Physical Education in the curriculum provides the opportunity for specific attention to be given to the physical development, health and well-being of children.
KEY STAGE 1
The minimum content for Physical Education is set out below.
Teachers should provide opportunities for pupils to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in:
Athletics
Pupils should be enabled to:
• participate in fun activities and physical challenges enabling them to begin to learn, understand and develop the core skills of running, jumping and throwing individually and in a co-operative context, using a variety of equipment;
• practise simple running techniques in a variety of fun activities;
• practise jumping and throwing activities, initially from a stationary position progressing to a
controlled run-up;
• measure performance in simple athletic activities.
Dance
Pupils should be enabled to:
• use different parts of the body to explore personal and general space and to move using simple actions;
• listen to, and move in response to, different stimuli and accompaniments;
• move in a controlled manner, at different speeds and in different directions, using different levels
in space, (high, low), and different strengths (heavy, light);
• perform simple steps and movements to given rhythms and musical phrases;
• create, practise, remember and perform simple movement sequences;
• develop their movements progressively individually and in pairs.
Games
Pupils should be enabled to:
• practise and develop the skills of handling, hitting and kicking through a range of activities and using a variety of equipment;
• develop the skills relevant to games, including running, stopping, jumping and skipping;
• make use of space to outwit an opponent;
• take part in simple games involving individual and co-operative play.
Gymnastics
Pupils should be enabled to
• explore a range of movement skills, including travelling, jumping and landing, rolling, climbing, transferring weight, balancing;
• explore, practise and improve body management skills;
• form simple sequences by linking movements;
• progress from working individually to working in pairs;
KEY STAGE 2
The minimum content for Physical Education is set out below.
Teachers should provide opportunities for pupils to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in:
Athletics
Pupils should be enabled to
• participate in activities and physical challenges to learn, understand and continue to develop the core skills of running, jumping and throwing in a co-operative and competitive context using a variety of equipment;
• progress from simple running, jumping and throwing activities towards becoming involved in more difficult personal challenges and through them, improving performance;
• practise running over short and long distances;
• practise jumping for height and distance;
• practise throwing activities for accuracy and distance from a stationary position to a controlled run-up;
• record and analyse personal performance in a variety of ways. Dance
Pupils should be enabled to:
• progress from using simple movements and gestures, towards developing these into a structured, sequenced and co-ordinated set of movements using variables such as space, direction and speed;
• develop their movements progressively individually; in pairs; in trios; small groups; and larger groups.
• develop more effective use of space levels, directions, speed and strength
• move with increased control, co-ordination and poise, using a variety of actions and gestures
which communicate ideas and feelings;
• create, practise and perform movement sequences, using a variety of stimuli and to an audience;
• structure dances with clear beginnings, middles and ends;
• perform a selection of simple folk dances.
Games
Pupils should be enabled to:
• progress from developing individual skills and partner activities and games to suitable small- sided, adapted and mini-games through both co-operative and then competitive play;
• develop control in running, jumping, changing speed, stopping and starting, with and without small equipment;
• improve their skills of handling, hitting and kicking using a variety of equipment and progress from developing individual skills and partner activities and games to suitable small-sided adapted and mini games through both co-operative and then competitive play;
• develop an understanding of, and participate in, small-sided, adapted and mini games.
Gymnastics
Pupils should be enabled to:
• extend their body management skills and improve the variety and quality of movement;
• progress from working individually to working in pairs, trios, small groups and whole groups;
• explore, practise and refine a range of movement skills, including travelling, flight, rolling, balancing, transferring weight, including weight on hands, twisting, turning and stretching.
Swimming
Pupils should be enabled to:
• develop basic swimming and personal survival skills;
• understand the importance of personal hygiene in relation to pool use;
• progress from using a swimming aid to developing their confidence and competence in being able to swim without the use of any aids using recognised swimming strokes.