At Tibshelf Schools Federation we aim to give each child a life-long love of movement, to enjoy a future, rewarded by the life changing benefits that come from physical activity, and sport. We acknowledge that ‘When we play, life gets better,’ physically, socially, and emotionally. We believe that there is a sport/physical activity suited to everyone and we strive to enable our pupils to become physically literate, and to follow their sporting interests, be it in competitive or non-competitive situations. We will endeavour to unlock pupils’ talents and help them reach their potential and hopefully, in time, children will find their own passion for activity. The School Games values of are promoted not only in PE and school sport, but across the wider curriculum and have relevance for our children’s future lives, fitting alongside the whole school’s vision of helping our children be ‘Lifelong Learners’.
Tibshelf Schools Federation acknowledges that physical activity, high quality physical education and school sport is integral to the process of education and the total development of each pupil. It leads to better pupil attendance, behaviour, confidence, and attitudes to learning, thereby helping to raise whole school standards. Physical activity is vital for physical and mental wellbeing. The School Games values of determination, honesty, passion, respect, self belief, and teamwork link with our behaviour, PSHE and SEND policies of inclusion and equal opportunities, as well as the Arts Mark, through creativity in dance.
All staff at Tibshelf Infant and Nursery school understand that it is our duty to educate our children about the importance of physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices by providing children with the knowledge, understanding and the tools needed to make informed choices about healthy living.
Working alongside the scheme ‘Get Set 4 PE’, our curriculum will provide all children with the opportunity to express themselves physically, socially, and emotionally. Research is very clear about the positive relationship between physical activity and improved mental health. Therefore, providing children with these learning experiences through our PE curriculum will have a positive impact on each child’s own physical health and mental health and well-being and, as a result, should enable children to have a longer, fulfilling, and healthier life. It is our aim to enable all children, regardless of their ability, race, or gender to be able to access and enjoy their PE lessons.
At Tibshelf Infant and Nursery School, we endorse the National Curriculum for PE and use the ‘Get Set 4 PE’ scheme of work. The aims across our curriculum show natural progression from the Foundation stage through to Year 2. Teachers use the skills progression document to ensure that there is a clear progression of knowledge and skills taught across the school and to ensure that all objectives are covered, contribute and reflect upon the school’s teaching cycle.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, Physical Development is one of the Prime Areas of the curriculum. It is considered fundamental in the Early Years, along with Communication and Language and PSHE. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, we are committed to improving skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement. Wide ranging activities that encourage climbing, balancing and jumping can be accessed in the outdoor play areas, in the garden area and on the main playground. Every week, our Mini kicks session builds on our fundamental skills, and we also encourage the development of fine and gross motor skills through our everyday provision of suitable resources, for example riding bikes and using scissors.
In Foundation Stage Two, children have the same opportunities as Foundation Stage One, with the additional planned lessons using the ‘Get Set 4 PE’ scheme. These weekly sessions develop the fundamental skills needed for controlled movement, strength and stamina in dance, gymnastics and games.
In Key Stage One, children are taught one PE lesson each week, enhanced through the daily mile, a weekly Tai Chi session, a weekly session down on our allotment, daily active playtimes, and active 5-10 minutes bursts throughout each day. We are proud of our commitment of all children meeting (and in cases going beyond) the 2 hours of Physical education per week.
We encourage an ethos of inter and intra competitions throughout the year and the opportunity for all children to take part in sport and enjoy and achieve. We value the contribution that outside agencies and the school sport partnership can provide, and we use their expertise to support our teaching and learning of PE. We participate in ‘The Change for Life’ programme, sport festivals and competitions with other schools in the cluster and benefit from the opportunities ‘Derbyshire Cricket’ has to offer. Tibshelf Infant and Nursery school considers school sport competition and festivals important to enable children to experience the pride in doing their best, whilst representing their school.
Children in breakfast club and in after school care also have opportunities to access the outdoors and be physically active on the playground and garden area.
Lessons follow progressive lesson plans reviewed regularly and often uses the format of a warmup, skills development and the application of skills learnt in small games situations or combination of movements into sequences and cool down. There are co-operative situations, competition, or both included in typical lessons. The aims of the lesson (physical, social, emotional, and thinking) aims are made clear to the children at the start of the session, with some time for reflection on their level of success at the end of the lesson. Teachers use key learning sheets and vocabulary to ensure AfL as well as providing opportunities for children to lead, where appropriate. This will be monitored regularly through learning walks, team teaching, observations and conversations.
There is an annual Sports Day, the aim of which is to include all children in a team and features the finals of some races. Awards are given for first, second and third positions. Sports Day is a cultural event, with an opening ceremony. To develop physical competency and to promote a love of physical activity, children are awarded PE superstars each week. These superstars are awarded for determination, honesty, passion, respect, self belief, and teamwork, resilience and courage. Parents love putting achievements in PE onto tapestry so that we can share their hard work outside school with their friends. These achievements are displayed on our ‘PE Superstar’ board.
Each teaching unit is mapped against the National Curriculum aims and progression documents to ensure that learners develop detailed knowledge and skills across the full breadth of the PE curriculum through engaging and age-appropriate curriculum content. Attainment and progress can be measured using the ‘Get Set 4 PE’ assessment tracker that are shared amongst staff termly. This form of evidence fits alongside other methods such as video / photo evidence that is used to guide teacher assessment as well as supporting CPD to improve staff confidence.
Following the regular monitoring strategies outlined above, we are then able to identify the next stage of education and what this entails. Using surveys for example will allow us to adapt our curriculum to what staff are confident in, as well as providing opportunities that the pupils themselves want to experience.
At Tibshelf Infant and Nursery School, we use the Primary PE & Sport Premium Funding to enhance the quality of PE, through staff CPD, improved delivery and opportunity for our pupils to take part in intra and inter competition. The implementation and impact of this funding is reviewed annually and is linked to both the subject and the school’s action plan.
PE and School Sports Funding 2023-2024 – Click Here
Click here for the Department for Education link to the Primary School’s Sports Funding page.