At Beeches Junior School, we believe that Physical Education (PE) that is experienced in a safe and supportive environment is essential to ensure that the children attain optimum physical and emotional development and good health. We intend to deliver high quality teaching and learning opportunities, using the national curriculum, that inspire all children to succeed in physical education and in developing life skills. We want to teach the children skills to keep them safe such as being able to swim. We want to teach the children to collaborate and cooperate with each other as part of a team. We want to instil the children with life long values such as resilience, equity and fair play.
Our curriculum aims to improve both the fitness and the wellbeing of the children at Beeches Junior School, not only through the sporting skills taught, but through the underpinning values and disciplines that PE promotes.
PE at Beeches Junior School provides challenging and enjoyable learning through a range of sporting activities including; multiskills; invasion games; strike and field games; net and wall games; swimming; gymnastics and outdoor adventurous activity. The long term plan sets out the PE units to be taught throughout the year and ensures that the requirements of the national curriculum are met. Pupils participate in two high quality PE lessons every week, covering two sporting disciplines every half term. In addition, children are encouraged to participate in the varied range of extra-curricular activities. Lunch time sport activities are available every day and children can attend after school clubs. Children experience intra-level competition within lessons but also have the opportunity to participate in inter-level competitions within the local area. This is an inclusive approach which endeavours to encourage both physical developments and mental wellbeing. These events develop teamwork and leadership skills and are enjoyable for the children . Each year group is able to go swimming across the year. Years 4 and 5 have weekly lessons for a term whilst Years 3 and 6 have a half term. Within these sessions, we utilise the skills base of both the coaches at the swimming pool and the talent within our staff to teach the children how to swim, how to become stronger swimmers and the principles of water safety.
Outside of PE time, we are committed to ensuring that children are able to access a minimum of 60 active minutes everyday. We achieve this through mini active breaks and the daily mile alongside the provisions at break and lunch times.
We help to motivate the children to participate in a range of sports through quality teaching that is engaging and fun. From our lessons, our children learn to take responsibility for their own health and fitness, many of whom also enjoy the success of competitive sports. We equip the children with the necessary skills and a love for sport. They will hopefully grow up to lead happy and healthy lives utilising the skills and knowledge acquired through PE. We link our physical health to our mental health and use this to encourage growth mindsets and wellbeing.
Programme of Study
A copy of the programme of study can be found by clicking here
Physical Education is vital towards the growth and development of the whole child. All children benefit from regular exercise in terms of fitness and health; developing stronger muscles and bones, increased coordination, agility and balance. It is also considered to be a vital tool in the maintenance of an individuals overall well being.
At Beeches, we provide a fully inclusive and diverse PE curriculum with a focus on developing skills in areas such as gymnastics, athletics, swimming, invasion games, OAA. Throughout this curriculum, there is a focus on fundamental skills that are applicable to all sports and activities. These include running, throwing, catching and striking, travel, balance and sequencing.
Each child participates in 2 hours of Physical Education a week with the opportunity to attend our numerous extra-curricular sports clubs. These range from football, netball and cricket to dance, archery and dodgeball with many more interests catered for across the year. A range of structured sporting activities are also provided at break time and lunchtime by our supervisors, sports apprentice and school sport council. It is through these extra opportunities that children can train and be selected for a range of competitions between local schools across Birmingham. These competitions have led us to being awarded the Silver School Games Award for 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. We aim to make the jump to gold soon!
In addition, the school is committed to providing at least 30 active minutes a day. This is achieved through PE lesson time but also through providing opportunities such as Wake Up, Shake Up; Active break and lunchtimes provided by our sports council and sports apprentice; Active learning strategies in core lessons; Brain breaks and The Daily Mile. Less active children are identified by staff with Change4life Club spaces offered to them.
Skills Progression
Sports Premium
Beeches Junior School spends its Sports Premium funding on additional support from Central Coaching. Specialist coaches deliver their Physical Education Curriculum Support (PECS) programme with teachers and teaching assistants, up-skilling the staff and giving them the confidence to lead PE and games sessions themselves. The coaches have delivered across the curriculum and also supported extra curricular activities within their role in the school. Staff have developed so much through this programme that they have gone on to lead staff training for all staff as well as give individual mentoring support in PE and games.