Sports Studies

"Sports do not build character. They reveal it. In every victory and defeat, we learn the value of hard work, resilience, and respect - lessons that last a lifetime." Heywood Broun, Journalist (1888–1939)

Curriculum Principles

The world is an ever changing, challenging and complex place to grow and succeed. Physical activity and sport can bring people together and is based on fairness and respect. It is our job as teachers of PE to not only develop students’ physical literacy to lead a healthy and active lifestyle but to also provide a rich opportunity to develop the emotional and social well-being of all students. The world of physical activity, sport and fitness is so vast and diverse, it is our intention to offer a core curriculum that is broad and balanced as well as one that is open and equal to all students regardless of age, gender, background or ability. We want to develop well-rounded individuals that are equipped with the key life skills to succeed in life such as communication, organisation, leadership and problem-solving capabilities. In addition to gaining qualifications which would support progression to working in many roles across the sector, our curriculum intent for all is to create and develop a love of sport and physical activity whilst at the same time equipping students with the knowledge and understanding of the importance of physical activity in order to live a healthy active lifestyle beyond school.  

Curriculum Features

At all Key Stages, students equally develop and embed a range of physical skills across a wide variety of sports becoming more competent, confident and expert in their techniques, skills and knowledge and understanding of all aspects of physical education. They should develop the confidence and interest to get involved in exercise, sports and activities out of school and in later life. Our current curriculum offers a comprehensive range, breadth and diversity of sports and activities developing core and advanced skills for performance. We not only focus on traditional sports but incorporate new sports/activities as a way of engaging and enthusing all students to participate in lifelong physical activity. We achieve this by ensuring our curriculum model is a student-centred approach and tailored to each cohort. KS4 and KS5 examination PE will develop key theoretical knowledge that underpins physical activity and sport, understand how the physiological and psychological state affects performance in sport, understand key socio-cultural influences which can affect people’s involvement in physical activity and sport and finally perform effectively in different physical activities by developing skills and techniques. We offer two pathways at both KS4 and KS5- GCSE/BTEC Tech at Level 2 and A-Level PE and BTEC Sport at Level 3. These options set us apart from any other school across the district as we can offer the most appropriate and suitable course for all of our learners to ensure successful outcomes. 

Career Relevance

Sport, activity and fitness is a growing industry with it expected to continually increase over time including positions in the health, media, business and science industry. Sport, activity and fitness more importantly has a positive impact on the health of the nation. Regular sport and physical activity can reduce the risk of many chronic conditions and illnesses such as Type 2 diabetes, strokes and coronary heart disease. If students are aware of how to lead a healthy, active lifestyle and understand the consequences of living a sedentary lifestyle then the nation will be healthier, fitter and less of a strain on government spending. Employers across job sectors also value physical attributes, teamwork, analysis skills, leadership and communication skills which are all developed throughout the curriculum. We enable students the ability to coach each other and understanding of human anatomy which may be crucial in later life.  

PE Curriculum Sequencing Rationale