Physical Education

"The body achieves what the mind believes." - Napoleon Hill

Our P.E subject leader is Mrs Wyke. 

In Physical Education children follow the National Curriculum, which inspires all pupils and to exceed and excel in competitive sport and other physically demanding activities.  We aim for our children to become physically confident in a way which supports a healthy lifestyle. The National Curriculum provides opportunities to compete in competitive sport and other activities to embed values such as fairness and respect. 

Aims

At St. Joseph's, we aim to ensure that all pupils:

• develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
• are physically active for sustained periods of time
• engage in competitive sports and activities
• lead healthy, active lives.

P.E. lessons comprise of dance, gymnastics, games, net & wall, striking & fielding, athletics and outdoor activities, along with swimming for pupils in year 1 & 2 and water safety lessons for years 5 & 6.  Catch-up swimming lessons are also provided for pupils in KS2 who have not yet met the required standard. 

The Lancashire PE app planning allows for progressive, sequential teaching which builds on the skills required to meet the demands of the National Curriculum and so creating physically literate pupils.  Core tasks are used to assess children's learning; they are designed to match the physical, mental and emotional maturity of the majority of pupils in each class. 

The first and main focus of our PE premium spending is always on the high quality teaching of PE and ensuring that all children are engaged with two hours of high quality Physical Education.  

Our PESPA (Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity) offer is outlined below:

• Two high quality PE lessons for each child per week following the Lancashire PE App
• Years 1 and 2 take part in weekly swimming lessons for two consecutive years throughout the Autumn Term (Including water safety)
• Years 5 and 6 have additional water safety lessons
• A physically active curriculum; where physical activity and movement is woven into other areas of the curriculum to maximise time spent being physically active; using the 'Head to Toe' project as a blueprint.
• Physical Activity is used as a vehicle for teaching knowledge of leading a healthy lifestyle, eg in PSHE, Design Technology and Science
• Outdoor learning embedded in EYFS and KS1 to promote and improve physical development 
• Annual sports day (competitive)
• 'Traditional sports' extra curricular activities
• Inclusive extra curricular activities
• Intra- School competitions
• Inter-School competitions
• Using Physical Activity and sport as a driver to improve mental health and wellbeing
• Giving children the knowledge of how make healthy lifestyle choices. 

PE Curriculum 2022-2023

Here at St Joseph's, we are committed to ensuring all children receive two hours high quality PE each week (in addition to 60 minutes of physical activity per day). We use the Lancashire PE Passport App to help support our delivery of the PE curriculum and ensure that children are accessing a broad, balanced and progressive curriculum, starting with fundamental movement skills in EYFS & KS1. The curriculum is based around the Lancashire skills and knowledge progression document which enables staff to see where the children have come from and where they are going next, whilst the core tasks allow us to assess progress and put further learning opportunities in place when necessary. Competition can be seen in every lesson and character development and sportsmanship is explicitly taught. In every PE lesson, children are taught to identify, feel & know the effects exercise has on the body...every lesson we get hot and sweaty! 

Children in Years 1 and 2 attend Ribby Hall for their swimming lessons, in order to reach the required level of competency for swimming and water safety.  Children in years 5 and 6 have attended water safety sessions to fully ensure they are competent in meeting the required water safety goals.  Children in KS2 who have not met the expected standard by the end of KS1 are currently taking part in catch up lessons. 

We are currently in the process of organising our bi-annual residential to Tower Wood for our year 5 and 6 pupils and Bowrick hall for our year 3 and 4 children.  Whilst the children will have the time of their lives, they will also be focusing on key skills; becoming more independent, developing a sense of resilience, taking risks and stepping out into the unknown. 

Regular C.P.D. opportunities are planned for all staff to continue developing their knowledge and understanding of different physical activities offered to EYFS, KS1 and KS2 children.  Last year our staff completed training in KS2 gymnastics, KS1 fundamental movement skills and trust, trails and challenges for EYFS & KS1.  So far this year, as a staff, we have had a twilight, with Lancashire PE advisor Jess Squires, KS2 netball skills and KS2 teaching the PE curriculum.  We are looking forward to further CPD opportunities in the Summer term, starting with differentiation in PE led by Lee Cadwallader.  

EYFS

Physical Education can be seen across all areas of learning in our Early Years setting here at St Joseph's.  Children are encouraged continuously throughout the day to be physically active and work on achieving the fundamental movement skills.  However, the most relevant statements for PE are taken from the following areas of learning: 

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Physical Development 

• Expressive Arts and Design

Here at St Joseph's, EYFS children have two hours of physical education each week along with opportunities to develop movement skills throughout the day, both inside and in the outdoor classroom.  EYFS follow the Lancashire P.E. scheme of work in-line with the rest of the school; completing the baseline assessment for PE in the Autumn Term. This offers well planned sequences of learning, fulfilling every aspect of the National Curriculum, offering regular assessment opportunities and building in core sporting values such as resilience and respect. EYFS focus on mastering the fundamental movement by repeating movements over and over until they are mastered. 

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, the aim of PE is to improve skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement.  Children develop large motor skills through jumping, hopping, skipping, climbing and running, and also through playing with pedal and push-and-pull toys. Children participate freely in these kinds of activities both indoors and outdoors.  Fine motor skills are acquired by filling a container with sand, doing a puzzle or stringing beads. Children need these skills to do up buttons or laces and to hold a pen or pencil to write correctly. ​​​​

P.E at St Joseph's

Head to Toe Project

We are excited to be taking part in a collaborative project, 'Head To Toe' , over the next two years (September 2021- August 2023), working with Blue Moose Dance Company and a small cluster of schools.

A word from Blue Moose about the project;
'Working with KS2, we will use creativity, dance and movement to explore different learning strategies for memory and recall, which go beyond the traditional forms and look into how the body and environment can play its part.  We will encourage pupils to better understand their own learning styles and preferences, to be inquisitive and creative.  The project will be shaped to meet the needs of the school and the pupils.  We will be working with an evaluator to build a continuous flow of feedback and thoughts, putting the young person's voice at the heart of the project'.

Rowling class have been enjoying taking part in the project and have been using movement to help deepen knowledge of maths concepts and scientific learning.  Below are some pictures of the work the children have been doing. 

Health & Well-Being Week - Spring 2023

We learnt so much in this year's health and well-being week about how important it is to keep our minds calm and our bodies active.  We kick started the week with yoga where the children practiced breathing exercises and activities to encourage confidence, strength, balance and flexibility.  We went on a whole school well-being walk around the local area, where we chatted with our friends along the way and enjoyed the fresh air and nature around us.  We then enjoyed a picnic lunch together.  We learnt about a balanced diet and what it means to make good choices with our food.  Children worked in small groups to design and make a healthy snack.  The snacks were then sold at our 'Healthy Marketplace'...yum yum! We welcomed in Rob from Healthy Heads and Lee Cadwallader from Wyre and Fylde Schools Sport Partnership who delivered sessions on resilience, team work and problem solving through physical activity; lots of skills were learnt which the children have been using back in the classroom.  We ended the week with a visit from Shaun Gash who ran wheelchair basketball sessions...very inspirational. 

School Games Mark Success - March 2023

We are pleased to announce that we have been awarded the Platinum Schools Game mark again this year!! It shows how committed the children are to being physically active and their enthusiasm and passion when representing the school in competitions.  Well done to the whole St Joseph's term!

PASTA Club

Our parents and children have been taking part in weekly PASTA sessions in collaboration with Fylde Council over the last few months. They have been working with Netti, a health and nutrition expert, to prepare and make deliciously healthy meals as well as active play for the whole family.  We have been able to offer this fantastic club to many families across the school, and will continue to do so throughout the year.