All children in Years 3 - 8 receive one 40-minute PE lesson a week. In these lessons children are taught primary co-ordination skills in Gymnastics, Swimming, Tennis and Athletics. Some lessons are also dedicated to developing fitness and the effects of exercise on the body. Games lessons are where the major team sports are coached.
Visit our Sport pages for more information.

PE Lesson Programme

Michaelmas Term

Fitness & Fun
This is a unit for Years 3-8, which is primarily aimed at promoting fitness. It also includes games activities which hopefully develop leadership, cooperation, self esteem, creativity and a sense of fair play. The emphasis is on fun and teamwork and not winning and losing. There will be some opportunities for children to plan their own work and to assess their own fitness levels. An important objective of the unit will be to increase the child's awareness of what is happening to their body before, during and following exercise.

Gymnastics
Gymnastics is taught for a block of 6-7 lessons. In this unit children will focus on creating sequences to perform in front of the group. They will work with partners and in small groups displaying a wide range of body shapes and actions. The class will be working towards creating sequences across the floor and apparatus.

Lent Term

Tennis
Tennis is taught for 5-6 lessons in this term. The fundamental aim of the lessons is to develop primary skills in the young player. This includes coaching on how to approach the ball and control the racket when playing forehand and backhand strokes.
As the players gain more confidence in their stroke play they are introduced to the rules for playing a simple game. Players are taught how to serve and when to employ the volley.

Swimming
Swimming is taught in PE and Games lessons throughout the year.
In Years 3-4, boys and girls are taught swimming in fortnightly PE lessons throughout the Michaelmas and Lent Terms.
In Years 5-8, all children receive a programme of 6 swimming lessons in the Lent Term. The Swimming syllabus is primarily directed towards developing stroke technique and continuing to build on the skills learnt within the Pre-Prep programme. The children are also introduced to personal survival and life –saving skills from Year 3 onwards. Pupils in Year 6 will be tested for their water skills badge. This will assess competence in a range of swimming strokes and personal survival techniques.

Summer Term

Athletics
Athletics is taught in the Summer Term. All boys and girls receive 6-8 weeks of athletics training in their PE programme. A weekly games lesson is also dedicated to athletics for pupils in Yrs 3-6. The aim of all the athletics training is to help the children focus on developing their technical understanding of running, jumping and throwing actions. They work towards targets to improve their skills and think about how to achieve the greatest possible speed, height or distance.

Sports Day is typically held on a Saturday in late June. This is an inter house event. All children compete in at least 3 events on behalf of their house. Boys and girls also have a chance to win points for their house by competing in the 5 open events. The best athletes in the Junior, Middle and Senior age groups will receive a Victor Ludorum medal