At Elson Junior School PE plays a major role within our school curriculum, it is not only important for the children’s physical health but also for their mental well-being. The curriculum is well planned out and shows progression throughout each year group. The aim for PE in our school is for all our children to assess all areas of the curricular and have positive experiences. 

PE can challenge and promote self-esteem through the development of physical confidence and problem solving. It can teach children to cope with both success and failure in competitive, individual and team based physical activities. Within dance PE will allow children to explore their personal and spiritual identity whereas gymnastics allows the children to show core strength, balance and Flexibility.   

Each child receives 2 hours of PE a week, 1 hour with a specialist coach and the second with their class teacher. Their sessions are planned to cover a broad and full range of skills and activities.  

 We teach in a way that children: 

have fun and experience success in sport 

can join in at their own level of development 

build and secure a range of skills  

develop good sporting attitudes  

understand basic rules  

experience positive competition 

learn in a safe environment 

Children in year 5 attend swimming lessons at a local pool. They learn to swim 25 metres competently and confidently in a range of strokes. If a child does not reach the 25m target they will be offered ‘Top Up’ swimming in year 6.   

Children also have the chance to be part of our school football and netball teams and have the chance to have an active leadership role being either a Playground leader or Sports Day leader. We also celebrate sport achievements throughout the school.  Year 5 are also offered the chance to take part in Bikebaility. Bikeability is the government’s national cycle training programme. It helps children learn practical skills and understand how to cycle on today’s roads. 

The government is providing additional funding to improve provision of Physical Education (PE) and sport in primary schools. This funding provided jointly by the Departments for Education, Health and Culture, Media and Sport it is allocated to primary school Head teachers. The funding is ring-fenced and therefore can only be spent on provision of PE and sport in schools. Schools must spend the additional funding on improving their provision of PE and sport, but we do have the freedom to choose how they do this. 
 
Our overarching objectives to improve PE and sport are to: 

Continue to improve the quality of PE teaching across the school, ensuring progression and differentiation across the school. 

Improve all teachers' subject knowledge and teaching skills in PE and sport. 

Continue to improve the quality of swimming teaching across the school. 

Continue to maintain and increase high levels of participation in extra-curricular sporting activities, especially for pupils who do not usually participate. 

Continue to ensure children have opportunities for personal, inter and intraschool sports competition. 

Improve and facilitate physical activity in break times. 

Continue to improve the quality of sports and PE resources used in school. 

Ensure all children understand and adopt healthy lifestyles - being aware of and tracking their own physical fitness and well-being. 

Increase the activity levels and participation in sports of the less active pupils.