Physical Education

PE (Physical Education) helps children develop the physical skills, confidence, and attitudes they need to lead healthy, active lives. Through a broad range of activities—including games, gymnastics, dance, and athletics—pupils build coordination, teamwork, and resilience. PE in primary school promotes physical wellbeing, supports mental health, and encourages positive habits that last a lifetime.

A Message from Miss Radcliffe, our PE Subject Leader

At Queensgate, we believe that Physical Education (PE) is essential for every pupil, fostering not only physical and mental health but also teamwork and resilience. Our balanced curriculum prioritises fundamental skills, particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, ensuring that all pupils enjoy participating in a variety of activities. By Key Stage 2, we start introducing more sport based units - covering the important fundamental skills by applying them to different sports.

In Key Stage 2 we offer abundant opportunities for pupils to represent the school in a diverse range of sporting competitions, encompassing both traditional sports and inclusive sports, allowing every child to shine. Our adaptive curriculum is designed to keep pupil interest alive; we regularly introduce new sports, exposing students to activities they may not encounter outside of school. This approach not only enriches their experience but also encourages lifelong participation in physical activity, promoting a healthy and active lifestyle for all.

Intent

Queensgate Foundation Primary School believes that Physical Education (PE), experienced in a safe and supportive environment, is essential to ensure children’s physical and emotional development and good health. We intend to deliver high-quality teaching and learning opportunities that inspire all children to succeed in physical education and in developing a healthy lifestyle through eating sensibly, avoiding smoking, drugs and alcohol. We want to teach children skills to keep them safe such as being able to swim 25 metres. We also want to encourage a keen interest in PE. A willingness to participate in every lesson, highly positive attitudes and the ability to make informed choices about engaging fully in extra-curricular sport. Children will develop their ability to take the initiative and become excellent young leaders, organising and officiating, and evaluating what needs to be done to improve, and motivating and instilling excellent sporting attitudes in others.

Our curriculum aims to give all children a wide base of opportunities to try new skills and possibly develop these further both in and out of school. The activities will encourage children to think about how to be fit and active and how it can affect their physical and mental health both as children and into adulthood.

Implementation

PE at Queensgate Foundation School is best experienced as a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities, using a variety of resources, equipment and surfaces.

At Queensgate, the aims teaching in our PE lessons are:

• There should be some clear and simple aims for the teaching of PE.
• Lessons should be inclusive with staff being provided with a range of inclusive teaching materials to ensure everyone participates fully and enjoys the PE experience.
• Children should participate in 2 hours of lessons a week.
• For children to use and develop a range of skills.
• For the activities to be enjoyable, fun but safe.
• For Key Stage 2 children, the PE and games taught in lessons will be extended into intra and inter school competitions or competitive/friendly matches.
• A range of traditional and modern skills and games will be experienced by the children including (but not exclusively) skipping, swimming (Year 3&5), cricket, tag rugby, football, rounders, athletics.

Impact

The impact of our PE curriculum can be seen in displays in the PE hall, round up of fixtures in the weekly newsletter and photographic evidence shared between staff. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils leave Queensgate with a good understanding of a range of sports and the knowledge on how to live a healthy, active lifestyle.

Learners will be ready for their next stage of learning, being able to tackle new skills and challenges with confidence and competence.

The PE and Sport Premium is government funding provided to primary schools to improve the quality of physical education, school sport, and physical activity. Its aim is to help children develop healthy lifestyles, increase participation in physical activity, and raise the profile of PE across the whole school. 

Schools receive this funding annually and are free to choose how best to use it—such as hiring specialist coaches, providing staff training, offering more extracurricular clubs, improving equipment, or increasing opportunities for competitive sport. 

At Queensgate Foundation Primary School, we use our Sports Premium to ensure all pupils enjoy high-quality PE lessons and have access to a wide range of physical activities that support their health, wellbeing, and personal development.