Shakespeare Infant School
We Care
Physical Education
P.E. at Shakespeare Infant School
Intent
In a world where countless sedentary options compete for our children's attention, they are increasingly at risk of losing their physical literacy. Physical confidence and competence underpin many essential aspects of a child's development, both in and out of school — from handwriting to mental health, teamwork, and cooperation.
A high-quality, engaging curriculum prepares all children for an active and healthy life. At Shakespeare Infant School, our children are enthusiastic learners who are intrinsically motivated because they find physical activity enjoyable, experience success, and feel proud of their progress.
Our intent is for children to master fundamental skills and apply them across a range of physical activities and sports. They learn that through practice and repetition, they can become increasingly fluent in specific movements and skills. Children also develop the ability to assess their own performance and that of others, gaining the knowledge and awareness needed to learn and improve. Competency is built over time, and every child is supported to achieve their own personal high standard.
Shakespeare Infant School provides a safe, stimulating environment with fantastic outdoor resources. Through thoughtful planning and provision, children are encouraged to play and create their own physically challenging and enjoyable experiences. We nurture cooperation and experimentation, building cultural capital by equipping children with fundamental skills they will carry into adulthood. Through this approach, we empower our children to become confident in their abilities and in how they use their bodies.
P.E. is often taught as part of our integrated curriculum, promoting strong links with both core and non-core subjects. In addition to these well-planned teaching and learning connections, we actively foster the development of our learning values: collaboration, independence, creativity, spirituality, and thinking. Our intent is to continue embedding our school ethos of "We Care" into all aspects of P.E. planning and delivery.
At Shakespeare Infant School, P.E. is developed around the needs and interests of the whole child. We ensure that all learning is memorable, focused, and personalised to meet each pupil’s individual needs.
At Shakespeare Infant School (SIS), children benefit from many positive role models who work in partnership to support and encourage our learners. These role models take pride in their own unique achievements and understand the significant impact they can have on the children in their care.
Both adults and children demonstrate and celebrate strong sporting values. They understand and manage the emotions linked to competition, challenge, winning, and losing. Children are confident in immersing themselves in a range of new, inclusive experiences. These memorable opportunities build on previously acquired skills and knowledge.
Our broad P.E. curriculum ensures that all children leave SIS with a love of sport and physical activity. They will have achieved a good or better level of success across a wide range of physical experiences. For our children, P.E. at SIS is the first step toward a lifetime of participation in sport and exercise.
At SIS, children know they are part of a caring and supportive community.
Whether as individuals or team members—whether in practice or in competition—they feel empowered to contribute, to lead, to be creative, and to embrace new challenges.
Children value their health and recognize how exercise makes them feel during and after activity. They respect themselves and others, and they understand that they are valued members of their class, their school, and the wider community.
Implementation
Long term P.E. planning at Shakespeare shows that our curriculum is recursive and cumulative. Teachers give children time to secure movements such as running, jumping, sending and receiving. Through professional discussion and clear communication among teachers and we are able use the same language and approach in all year groups. Teachers ensure that children build upon previous learning and acquire fluency of movement before moving promptly to the next step. Children are motivated through appropriate support and challenge.
Year R children have differentiated challenges in gymnastics
Children learn how to peer assess and self-assess from Yr. R onwards. Teachers make isolated skills or elements explicit and model how to assess and give feedback. Teachers use questioning such as ‘How can we make this more challenging?’, ‘Why is this successful?’ or ‘How can I improve this?’.
Adults understand and have access to equipment (such as different objects for sending and receiving) and approaches (outlined on planning) that enable inclusivity and differentiation. Teachers and mid-day supervisors reinforce P.E. learning through play at break times by ensuring appropriate equipment is available and leading or playing alongside the children in their class. Children are encouraged to lead these activities themselves or with the aid of 'Playground Pals'. Children volunteer on a weekly basis to help others at lunchtime.
Children, staff members and visitors effectively communicate positive attitudes and sporting achievements with each other, always highlighting effort as well as success. Adults talk to children about their own experiences outside of school, we are proud and not boastful.
We have a diverse after school sports club offering. Children can choose from football, multiskills, tennis, dance and cycling. Children with the greatest need are identified through effective communication with parents and between school staff. Children receiving pupil premium are given priority and funding for after school clubs.
‘[Physical activity and play] make our lives go better, not just longer.’ – R. Scott Kretchmar
In each scheme of work throughout KS1, children apply learnt skills in either a class, year group or interschool competition. Competition provides the experience of winning and losing in a supportive and safe environment as well as making learning memorable and giving a focus and outcome for any scheme of work. The P.E. lead, supported by all staff members, continually assess and refine the effectiveness of the sports and activities on offer that best meet our intent for pupils. Our broad offer is made up of curriculum time, play time and after school clubs. Information about local community sporting events and sports clubs is communicated effectively to parents and carers through newsletters, our school website and social media. We also have P.E. instructional videos on google classroom and on our school website.
Children are regularly given responsibility within P.E. lessons or during play time. They may, for example, be in charge of equipment, explain rules or suggest new rules, lead a team by talking tactics, lead a warm up or cool down or help a teacher with a demonstration. Adults model respect at all times by demonstrating and explicitly highlighting good sporting values. This may take the form of helping an opposition player, flagging when they have made a mistake or infringed a rule or simply celebrating effort and congratulating others.
Please click on the following links for the National Curriculum Programmes of Study for PE and our PE .