Autumn term 2008
WHITEGROVE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Our provision for sport is twofold:
a) In line with government targets every child receives two hours per week of quality P.E. provision, including sport, during the taught day.
b) We also offer a wide range of extra curricular activities to enable children to try out different physical activities and to provide opportunities for children to represent the school in competitive events.
· To teach children about the important contribution which physical activity makes to their health and well-being.
· To offer a wide range of sporting activities so that, during their time in primary school, all children may find a sport they enjoy and in which they can do well.
· To extend and challenge talented athletes through participation in competitive events.
Our sports’ provision is delivered through lessons based on National Curriculum requirements, through clubs and through our squad practices and involvement in competitive events which provide an opportunity for us to further challenge our most able athletes.
1. IN LESSONS
The National Curriculum for P.E. is delivered through six key sports: rugby, football, hockey, basketball/netball, cricket and athletics. Dance, gymnastics and swimming (Year 5) are taught separately.
Through the school children:
|acquire and develop skills|
|select and apply skills, tactics and compositional ideas|
|evaluate and improve their performance|
|gain a sound knowledge and understanding of fitness and health.|
Activities during lessons are differentiated to allow every child to be challenged at an appropriate level and assessments are made of their progress.
As they progress through the school children have increasing opportunities to test their skills in competitive events, both within school and against other schools in Bracknell Forest and further afield.
2. SPORTS CLUBS AT WHITEGROVE
We provide a wide range of sports clubs before, during and at the end of the school day. Their purpose is to increase participation and to give children opportunities during their time in primary school to try out different sports. Golf in Year 2 and Highland Games are two of the more unusual activities where children have discovered talents and interests of which they were previously unaware.
Due to their popularity, our sports’ clubs are often oversubscribed and we seek every opportunity to extend our provision so that the maximum number of children can take part. Our efforts are, however, constrained by our lack of physical space both within and outside the building.
As a result we have to apply a selection process against criteria determined for each club. To increase participation, where clubs are oversubscribed, preference will be given to children who have not already been offered a club in the same term or half term. In addition the criteria will include a balance of age group and gender where appropriate as well as the attitudes which children display in P.E. lessons so that the children who do attend clubs can all be expected to make a positive contribution to the sessions and to the enjoyment of others.
3. COMPETITIVE EVENTS and SCHOOL TEAMS
Competitive sport, both within the school day and through our extra curricular provision, has a part to play in providing opportunities for children to test out the skills they have learned in lessons and to develop positive team working attitudes. Most importantly they provide opportunities for us to challenge and extend our most talented athletes within our provision for Gifted and Talented children in all areas of the curriculum.
Participation in our sports teams is therefore offered to those children who show advanced skills and aptitudes in the different sports we offer. The school makes its team selections on the best available information, which includes performance during PE lessons as well as performance within squad sessions and trials. Our PE staff always pick the best available team for competitive events and it is therefore possible for children to be picked for more than one event or team.
Where opportunities arise at the last minute and trials are therefore not practicable, we either enter any existing team/squad or school coaches use their knowledge of the children and judgment to make selections which best meet the demands of the particular event and, where appropriate, a balanced team.
Opportunities for children to comment on the school’s provision and to make suggestions are provided through our class and school councils. Children also have regular opportunities during lessons to evaluate their own performance and to learn with and from each other.
REPORTING TO PARENTS
Parent Interview Evenings provide an opportunity for parents to discuss their child’s progress in P.E. and sport with our specialist teacher, who is also happy to talk to parents on a more informal basis. The annual written report contains summative information about children’s achievement during the year.
This policy was first approved by the Governing Body on 16 October 2008. It will be reviewed regularly as necessary.