Physical Education

Intent 

Physical Education at St Albert the Great Catholic Primary School aims to develop a fun, high-quality physical education curriculum that inspires all pupils to succeed and excel individual’s abilities in competitive sports and other physically-demanding activities. We will provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness.  They will learn about themselves, their bodies and ways to become physically active.

•Our children will have regular opportunities to compete in a variety of sports and other activities that build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect. •PE at St Albert the Great is an imperative element of the curriculum, which develops and promotes a need for leading healthy and active life styles, having a balanced diet, positive growth mind-set and the resilience to persevere with activities that may be challenging. All children will have two hours of high quality Physical Education each week.  •Children will leave St Albert’s being able to swim 25m confidently. •Staff at St Albert the Great School are passionate about the need to teach children how to cooperate and collaborate with others by working as part of a team; as well as providing opportunities for children to achieve their ‘Personal Best’. •At St Albert the Great we aim to adopt a supportive and encouraging approach towards PE. When educators celebrate achievements, however small, and foster an inclusive environment, students are more likely to develop a positive outlook towards physical activity •EYFS have a significant focus on physical development. They use their PE lessons to work on their gross motor skills.

 Implementation 

Pupils at St Albert the Great participate in 2 hours of weekly, high quality PE lessons.  Our PE curriculum is varied and long-term plans ensure that we meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. The PE programme incorporates a variety of sports to ensure all children develop the confidence, tolerance and the appreciation of their own and others’ strengths and weaknesses.

Children take part in a range of invasion, striking & fielding and net & wall games; we promote imagination and creativity in gymnastics and dance; as well as providing opportunities for athletics using both indoor and outdoor environments plus outdoor and adventurous activities. We offer our Year 6 children the opportunity for additional outdoor adventurous activities through an annual residential trip.

All pupils participate in swimming lessons for three weeks of the summer term when they attend at least 2 swimming sessions a week.

Our PE curriculum follows Get Set 4 PE Platform. It is a comprehensive platform that has been designed to allow for effective progression of knowledge and soft skills from one year to the next by providing detailed ‘Performance Pathways’ for children to follow. These ‘Pathways’ enable children to build upon prior experiences and apply these fluently, with confidence. Specific vocabulary is taught and extended each year. Teachers assess the children’s progress in PE, both by making informal judgements, as they observe them during lessons, and through assessing against the specific objectives set out in the National Curriculum and recorded using the Get Set 4 PE assessment software.

We have clear expectations of what the pupils will know, understand and be able to do at the end of each Key Stage. Teachers are supported with resources to know how to prepare children for their next phase of education. These resources include the Get Set 4 PE progression of skills document, progression ladders and knowledge organisers.

Our EYFS also follow Get Set 4 PE curriculum as part of their Physical Development prime focus. The Get Set plans allow for the children to develop their gross motor skills. In addition to following Get Set 4 PE plans, EYFS also provide an opportunity for the children to develop their fine motor skills through the provision of busy fingers, disco dough and other activities.

Physical Education is fundamental in developing healthy lifestyles in young people and at St Albert the Great we provide opportunities for all children to engage in extra-curricular activities during the school day and after school. Regular extra-curricular clubs are very popular and offer a wide variety of sports.

In addition to our PE curriculum and extra curriculum opportunities, children are encouraged to take part in a wide range of competitive sporting events throughout the year. Success in Intra (Level 1) and Inter (Level 2) sports competitions are a particular strength of the school.  Although we enjoy the competitive nature of sport, we also appreciate and encourage the importance of children ‘taking part’ and promote positive experiences of being physically active and not always participating to win. This is an inclusive approach which endeavours to encourage not only physical development but also value the importance of promoting a positive physical and mental well-being for all pupils.

At St Albert the Great School we recognise the importance of being physically active throughout the school day so to reduce sedentary learning, school staff received ‘Active Maths’ and ‘Active Literacy’ and are encouraged to find opportunities to allow children to be physically active in these lessons too. Our School site has a bespoke OAA course which can be used by teachers for a wide range of cross curricular activities. Throughout the day classes have Active Brain breaks, many take part in the Daily Mile.

Playtimes are an important part of our pupils being happy, healthy and ready to learn. Our recent transition has received a lot of positive feedback from pupils across the school. We have well-equipped playgrounds, outdoor table tennis tables, a traverse climbing wall, large sports field, an enclosed Multi Use Games Area (MUGA pitch), a KS1 Trim Trail, KS2 Climbing frame, Outdoor Gym Equipment and a Wild Wood Den, which have been designed to provide opportunities for children to develop and improve fundamental skills using various body parts and to maintain high activity levels.

Our MSA’s are trained to help maintain active playtimes.

Year 6 children are invited to become part of our ‘Sports Ambassadors’. Our sports leaders are active during lunchtimes; organising and leading lunchtime activities especially for our most inactive younger pupils.  They also assist with Level 1 Intra House Competitions and they help lead whole school Sports Assemblies as well as School Sports Day.

Impact

 To fulfil our vision by inspiring a generation. At St Albert the Great, we motivate children to participate in a variety of sports which are engaging and fun. We inspire children to instinctively utilise skills and knowledge acquired during PE lessons, encouraging them to take responsibility for their own health and fitness thus developing a love of sport leading to a happy and healthy life.

Children are happy learners within Physical Education. Recent PE Pupil Voice analysis (Spring 2025) informs us that nearly 85% of KS2 pupils enjoy taking part in PE lessons.  

Through Physical Education, children deepen their appreciation of their faith and fulfil their God-given talents.

Children of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well in Physical Education, which is reflected in outstanding progress that reveals a clear learning journey.  Children talk enthusiastically about their learning in Physical Education and are eager to further their learning in the next stages of their education.

Through following the precise progression of Get Set 4 PE, children will achieve well in PE and meet National Curriculum objectives by the end of their Key Stage.

By the end of EYFS, we expect all children to have successfully achieved their early learning goals within the physical development prime focus.

Fundamental British Values are evident in Physical Education and children understand how it can celebrate difference.

Through this exposure, children will produce work that is influenced by the best of the best.

Children are physically active for sustained periods of time and recognise the importance of this, when being encouraged to lead healthy, active lives.

By the end of KS2, children will be able to swim competently and confidently over a range of at least 25 metres.  

PE Curriculum 

 PE Progression MapPRIMARY national curriculum - Physical education

23-24 St Alberts Evedincing the impact of the Primary PE and Sport Premium

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