“Physical Fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body; it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” John F Kennedy

“Sport is a universal language, building more bridges between people than anything else I can think of.” Sebastian Coe

Intent of our Physical Education Provision

At Whitehouse Community Primary School, our extensive Physical Education (PE) provision aims to provide our children with a broad and diverse range of inspiring and engaging sporting opportunities, both during and outside of the school day utilising the skills and expertise of our staff and spending our sports premium funding in a positive and sustainable way of achieving this. Our school prides itself on our inclusive approach to our PE provision. As a result, we aim to encourage all of our children, regardless of ability, to take part in a wide variety of sporting activities, on a regular basis, as part of a healthy active lifestyle. Additionally, it is our intent that the delivery of our PE provision provides children with a platform to experience the plethora of benefits and opportunities provided from participating in a high quality PE provision. In addition to specific sporting knowledge and skills, our PE provision also aims to foster learning enjoyment, develop vocabulary and communication skills, boost confidence and self-esteem, build team-work and leadership skills and provide opportunities to develop their spiritual, moral and social understanding. We believe the ‘life skills’ our children learn through PE will support them in their achievements in all elements of school life, in the wider community and beyond.

Implementation of our Physical Education Provision

At Whitehouse Primary we provide our children with a broad and structured PE Curriculum with high quality, engaging PE teaching and learning. All children throughout the course of the academic year will participate in at least two, one hour, PE sessions each week with both indoor and outdoor activities. Where PE features as part of class teacher’s PPA, PE lessons are taught primarily by Mr Jordan (PE Specialist/Teacher) or Ms Salmon (Sports Coach), with classroom teachers delivering the second PE lesson. Where Mr Jordan does not deliver PE lessons, teachers are closely supported to ensure that this high-quality delivery is upheld.

Our annually updated PE curriculum provides a methodical, structured and spiral approach with a broad range of units of work taught in half termly blocks, ensuring full coverage of the outlined National Curriculum strands. In KS1 children will master basic movements such as running, jumping, throwing, and catching, whilst also developing skill-related components such as agility, balance, and coordination. Throughout KS2 these skills will be applied through topics relating to games, gymnastics, dance, athletics, and outdoor and adventurous activities. KS2 children have the opportunity to participate in swimming lessons as part of the PE curriculum. Additional swimming lessons for targeted year 6 children are implemented using the pupil premium funding to support children to achieve the recommended KS2 swimming outcomes. 

At Whitehouse Community Primary School, we pride ourselves on the vast array of after school sporting opportunities available to our children (Reception – Year 6). Our high-quality after school sports clubs are delivered utilising the expertise of our own staff and some external coaches/organisations. All our sports clubs are completely funded and FREE to our children. Our inclusive approach to after school clubs ensures that all children, regardless of demographic or ability level, are able to access extra-curricular sports clubs and activities throughout the academic year. Our school is also a proud member of Ipswich & Suffolk School Games and Ipswich Primary School Sports Association (IPSSA) which provides our children with the opportunity to participate in regular competitive Level 2 (Inter-school) sporting events. In addition, to ensure that all children are provided with the opportunity to implement their learnt skills during competitive sporting activities, a number of Level 1 (Intra-school) activities are implemented within the PE curriculum.

“Competing is exciting and winning is exhilarating, but the true prize will always be the self-knowledge and understanding that you have gained along the way.”  Sebastian Coe

Lastly, to track the progress of our children within PE, age-related assessment targets have been created and are implemented into our PE curriculum within lesson plans and learning objectives. These PE targets help class teachers to formally and accurately assess our children’ progress throughout the units of work, whilst also playing an integral role in the planning and delivery of high quality and structured PE lessons.  

Impact of our Physical Education Provision

• The spiral approach to our PE curriculum ensures that children make clear progress upon their prior knowledge, understanding and skill development as they move through key stages.
• Children have highly developed transferable knowledge, skills and understanding of a wide range of sports and physical exercises.
• The outcomes of children’s progress is evident through in house and inter school competitions. PE achievements in and out of school are celebrated in assemblies or through the school newsletter. 
• Cross-curricular links in lessons build confidence, motivate children and supports them in making connections and remembering and applying the skills they have been taught.
• Our inclusive approach and links to RRSA within PE lessons promotes a positive learning environment and teaches respect and acceptance of others of all abilities.
• Teacher assessment, peer assessment and children’ self-assessment are used to track progress and attainment. Assessments are recorded and monitored on classroom monitor.
• Participation in extra-curricular clubs is increasing which is having a positive impact on motivation and skills in PE.
• Children have access to a range of sporting competitions and events, increasing confidence and opportunities to apply their skills in each sport, teaching teamwork, perseverance and respect. Children have opportunities for success and are encouraged to pursue sports outside of school.
• PE and Sport Premium funding and whole school events such as our annual Paralympic week, athlete visits, external sports organisations/coaches and Level 1&2 Bikeability courses has also helped to enrich our PE provision further, creating life-long inspiring memories for our children.
• The use of the PE and Sport Premium has also provided staff with a number of PE specific CPD opportunities, helping to develop staff teaching and learning within PE.
• Additional Yr6 swimming lessons has increased the number of children achieving the expected target of 25 meters and completing the personal survival assessment.
• In recognition of the overall impact and high quality of our extensive PE provision we have received the School Games Gold Sports Mark (2022/23) and also the Youth Sport Trust Silver Quality Mark (2021/22).