Across Key Stage 3 and 4 we follow the national curriculum. Students develop their technique through competitive sports, use tactics and strategies to overcome opponents, take part in outdoor and adventurous activities, team building and problem solving, take part in dance using a range of styles, analyse performances and suggest ways to improve and we encourage participation outside of school through club links.
Key stage 3 starts with introducing our passion for sport to build a love of sport and physical activity. Learning the rules of sports to allow all to participate safely with enjoyment. Building confidence and self-esteem. Developing skills, agility, coordination and balance. Pushing students outside their comfort zone, coping with fatigue, building resilience, and learning about the benefits of being active. We provide enrichment visits to watch and be inspired through sport. Students are introduced to the house system and the importance of representing your house in the Sports House Trophy.
Once students have a secure knowledge of each sport they progress quickly and the next stage is developing team sports and being confident in communicating with their peers. Improving organisational skills, preparing students for independent learning. Critically analyse performance using self and peer assessment using a range of technologies, including video analysis. There is greater participation in extra-curricular clubs (grass roots, trials, local, national, school training). Students have the opportunity to become Young Leaders to help with organising house sports.
Students are then able to use the knowledge they have learnt and apply the skills needed to be successful. Learning tactics of the sport, exploiting weaknesses in an opponent’s performance. Confidence to lead small groups, developing mental social and physical skills. Increasing the role of referee, preparing students for Key Stage 4. Encouraging more able students towards GCSE PE options. Learning how to become “good winners” and “good losers” by building resilience. The impact of a strong Key Stage 3 curriculum is very low non-participation rates, high percentage of students taking part in extra-curricular sport, an excellent take up of GCSE PE, and, according to student voice, amongst others, a very high percentage of students that enjoy Physical Education.
Students have the opportunity to go to Bewerley Park outdoor centre and Watersports on the Mediterranean with canoeing down the Ardecehe. These trips promote independence and organisation skills as well as team building and raising confidence, resilience and self-esteem. All students have the opportunity to take part in competitive sport through our inter-house competition as well as representing school in a wide range of sporting events. This promotes pride for their school, as well as understanding core British Values of sporting behaviour, fair play, and being good winners and good losers. We have a large leadership programme which involves sports house captains and junior sports house captains. This develops students’ communication and organisational skills as well as giving students confidence to stand up in front of groups.
Once students have developed their independence and organisation skills they can start to take ownership of their lessons which usually happens during Key Stage 4. They are able to communicate effectively with their peers demonstrating the ability to officiate and referee. Leadership roles are implemented during lessons. Students have the opportunity to become Sports House Captains with the importance of their roles and responsibilities promoted throughout school. Students have the opportunity to use their knowledge of what is a good leader by becoming leaders and coaches at extra-curricular practices.
By the time students are in Year 11 they are constantly using their knowledge about organisation, independence, communication, sportsmanship, and leadership to conduct their own lessons. Students have more choice at this stage as the aim is to encourage lifelong participation as we give students the skills to participate in sport once they leave Upper Wharfedale School. Student know how to lead an active lifestyle with a good understanding of the benefits of fitness and health and how to be a responsible active citizen whether participating or spectating. Students leave school appreciating the benefits of being part of a team and have the confidence to independently organise matches, fixtures and recreational bookings.
As part of GCSE PE at Key Stage 4 students learn about 6 topics. The human body, biomechanics, including levers and planes and axis, and physical training. Also students learn about the benefits of exercise, including diet and lifestyle, sports psychology and how commercialisation and media affect sport. We promote literacy skills and exam technique by showing how students structure their answers with description first, then applying their knowledge to sporting examples, and finally an analysis of how the example is affected. The skills the students need to apply are descriptions of the different components, labelling diagrams, interpretation, analysis and predictions of data, discussions about how different topics affect sports in different ways, justify their decisions, evaluations and conclusions of the best way to train for different athletes. We choose Edexcel GCSE PE as it provides a more practical focus than any other examination qualification. It reflects today’s global world and addresses issues within our society, such as racism, ethics in sport and fair play, gender and cultural stereotypes, and issues surrounding sedentary lifestyles. It provides an applied focus and uses many transferable skills, such as how to structure longer mark answers and developing ideas, across many subjects. It develops a holistic understanding of physical education and supports progression to the next level of study as well as supporting progression from Key Stage 3.
