Intent

At St Stephen's C of E Primary School, we believe every child should become a confident, active and resilient individual who enjoys participating in physical activity and understands the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Through our Physical Education curriculum, pupils develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed in a wide range of physical activities while embracing teamwork, determination, respect and self-belief.

Our carefully sequenced curriculum is fully aligned with the National Curriculum and ensures that knowledge, vocabulary and physical skills build progressively from EYFS to Year 6. Learning develops pupils' competence, confidence and enjoyment across a broad range of sports and physical activities, while encouraging healthy lifestyles and a lifelong love of being active.

Implementation

Curriculum Progression

Our curriculum is carefully planned to develop pupils' fundamental movement skills, tactical understanding and sporting knowledge through a progressive sequence of learning.

In the Early Years and Key Stage 1, children develop balance, agility, coordination and control through a range of multi-skills activities, providing the foundations for future sporting success. As pupils move into Key Stage 2, they apply and refine these skills across team games, individual sports, athletics, gymnastics, dance and outdoor adventurous activities.

Pupils also take part in swimming lessons, developing confidence and competence in the water while working towards meeting the National Curriculum expectations for swimming and water safety.

High-Quality Physical Education

Pupils receive two hours of high-quality Physical Education each week. Lessons are carefully structured to develop both practical performance and understanding, enabling children to become increasingly independent, reflective learners.

We also provide a wide range of opportunities beyond curriculum lessons to promote active lifestyles through clubs, competitions, festivals and enrichment activities, encouraging pupils to enjoy physical activity both in and outside school.

Sporting Values

Character development is central to our Physical Education curriculum. Through every lesson, pupils are encouraged to demonstrate our core sporting values:

• Teamwork

• Passion

• Determination

• Respect

• Self-belief

• Honesty

These values underpin all aspects of Physical Education and help children develop positive attitudes that extend beyond sport into everyday life.

Competition and Personal Development

Pupils regularly participate in competitive sport and physically challenging activities that develop resilience, leadership, decision-making and teamwork. Alongside competition, children are encouraged to set personal goals, challenge themselves and strive to achieve their personal best, regardless of ability.

Impact

By the end of Year 6, pupils leave St Stephen's as confident, physically literate and enthusiastic participants who understand the value of leading healthy, active lives. They have developed the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to enjoy physical activity both now and in the future.

Our pupils will:

• Demonstrate competence and confidence across a broad range of physical activities

• Apply fundamental movement skills effectively in increasingly complex sporting situations

• Show teamwork, leadership, honesty and respect in both competitive and cooperative activities

• Compete with resilience, determination and self-belief while striving to achieve their personal best

• Evaluate and improve their own performance using appropriate sporting vocabulary

• Recognise the importance of regular physical activity in supporting lifelong health and wellbeing

Assessment is ongoing throughout each unit and includes teacher observation, pupil discussion, practical performance and assessment against the progressive knowledge and skills within our curriculum. Clear progression from Reception to Year 6 ensures every child develops secure physical skills, knowledge and understanding before moving on to increasingly challenging sporting experiences.