2: Self Worth, Unit 3: Resilience, Unit 4: Inter-personal skills

Health and Wellbeing

Unit 1: Mental Health and Wellbeing, Unit 2: Physical Health and Wellbeing, Unit 3: Social Health and Wellbeing, Unit 4: Diet and Nutrition

It is these concepts that will allow all pupils to have a positive experience in PE, focusing on the attitude (Concept and ‘big idea’) and knowledge rather than the specific sporting skill. The specific sporting skills will be used as the ‘tool’ to allow pupils to acquire and connect with the ‘big idea.’ Once pupils have acquired and connected with the ‘big idea’ they should then be able to transfer these skills into other subjects and this in turn will allow them to progress along the pathway to becoming life-skilled. Pupils still work on and develop their practical skills but this is not the only focus and as such will lead to higher engagement levels.

Throughout the school year pupils will experience a range of sports to deliver the concepts for each year group. Each lesson will encompass three objectives based on the ASK (Attitude, Skill, and Knowledge) principles. By the end of Middle School pupils should have started their journey to becoming physically literate (Physical literacy is the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life), pupils should have embraced failure, learnt from failures, understood how to progress, received praise for their positive attitudes and participated in activities planned for their needs.

Readiness for Upper School

The following Historical knowledge/concepts are non-negotiables for end of Year 8 for all pupils:

• show effective inter personal skills that will lead them to show respect towards peers, officials and opponents. Promoting fair play.

• show resilience despite day-to-day adversities.

• display maximal effort in every lesson regardless of activity.

• have developed a number of roles to discover their personal identity within Physical Education.

• be able to take independent responsibility for their learning.

• use a variety of communication techniques alongside activity listening to give corrective feedback.

• understand the multiple benefits physical education has on their mental health and cognitive processing.

• use sport as a social tool to increase their social health.

• understand the short-term effects of exercise on the bodily systems.

• know the components of a balanced diet and how each one contributes to fuelling the body. Plus, the importance of hydration.

Intervention and Catch-Up

Any pupils not yet working able to demonstrate mastery of the knowledge/concepts listed above will receive the following support in Year 9, 10 and 11:

• The concept curriculum is broken up into individual items. Those that have been missed or not visible can be taught in small group settings by the SEN dept.

• After school interventions for concepts that students have not grasps was well.

• Priority in sports related after school clubs for any identified pupils

• Lunch time breakout sessions where activities can be planned for students to engage with at non-structured times to influence concepts.

• Sporting mentors can support student.

To complete their PE journey at TJWA pupils will continue to follow a concept-driven and personalised curriculum to ensure they are prepared for higher education or employment.

To fully support a pupil to develop their physically literacy, we must first realise the pupil’s intrinsic motivation to participate and aim to develop the aspects of human flourishing. With this is mind, pupil autonomy is an important addition to the PE curriculum in the Upper School and there are various methods in which this can be facilitated. Pathways/option blocks in which pupils get the opportunity to shape their own curriculum will be encouraged in years 10, 11 and 6th form whilst leadership schemes are made available to those in year 9. These pathways again encourage a positive experience in PE by allowing choice not only in the sports played but also the angle of delivery based on their personality. Teachers are then able to tailor the lesson to allow it to be centred more on one of the following areas; coaching/leadership, well-being or competitive.

The key components are again specific to the need of the pupils in each year group and coincide with the challenges they face at life at this time or the attitudes and knowledge they will require soon to help them become life-skilled.

Leadership Skills

Unit 1: Attitude and behaviours of a leader, Unit 2: Effective teams, Unit 3: Self-reflection, Unit 4: Power of positivity

Aspirations and Employability

Unit 1: Employability, Unit 2: Fulfilling potential, Unit 3: Emotional Intelligence, Unit 4: Redefining competition

Mental health and managing pressure

Unit 1: Mental Health Awareness, Unit 2: Dealing with Stress, Unit 3: The Value of Physical Activity

To ensure continuity within the PE journey, all lessons will still incorporate the three objectives based on the departments ASK criteria. Again, the emphasis shifts away from the old view based on skill being the centre for PE and again allows for a more enriching and positive experience based on pupil choice.

By the end of Upper School, it is envisaged that pupils leave having a positive experience in PE due to the innovative approaches and leave behind a legacy for other generations. This is not to say what has gone before was bad, but simply the recognition that we need to continue to develop/grow. We will have better nurtured physical literacy and promoted lifelong engagement, results and enjoyment will have increased, and pupils will feel better prepared for life through engaging in our concept-curriculum.

Readiness for Sixth Form / Further Education

• show confidence in my own abilities in a physically active setting

• communicate in a positive manner with others.

• collaborate effectively with others in physical and planning tasks

• understand how to regulate and express emotions

• demonstrate understanding of different aspects of mental health and the signs of struggle/stress

• encourage others in a positive environment around body-image, self-confidence, and self-esteem.

• fulfilling potential be redefining what competition means to them, rising to the challenge and competing against themselves and others.

• value myself and others.

• to have completed a leadership qualification and used those skills to support sporting events inside or outside of the Academy.

• can showcase effective employability standards of time management, planning, goal setting, drive and initiative.

Lower School

All Lower School pupils should have had the opportunity to:

• participate in a range of Sporting Festivals (Sports Fest)

• be coached by specialist Coaches

• engage in After School Clubs

• to take part in fixtures (Interaction with other schools)

• participate in open feeder club training sessions

• to listen to expert guest speakers talking about their specific experiences

• attend sporting events outside of school

• be trained as a leader (Year 4)

• attend a Sports Presentation event

Middle School

All Middle School pupils should have had the opportunity to:

• attend a residential outdoor and adventurous experience in KS2

• attend a varied after school enrichment offer in sport and physical activity

• attend trips to semi-professional/professional sporting fixtures

• to take part in fixtures against other schools

• participate in a Q&A with an athlete

• participate and compete in interhouse events

• become a house sports leader

• be a member of the sports council

• attend a sports presentation evening

• engage in sporting reward experiences

• engage in off-site activities

Upper School

All Upper School pupils should have had the opportunity to:

• become a house sports leader/captain

• take part in interhouse events

• engage in leadership experiences after school

• obtain a National Governing Body qualification

• attend a First Aid course

• engage in sporting reward experiences

• become a sports captain

• earn colours (recognition of the duration a person has represented the academy)

• attend a Sports Presentation Evening

• participate in fixtures against other schools

• develop fitness performance through training

• engage in off-site activities

• Durden-Myers, E.J., Whitehead, M, Mitchell, S., Griffin, L., Almond, L. and Butler, J., 2021. Lifetime contributions in physical education. 1st ed. Radstock: Scholarly.

• Sullivan, L., n.d. (2021) Is physical education in crisis? 1st ed. Radstock: Scholarly.