Mather Street Primary School

Physical Education

The PE curriculum gives all learners, particularly the most disadvantaged, the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. By providing our pupils with regular exercise, they are well equipped to live a healthy lifestyle, both physically and mentally. Pupils have the ability to exercise, release endorphins and build on their social skills by playing team games.

The curriculum has been planned by using key skills from the National Curriculum, which have been broken down into bite-size chunks with clear progression for teachers to use. The plans have been developed in collaboration with the Sports Development team so that we have had a specialist input but the lessons can be delivered by non-specialist class teachers. These learning objectives allow teachers to ensure that they are delivering lessons that build on prior learning from previous year groups from EYFS to Year 6.

PE skills are taught through specific sports. These are planned on a rolling programme. As each sport is introduced, the Sports Development Leader has worked with school staff to develop their subject knowledge. The next time the sport is taught, it is delivered by a member of the school staff and the Sports Development Leader will deliver a different sport.

The school provides all the children with shorts and T-shirt for PE. This ensures that all children will have a kit available in school for them to use for every lesson. In addition to PE lessons, the children have opportunities to attend extra-curricular sports activities. The sports development leader changes the focus of the after-school clubs each half term. Various members of staff offer clubs at breaks and lunchtimes so the children that are unable to stay after school do not miss out.

The school has Health Champions and Sports Leaders. Sports challenges are organised by the Health Champions each week at lunchtimes and the Sports Leaders organise the popular Early Morning Zumba sessions twice a week. A group of children come to the Martial Arts Breakfast Club every Wednesday at 8 am and enjoy sharing their achievements in assembly each term.

Oldham Athletic Community Trust has supported the class teachers in EYFS and KS1 by delivering PE sessions to develop their subject knowledge. In addition, they offered a football after-school club and a holiday session for all the children. The school was also given the opportunity for families to attend a football match free of charge.

Failsworth Ball Hall is a national centre of excellence for basketball and netball. Children are encouraged to attend and the staff regularly deliver taster sessions for our children. The Year 6 children, go to Castleshaw outdoor centre and participate in a variety of team building activities.

Swimming has previously been taught in lower key stage 2. From the school year 2021/2022, the Year 6 children will be given the opportunity to have an intensive programme of swimming and water safety lessons.