Physical Education
The different areas of PE
Each class in the school is timetabled to do two hours of PE each week. The range of activities covered is in line with the National Curriculum, which, generally speaking, involves different aspects of gymnastic movement, athletics, dance and games across all age groups, together with outdoor and adventurous activities (particularly addressed during the Y6 School Journey) and swimming (done in the four KS2 classes). Games coverage includes invasion games (those like football, netball, basketball etc.), striking and fielding games (cricket and rounders) and net-wall games (e.g. tennis). Individual class teachers decide when the different areas are covered, though there is always a range within each term.
Swimming
Usually, our Y3 and Y4 classes receive two terms of swimming (ten 30 minute lessons each term), while Y5 and Y6 have one term. This timetable has been affected by the year-long closure of Cheam Baths from March 2014 to March 2015, but we have re-established this pattern, ensuring the minimum disadvantage to any particular class of children.
Our Vision
While defining the different areas of PE above, we keenly recognise the transferability of skills between areas and strongly believe in providing our children with a broad base of fundamental skills that will serve them well in becoming life-long participants in sport, recreation and exercise. To assist in this aim, we are including more elements of a scheme called ‘real PE’ within lessons across the school.
Outside Agencies
As the children move up the school, ‘real PE’ is complemented with skills from specific sports. To this end we sometimes bring in outside coaches to work alongside our teachers. The children from Y2 to Y6 receive tennis coaching in the first part of the Autumn Term and in the Summer Term, while we have worked with Suburban Hockey to provide hockey coaching for our KS2 classes.
Sporting Competition
Our commitment to PE and its links into sporting participation are clearly reflected in our entry into a very wide range of competitive (and some non-competitive) events across the borough. We have teams playing in the local netball and football league and cup structures throughout the Autumn and Spring Terms, while also participating in events or festivals in cricket, rugby, basketball, hockey, swimming, athletics, Sportshall Athletics, Quadkids Athletics, cross-country and other “one-off” events that become available.