Physical Education

Purpose and Aims

Purpose:

A high-quality physical education curriculum inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically-demanding activities. It should provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect.

Physical Education (PE) inspires to succeed and excel in competitive sport and physically-demanding activities. PE provides pupils the opportunities to be physically confident in their health and fitness. Fairness and respect are values embedded through sport and activities build character.

Aims:

To develop practical skills to excel in broad range of physical activity.
To lead active healthy lives.
Engage in competitive sports and activities.

Provision

Our curriculum is categorised in 2 ways

Breadth - which gives pupils acquire new knowledge and skills
Depth - which helps pupils to develop an in-depth understanding of PE.

Whilst coverage is our goal for the "breadth" element, repetition and increasing the understanding is our goal for the "depth" element.

Our curriculum drivers shape our approach to teaching PE so that every opportunity is taken to relate PE to the needs of our pupils. PE is studied throughout each academic year and across each key stage so that pupils can gain a growing developmental understanding of the matters, skills and processes in our curriculum. Coherent contexts for learning engage ad involve pupil.

Progression and assessment

Our progression has 3 key objectives which mirror the 3 aims of the subject. We set out our expectations around Chris Quigley Essentials "milestones" approach. Each milestone has a set of indicators that are repeated throughout 3 cognitive domains: Basics (we call it paddling), Advancing (we call it snorkelling) and Deep (we call it diving). It is expected that the vast majority of pupils will have an advancing understanding by the end of the milestone and some will have a deep understanding.

Assessment and reporting

We will assess the pupil's depth of understanding each term and use this to forecast as to whether pupils are on track to meet our curriculum expectations for the end of the milestone.

Look what Father Christmas delivered! January 2019

Over the Christmas holiday Father Christmas also visited Harpenden Academy and left us some rather wonderful PE equipment in the hall, namely a wall bar unit and climbing ropes. Miss Harvey is particularly excited but I am thrilled too. When I came to the school two years ago I remember saying the hall was crying out for gymnastic equipment and now we finally have it. I’m sure that it is the children who are going to have the most enjoyment from it—which is exactly as it should be!

Another Goal for Harpenden Academy Boy's football team! December 2018

On a damp and muddy Wednesday afternoon, Year 5 and 6 travelled to Sauncey Wood for their next fixture in the local league. The boys took an early lead, but unfortunately Sauncey Wood came back with a quick goal. The 2nd half was much closer with both teams having great opportunities to score and both goalkeepers made some great saves to keep the game at 1 vs 1. It was tightly fought game in the mud. So well done boys, keep it up. The whole school is behind you. The rest of the season is looking positive for the boys and I hope this will be our most successful season yet.

Cross Country, November 2018

This morning we had a beautiful frosty run around the Common to wake up our bodies and brains. Such an invigorating and peaceful start to the day!

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Cross Country Tournament, November 2018

A wonderful performance from our Year 5 and Year 6 six runners at yesterday’s tournament. All runners showed excellent commitment and resilience, not to mention superb sportsmanship. A special mention to James in year six for coming fifth in his race out of over eighty runners- amazing!

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Cross Country

The start of the Autumn Term 2018 was a record run with 40 children running around the common on a beautiful Autumnal morning. Thank you so much to the parents who volunteered to make this happen. Please sign up with the office if you are able to volunteer to ensure we can get out into the great outdoors each Tuesday morning.

On Friday, 15th June 2018, our Year 3 and 4 cross country teams took part in the Harpenden Schools Y 3/4 tournament at Markyate school. Then ran brilliantly - showing determination and excitement in equal measure. I was particularly impressed with their fantastic behaviour (thanking the organisers) and their excellent sportsmanship (cheering on and even helping children from other schools). A huge thank you too to Susan, Georgina, Jasmina and Charlene for escorting the children to and from the event - much appreciated.

Excellent performance team Harpenden Academy!