The aim of the Physical Education department is to equip our students with the knowledge, understanding and enthusiasm to engage in a healthy active lifestyle throughout their time at The Academy of St Nicholas and beyond. Through delivering a broad curriculum that allows students to engage in a variety of sporting opportunities, we aim to give all of our students a positive sporting experience that will encourage them to be life-long participants in sport and physical activity.  

SCHEMES OF WORK 

KEY STAGE 3 

The KS3 PE Curriculum is a broad and balanced programme which allows students to develop skills in a variety of invasion games, net and wall games, field striking and individual activities. Students will develop key knowledge and understanding of performing skills in accurate replication, exploring and communication, evaluating and improving and developing skills and tactics. In addition to this our students are given opportunities to enhance their personal development and regularly complete lessons that focus on ‘my personal best’ which aims to improve student’s resilience, responsibility, self-motivation, integrity, communication, collaboration, empathy, ability to motivate others, innovation and evaluation. Students follow schemes of work that are focused on a topic for 6 weeks and then they switch to another activity. This allows our students to receive such a wide variety of sports and allows them to exercise transferable skills.  

KEY STAGE 4 

KS4 students have 1 hour of core PE a week which focuses on developing skills as well as participation. At the heart of our KS4 programme is getting all students involved in at least 1 hour of physical activity a week, therefore we offer a wide range of activities. Students select an option pathway every half term which enables them to feel empowered in the direction of their PE curriculum. This ensures participation rates remain high in key stage 4. In addition to physical activity and engagement lessons at key stage 4 focus on personal development and are designed to develop key skills such as resilience, responsibility, Self-motivation, integrity and self-management. Students receive a range of invasion games, net games and individual activities and the focus is on developing existing skills as well as improving teamwork, communication, leadership skills, physical well-being and reducing the stress that our students sometimes experience. 

KEY STAGE 4 OPTIONS 

 When students choose PE as one of their options at the end of year 9 they will be choosing to complete the OCR Level 1/2 Cambridge National Award in Sports Studies. The aim of the course is to give leaders the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge about different types of sport and physical activity, skills development and sports leadership to their own practical performance. They will learn about contemporary issues in sport such as funding, participation, ethics and role models, and sport and the media. Learners will develop an appreciation of the importance of sport locally and nationally, different ways of being involved in sport and of ow this shapes the sports industry.  

KEY STAGE 5

When choosing to take PE as part of their further education students will be choosing to complete The OCR Level 3 Sport and Physical Activity. The qualifications aim to develop students’ knowledge, understanding and skills of the principles of Sport and Physical Activity. Students will gain an insight into the sector as they investigate opportunities for delivering sport and physical activity to a wide range of participants, whether it is to mobilise sedentary people to improve their health and wellbeing or to support regular participants to improve their performance and fitness, all done in a safe and professional environment. In doing so, students will also gain core skills required for employment or further study in the sector such as communication, analysis, organisation and adaptation. Designed in collaboration with experts spanning the breadth of the sector, the Level 3 Cambridge Technicals in Sport and Physical Activity focus on the requirements that today’s universities and employers demand. Students will practically apply their skills and knowledge in preparation for further study or the workplace.