Practising netball skills.

Action shot!

Practising some basic cricket skills.

Dribbling the ball with hockey sticks.

Physical Education

 

Vision

At Devonshire Primary Academy we believe all children should have access to a high quality Physical Education which is at the core of our whole-school curriculum.

Our PE curriculum aims to:

  • Provide planned and progressive lessons, ensuring that all pupils develop physical literacy.  First we learn to move and then we inspire our children to move to learn.
  • Develop their physical literacy through developing motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding that provides children with the foundations for lifelong participation in physical activity.
  • Provide opportunities for our children to become engaged in a range of competitive, physically demanding activities.  These are taught through games, dance, gymnastics, swimming (including water safety), athletics and outdoor/adventurous activities.
  • Be inclusive, broad, balanced and enriching, ensuring opportunities for all to excel in a wide range of physical activities which encourage children to lead healthy, active lives.
  • Give opportunities for physical fitness to take place for sustained periods of time and allow the children the opportunity to take on leadership roles which can build character and embed values such as fairness and respect.

Our comprehensive extra-curricular provision allows all children the opportunity to participate which helps contribute to the development of the whole child.

The purpose of our curriculum is to contribute to the recommendation that children between the ages of 5 and 18 should be physically active for 60 minutes a day across the week.  Children at Devonshire are given opportunities to experience, enjoy and excel in high quality PE and school sport incorporating a diverse range of motivational activities which offer life-long learning through challenge and competition.

Values

The values, which are developed through sports, will transfer into other areas of the children’s lives and be demonstrated in all aspects of school life and beyond.

Benefits of our PE Curriculum

Devonshire Primary Academy recognises the impact that the provision of a high quality PE and school sport curriculum has on the whole school and the contribution it makes towards whole school improvement.  Developing pupil’s personal qualities through PE can affect their attitudes towards school and learning.  All pupils will develop and demonstrate the following personal qualities:

  • A strong desire to learn and make progress;
  • High levels of attendance and involvement in PE and school sport;
  • Improved behaviour;
  • An understanding that PE and school sport are an important part of a healthy, active lifestyle;
  • High levels of commitment to PE and school sport where sport is valued and part of everyday lives;
  • Good levels of positive sports’person’ship behaviour such as fair play, integrity, resilience, teamwork, honesty and cooperation;
  • Improved self-confidence and decision-making skills; and
  • High levels of enjoyment and enthusiasm and a strong desire to be involved, working collaboratively with others and independently.

Developing the Whole Child

Our curriculum focuses on developing FMS (Fundamental Movement Skills) and has a skill based approach, equipping children with the crucial skills and attributes so they are physically active for sustained periods of time.  We believe physical education at Devonshire provides a vital contribution to every child’s physical, social, emotional and mental well-being.

The PE curriculum has been designed to focus on three areas: Head (thinking); Hands (doing); Heart (behaviour).

  • Head: effective decision making skills, problem solving, keeping safe, persevere with tasks developing resilience, confidence, develop a growth mindset, self esteem and belief, creativity and responsibility for own learning.
  • Hands: develop fundamental movement skills, master physical literacy skills, swim 25m and perform self-rescue, participate in survival skills and adventurous activities, participate and compete in games/activities, and perform dance movements/actions.
  • Heart: engage in competitive sports demonstrating sports’person’ship qualities through: cooperation; leadership; tolerance; empathy; fairness; honesty; and respect for teammates, opponents and officials.  Managing own feelings and behaviour, acting as a role-model, communicating effectively and working as part of a team.  Represent the school with pride, integrity, determination and excellence at festivals and competitions.

Raising Aspirations

In order to raise our children’s aspirations, we offer:

  • A whole-school ‘Health and Fitness Week’ where we provide opportunities for children to participate in sustainable and alternative sports/activities which support children’s health and fitness.  During this week, sport-related professionals are invited to deliver workshops and Q&As with our children.
  • A comprehensive timetable of extra-curricular clubs based on the interests of our children run by staff, our PE coach and external sports coaches.
  • Children the opportunity to represent the school at festivals, competitions and tournaments throughout the year and, in doing so, develop resilience.
  • An annual Sports Day.  The EYFS and KS1 event takes place at school and the KS2 event takes place at Stanley Park so they have the opportunity to compete in track and field events in a purpose built sports arena.
  • ‘Fit2Go’ workshops for Year 4 pupils which are run by Blackpool Football Club Community Trust.  These workshops focus on healthy active lifestyles which are delivered through both theoretical and practical lessons.
  • The chance to participate in ‘Festival of Dance’ each year, where children rehearse then perform a dance at Blackpool Winter Gardens in front of a live audience.

Leadership in PE

Every child is given the opportunity within PE lessons to participate in leadership opportunities from setting up equipment, putting equipment away safely, supporting the warm ups and/or leading a small modified game/activity.

  • Our Sports Ambassadors receive training to help support the delivery of sports days for younger children.
  • Some of our children take part in Blackpool Football Club Community Trust’s Blackpool Buddies scheme which trains children in Year 5 to deliver playground games at lunchtimes.
  • We have Healthy Lifestyle Ambassadors through ‘Change for Life.’  They are responsible for attending/supporting healthy cooking clubs with younger children and are invited to attend events.

Swimming Provision

Year 4 take swimming lessons at the local swimming baths throughout the academic year.  The lessons are differentiated to suit all levels:

  • Beginners are taught basic skills and, by the end of the academic year, should be able to swim a width of the pool successfully.
  • Children whose existing swimming skills are given the opportunity to increase their ability by practising different strokes and skills such as treading water and diving to collect objects from the bottom of the pool.
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