PE in Cusgarne
PE Curriculum Intent
At Cusgarne we recognise the importance of PE in developing the physical, intellectual social and emotional wellbeing of the children in our care. Our aim is to provide access to a variety of high-quality physical experiences to all of our pupils, ensuring that each individual is valued and encouraged to reach their full potential.
PE Curriculum Implementation
In Lesson time
We have a whole school scheme of work that gives depth and continuity to our PE curriculum, and ensures that children have a variety of physical learning experiences during their time at Cusgarne. Our target is to ensure all the children at our school are active for 60 minutes a day; 30 minutes during school (this includes wake and shake, physical activity during lessons, after school clubs and use of our play equipment at playtimes) and 30 minutes once they have left our school grounds.
Each class has two 1-hour lessons of PE each week. Usually one lesson will be a games lesson delivered by Plymouth Argyle (with the class teacher present) and the other will be a gym or dance lesson taught by the class teacher, supported by a TA. Each class will also do athletics, outdoor and adventurous education and team building/ problem solving activities during the year. Children are also taught why it is important to be healthy through taking part in regular physical activity, during PE and science lessons.
The reception children also follow a scheme called ‘healthy movers’ which provides structured daily movement that works on core skills. This is delivered by a HLTA in Robin class.
The children need to have their PE kit in school every day so it is recommended that PE kit that needs washing is taken home on Fridays and returned on Mondays.
All children, at the end of year 6, must achieve the government target of being able to swim at least 25m using a recognised stroke and carry out self survival skills in water. The children in upper key stage 2 go swimming for 10 sessions each year during the spring term.
Teachers will, when appropriate, make learning in the classroom active by adding physical tasks. Some examples of this are
- Phonic action songs such as ‘baby shark.’
- ‘body counting’ in maths which enables the children to practice their multiplication tables in a fun and active way.
- French action songs.
During Playtimes and lunch times
We try and encourage the children at Cusgarne to be as active as possible during playtimes and lunch times. Staff on playground duty, and our PE ambassadors play an important role in encouraging this. There is a selection of playground equipment such as bats and balls, large balls, skipping ropes and stilts for the children to use. We are lucky enough to have an outdoor climbing wall that all children can access, and playground markings that also encourage activity. Each class has two timetabled football sessions each week either at playtime or lunchtime. On Friday lunchtimes in the summer term, our PE ambassadors run an ‘active club’ for KS1. When dry we have a top field that can be used for games, and adventure play equipment on our bottom field that encourages purposeful activity.
Learning off site
We recognise that it is important to give children opportunities to experience some activities in different settings. Each class goes on a class trip each term and often it involves being active. Some examples of this are:
- Sports day on the Richard Jory playing field.
- Surfing on the north coast.
- Climbing using an indoor, purpose built facility in Penryn.
- Visiting the adventure playground at Heartlands.
- Cycling along the Bissoe cycle path.
- Walking in a town or country setting.
- Visiting the seaside.
- Orienteering in a wooded area.
Each year there is an opportunity for the children in upper key stage 2 to go on a residential trip. This often involves visiting a purpose built centre that has specialist staff who deliver challenging outdoor and adventurous activities such as canoeing, climbing and raft making.
Inter and Intra-school competitions
We are part of the Richard Lander cluster and the Aspire cluster, both of which provide regular sporting festivals and competitions for the children at our school to take part in; there are targeted events for children in EYFS, KS1 and KS2. Each year we try to ensure that all the children in years 1-6 participate in an event against others schools. Examples of some of the events organised by both clusters are swimming galas, EYFS and KS1 multi-skills festivals, a feet-beat dance competition, cross country, athletics events such as the Aspire Games; and table tennis, football, hockey, handball competitions for years 5 and 6.
Each year we hold our own sporting events in which all children take part in fun, purposeful physical activity. These include sports day, a multi-skills festival run by our year 6 sports leaders and a colour run, walk or orienteering type activity for sports relief.
PE Curriculum Impact
Our curriculum aims to improve the fitness and wellbeing of all the children at Cusgarne School. Within our lessons, children are taught the importance of this in leading a happy and healthy life. The impact that our curriculum is having on the children’s learning will be monitored during lessons by all class teachers, and by the PE lead through observations, feedback from staff and pupil conferencing. Our Twitter feed is continuously updated with photographic evidence of much of the sporting and physical activity that takes place at our school.
